How to apply category renewal (change)
1. When to receive an Excel file of renewed categories
When categories are renewed, an Excel file of as-is/to-be categories will be sent to all the sellers using APIs.
You will receive the Excel file by email within one to two weeks of a renewal announcement on WING.
Therefore, sellers using APIs are required to check whether your email address registered on WING is correct to receive the Excel file.
※ Note) An Excel file of categories renewed in Apr 2020 was sent out by email on Apr 23rd. 'Download an Excel file of categories updated (click)'
2. How to read the Excel file
Filter the column Type of Change in the Excel file, and you can sort them as necessary.
Check differences between as-is and to-be, and apply to-be versions.
* Note) You can check the to-be info using Category Meta Data Query API after application to the system.
1) Category ON/OFF
| NEW | Category created anew |
| OFF | Category to be deleted |
| Name change | Category name changed |
| Structure change | Category structure changed |
| Structure + name change | Both name and structure changed |
Example)
2)Purchase/search options
| NEW | Category created anew |
| Purchase option change | Category with purchase option changed |
| Search option change | Category with search option changed |
| Purchase/search option change | Category with purchase and search options changed |
3. Scope and method of applying change
1) Scope of category changes to apply
- You don't need to change the category of previously listed products even the category is OFF (not to be used) [unable to change the category of products already listed].
Send the current info as it is. - You cannot list products anew in an OFF category (API sellers are given a month's grace after renewal to list new products).
2) Update notice info
- Items of notice info may change with category changes, but you don't need to update notice info for previously listed products (may continue to update the details of notice info using the update API).
3) Update purchase option
- If the current purchase options are not to be updated, using the update API to update other items of info doesn't return an error.
- If purchase options change with categories, sometimes previously registered values of the purchase options are not editable. For products in a renewed category (with its purchase options changed), you can query them and edit only those values with "editable": true, and as purchase options can remain the same for continued use, you are recommended to have them fixed.
4. Frequently asked questions
Q. Is it impossible to list products in an OFF category after system application?
A. No, you may list products in the category for a certain period of grace.
Q. Are products not exposed if they are already listed in the former category?
A. Yes, they are. Products in the old category will be exposed normally since it is mapped to a new category.
Q. Should I update info on products listed before category renewal or re-list them?
A. No. Coupang will migrate products to different categories if they are in OFF/changed categories.
Q. It takes a lot of time to update categories. Could you exceptionally change the period of category update?
A. Every category renewal project is followed by a grace of one and a half months or so during which categories to be OFF remain open. They are not shown when you individually list products on Wing, but when listing via API, you can list in the categories with internal category code ready.
Also, Coupang provides an Excel file of as-is and to-be categories to help API sellers with mapping.
Q. Is the category of previously listed product changed after category renewal? Or is the category of only those listed anew changed?
A. You don't need to change the categories of previously listed products and should list new products in renewed categories. You can list products anew in renewed categories upon the application of category renewal to the system.