How to Fix Amazon Product Ranking Issues like Hidden Category

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If you’ve launched a new product on Amazon and noticed your Amazon Product Ranking seem stuck or just aren’t improving as expected, there could be a hidden issue tanking your progress. Even if your product is getting decent traffic and clicks, its rankings might fail to budge if it has the wrong internal categorization.

This is known as the hidden category problem, and it’s an obscure technical issue that many Amazon sellers are unaware of. But it can wreak havoc on your Amazon Product Ranking and visibility.

The problem stems from product categories and keywords on Amazon. Although you carefully choose browse categories and keywords when creating a listing, Amazon sometimes arbitrarily changes a product’s type or category internally. This confuses Amazon’s algorithm and makes it harder for your listing to rank well for relevant searches.

The frustrating part is you’d never know this is happening just by looking at your listing. The category and keywords look normal, but behind the scenes, the product type Amazon has assigned doesn’t match. This prevents your listing from amazon product ranking properly.

Fortunately, there are ways to identify and fix the hidden category issue when it’s tanking your amazon product ranking. In this post, I’ll explain what to look for and how to resolve it so your listings can start ranking normally again.

Warning Signs Your Product Has the Hidden Category Issue

The first sign that the hidden category problem is hurting your amazon product ranking is getting healthy traffic to your listing but zero conversions.

Despite showing up for relevant searches and receiving clicks, shoppers arrive at your page and leave without purchasing. Your listing generates curiosity but can’t close the sale.

This mismatch between clicks and conversions is a red flag that something is configured incorrectly behind the scenes. It likely means your product category or type is not accurately set in Amazon’s database.

For example, let’s say you sell a pet collar. You carefully chose Pet Supplies > Dog Supplies > Collars as your product category when creating the listing. The title and keywords all contain “dog collar” as well.

But due to the hidden category issue, Amazon incorrectly categorized your pet collar internally as “automotive accessories.” Or categorized it with some random, irrelevant keyword never mentioned on your page.

Now when shoppers find your collar through searches for “dog collar,” they arrive at a page that doesn’t match their expectations. The product shows up in search results for dog collars but is configured as an automotive accessory in Amazon’s database.

This explains the disconnect between ample traffic and zero conversions. Shoppers expecting to find dog collars click over, only to land on a page mislabeled as auto accessories. It creates a dead end that turns them away.

The takeaway is that healthy traffic but zero conversions suggests a mismatch between customer expectations and your product’s internal categorization. It’s likely the first evidence that the hidden category issue is plaguing your listing.

How to Identify the Problem in the Category Listing Report

The second warning sign is getting some conversions and traffic, but your product ranks seem stuck and fail to improve.

For example, let’s say your pet collar ranks on the second page for “dog collar.” It gets a few sales per day but just can’t break onto page one no matter what you try. Or it reaches the bottom of page one but never climbs higher.

This means the hidden category problem is still dragging down your amazon product ranking despite reasonably good performance.

When there is a mismatch between your intended category/keywords and Amazon’s internal classification, it creates friction that prevents your listing from reaching its full potential. Sales can trickle in, but explosive growth stalls out.

You might make small tweaks and see a slight boost or temporary improvement before ranks plateau again. The listing seems to hit an invisible ranking ceiling that blocks its climb.

This persistent struggle to gain more visibility, even with some initial traction, points to the hidden category issue. Without the proper internal product type configured in Amazon’s system, progress stalls quickly.

Think of it like trying to climb a mountain but you’re wearing slippery shoes. You can only get so far before sliding back down. There’s an impediment blocking the path upwards.

That impediment is the mismatch with Amazon’s category data. Until your listing’s back-end classification aligns with the front-end presentation, ranking growth remains limited.

The stalled progress despite reasonable sales is a giveaway that the hidden category problem needs addressing. It’s preventing your listing from reaching its true potential.

Fixing the Hidden Category Issue

The Category Listing Report provides the proof needed to confirm if the hidden category problem is impacting your product. This report shows any mismatch between your intended category/keywords and Amazon’s internal classification.

Here’s how to download and use the Category Listing Report:

• Go to Reports in your Seller Central account and find the Inventory Reports section. Look for the Category Listing Report here.

• If you can’t locate the Category Listing Report, simply open a case with Amazon requesting access. Say “I need the Category Listing Report for my account.” Amazon will enable it.

• Once available, download the latest Category Listing Report. This provides an Excel spreadsheet listing all your products and relevant data.

• Scan the “Product Type” column in the report. Does the product type match what you selected when creating the listing?

• For example, if you sell a dog collar, the product type should say “pet collar.” But if it says “automotive accessory” instead, that’s an issue.
• Also check if the product type contains random or irrelevant keywords never mentioned in your listing. Like “home storage” for a pet collar.
• Any mismatch between your intended category/keywords and the product type data in the report indicates the hidden category issue.
• Double check that the browse path shown in the report also aligns with the categories and keywords used in your listing.
• If the Product Type is inconsistent with your listing details, the hidden category problem is likely plaguing your product and hurting amazon product ranking.

The Category Listing Report exposes any discrepancies between your product’s front-end presentation and Amazon’s internal classification. This vital data makes it easy to identify if the hidden category issue is present.

4. Recheck Amazon Product Ranking and Performance

Once you’ve confirmed that the hidden category problem is affecting your product, it’s time to correct the mismatch between your intended category/keywords and Amazon’s internal classification.

Here are the key steps to fixing the issue:

• When first creating your listing, carefully choose the appropriate browse path/node that matches your product type. Double check this matches the keywords in your title and listing.
• Use Amazon’s Browse Tree Guide to look up recommended keywords for your product category. Search for “browse tree guide” on Amazon Seller Central.
  

• Download the Browse Tree Guide spreadsheet for your product’s category, like “Home & Kitchen.”
  

• Identify the suggested “Item Type Keyword” that aligns with your product type and matches your original browse path selection.

• Copy this exact “Item Type Keyword” and paste it into your product’s back-end details. Look for the “Item Type Keyword” field.

• Paste the suggested keyword from the Browse Tree Guide into the “Item Type Keyword” field to align with your intended category.
• For example, for a pet collar, you’d paste “Pet Collar” as the Item Type Keyword, not “Automotive Accessory.”
• Save your changes and re-download the Category Listing Report to verify the product type now matches your listing.
• Continue monitoring your ranking performance over the next few weeks to ensure the issue is fully resolved.

By updating the Item Type Keyword to match your originally selected browse path, you realign the back-end classification with the front-end presentation. This correction fixes the hidden category issue and clears the way for ranking improvements.

Wrapping Up

The hidden category issue on Amazon is an obscure but dangerous problem that can silently torpedo your product rankings. Even when everything looks fine on the surface, a mismatch between your listing and Amazon’s internal categorization can act as a roadblock, limiting visibility and sales.

Fortunately, there are ways to identify if this issue is plaguing your product using warning signs like zero conversions or stalled rankings. Analyzing the Category Listing Report provides confirmation by exposing any discrepancy between the front and back-end.

Armed with the proper category keywords from Amazon’s Browse Tree Guide, sellers can realign their product’s internal classification and present a unified front. This correction allows listings to reach their full potential unencumbered by the hidden category problem.

So stay vigilant in monitoring for signs like stalled conversions and sluggish rank improvements. If discovered, take steps to download the proper reports and update keywords to get your product back on track. Consistently keeping your product’s internal and external categorization aligned is crucial for ranking success on Amazon.