This change is designed to give sellers more accurate ways to classify their products while improving the buyer’s shopping experience.

Why This Upgrade Matters

Accurate Product Placement

Previously, the 3-level system often forced sellers to choose broader categories that didn’t fully match their products. With 4–7 levels, you can now place items into much more specific subcategories.

For example, instead of just “Electronics → Accessories,” you might classify an item under “Electronics → Accessories → Phone Accessories → Cases → iPhone Cases.” This precision helps TikTok Shop understand exactly what you’re selling and ensures your products appear in the right sections of the platform.

Faster Catalog Import

If you’re uploading or syncing a large product catalog, the expanded structure reduces the chances of mismatched categories. That means you won’t need to spend time reclassifying products after import. For sellers using bulk upload or integration tools, this translates into a smoother, more efficient onboarding process with fewer interruptions.

Reduced Misclassification

One of the biggest frustrations for sellers has been having products flagged or revised because they were placed in the wrong category. The new system narrows down options and makes it clearer where each product belongs. This reduces mistakes, minimises the back-and-forth of editing, and ensures your listings remain compliant with TikTok Shop’s policies.

Better Product Discovery

On the buyer’s side, the upgrade significantly improves search and filtering. Shoppers can drill down into specific product types instead of browsing through a broad category with hundreds of unrelated items. This makes it easier for customers to find exactly what they want whether it’s a particular size, material, or product variation. For sellers, this means higher chances of being discovered by the right audience, boosting traffic and potential sales.

How to Update Existing Product Categories

1. Look for the Alert Banner

When you log in to your TikTok Seller Center and go to Manage Products, a banner will appear at the top of the page. This is the system’s way of notifying you that some of your existing products need to be updated under the new category structure. Simply click “Update Now” to get started.
 

2. Check System Recommendations

TikTok Shop’s system will automatically suggest the most relevant new categories for your existing products.

• If a recommendation is shown, you can review and accept it with just one click.

• If there’s no recommendation, you’ll need to manually select the correct category from the new 4–7 level structure. This ensures your product is accurately placed.

3. Choose Your Update Method

You can update categories in two different ways, depending on how many listings you need to fix:

• Batch Update: If you have several products to update, select them in bulk and click Update at the top right. This saves time when handling large catalogs.

• Individual Update: For a single product, click the edit icon next to it, then update the category. This is useful if you want to double-check details before saving.

4. Monitor the Update Process

Once you’ve applied updates:

• Processing will begin automatically in the background.

• It may take a while depending on the number of products, but you can continue with other tasks while the system processes.

• Products that have been successfully updated will disappear from the update list, so you’ll know which ones are completed.

• If the update takes longer than 2 hours, TikTok advises reaching out to your Account Manager (AM) for support.

If you see the message “Category is not the final category” while editing a product, it means the system still recognises your product under the old structure. You’ll need to choose a new category from the expanded levels before you can save and publish changes.

How to Select Categories for New Products

Method 1: Manual Selection During Listing

When you create a new product listing, TikTok Shop will guide you through category selection.

• You’ll now see the expanded 4–7 level category tree, which allows you to place your item in the most precise subcategory available.

• In some cases, TikTok Shop’s system will automatically suggest a category based on your product title or attributes. This can speed up the listing process, but you should always double-check to ensure the recommendation is correct.

• By choosing the most specific category, you improve the chances of your product appearing in relevant search results and recommendation feeds.

Method 2: Bulk Listing with Updated Template

For sellers handling large inventories, the bulk listing tool is the most efficient way to categorise products.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to Manage Products → Bulk Action → Bulk Listing.

2. Follow the banner prompts and type in a product category to download the latest version of TikTok Shop’s bulk listing template.

3. In the template, look for the category section. Use the dropdown menu to navigate the expanded levels and select the most accurate category for each product.
 

4. Complete all other required product details (e.g., title, SKU, price, inventory).

5. Return to the bulk listing page, upload your finished spreadsheet, and follow the prompts to submit your products.

The bulk method ensures that all your products are correctly categorised in one go, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.

Stay Aligned with TikTok Shop Changes, Effortlessly

The expansion of TikTok Shop’s product categories gives sellers a more precise way to classify and showcase their items, but it also means spending extra time updating existing listings and ensuring new products are placed correctly. For sellers managing dozens or even hundreds of SKUs, this process can feel like a constant cycle of edits, syncing, and revisions.

BigSeller simplifies that workflow. From bulk category edits and content quality optimisation to cross-store product publishing, every step of product management can be handled in one place. Instead of juggling updates across multiple dashboards, you get a streamlined system that keeps your catalog aligned with TikTok Shop’s latest requirements.

Try BigSeller for free today and make managing your TikTok Shop listings easier.

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