Product Miscategorisation
In this article :
1. What is Product Miscategorisation?
2. Where does Product Miscategorisation usually occur?
3. How do I correct category of the product?
4. What happens when a product has been identified to be miscategorised?
5. Possible Consequences of Wilful Product Miscategorisation
1. What is Product Miscategorisation?
Product Miscategorisation refers to product listings that are placed in inappropriate categories (e.g., putting "red skater dress" under "Electronics"). Miscategorised products present the product information incorrectly and/or inaccurately, making it difficult for buyers to find the right products online.
Products deemed to be miscategorised will naturally see their search ranking fall as more relevant products are promoted by our system.
2. Where does Product Miscategorisation usually occur?
Product Miscategorisation may happen at different levels of the product category tree. It is important that you choose the correct category level for the products at all levels.
Example of category level breakdown
3. How do I correct category of the product?
There are tools that helps you categorise correctly. During product creation stage, category suggestions are provided based on keywords in your product name. You may wish to refer to those suggested categories.
You can also refer to our Lazada University page for more information on product categorisation and recommended tips to ensure accurate categorisation.
Disclaimer: Accuracy of category suggestion is solely dependent on the product name keyed by seller.
4. What happens when a product has been identified to be miscategorised?
Lazada reserves the right to deactivate the miscategorised product. Seller will be notified to correct your product with the correct category before activating the product again.
5. Possible Consequences of Wilful Product Miscategorisation
To ensure customers are receiving the most accurate product information while they are making their purchasing decision, we take Wilful Product Miscategorisation very seriously.
Examples of Wilful Product Miscategorisation are as listed (not limited to the following):
Seller observed to miscategorise the same product despite repeated notifications
Seller observed to miscategorise the products to circumvent any policy restrictions
If a seller has been identified to have wilfully miscategorised a product, the corresponding product will be locked and the seller will receive 1 non-compliance point.
Scenario |
Possible Consequences |
Miscategorisation of products |
Deactivate Product |
Wilful Miscategorisation |
Product Locked + 1 point |
If you do not agree with our decision regarding your miscategorised product, you may submit an appeal request in the Account Health page.
Common Questions
How long do I have to edit my product categorisation?
Under 'Managed Product' > 'QC Alert: Miscategorised Product' page, you would be able to view the product deactivation date. Kindly complete your edits prior to this date to prevent your items from being delisted. If the item has been inaccurately tagged as miscategorised, you may reject the suggested new category and our team will review the rejection.
What happens if I disagree with the suggested new category?
You can submit an appeal request via Account Health. However, bear in mind that your product will be deactivated if your rejection proposal does not pass our reviews by the deactivation date. You will be able to relist your product only once the product is updated to the appropriate category.
Can I extend the time given to recategorise my SKUs as I have too many items?
No, you would have to complete the edits before the deactivation date else the items would be taken offline. You will still be able to update it after deactivation, and you are highly encouraged to do so to avoid having your SKUs being inactive for too long.
Would this QC violation impact my seller metrics/ NCP points?
While miscategorised products do not directly affect your seller metrics, they negatively impact buyer experience resulting in poor conversion and buy-through rate for your products. There may also be one (1) NCP issued for sellers who had been identified to have wilfully miscategorised products.
In the future, how would I be warned of such miscategorisation of my listings?
Miscategorised listings will be displayed in QC alert. You will receive a notification in Admin Seller Center (ASC) and will also be notified through email and IM 3 days before the deactivation date.
How to check system suggested category?
You will be able to check system suggested category in our listing update page by making any edit to the product title, such as adding/removing a space in product title.
What if system suggestion is wrong?
You can reject system suggestion in our QC Alert page by clicking on "Reject Suggestion".
Cannot find your product in QC Alert page because it has been deactivated?
Reactivate your product by change to one of the system suggested category. And then change to the category which you think is correct. You should then find your product in QC Alert.
