Walmart's product type taxonomy structure

Walmart’s product taxonomy is a system Walmart uses to organize, classify, and group like items. It is a method of product classification arranged to aid retrieval (search and filter) and help Walmart customers find items on Walmart.com.

Walmart’s product taxonomy is segmented into three distinct classifications, listed in order from broadest to most refined:

• Category: A grouping of like items but may contain many products. Example: Beauty
• Product Type Group: A collection of products that share similar properties. Example: Fragrances
• Product Type: A specified item type with a. specific set of attributes that define the product. Example: Body Spray
• Department Name: This attribute is relevant to 1P suppliers only. A supplier must have a valid, signed agreement with Walmart for each department in which they are attempting to set up an item. For example, Beauty.
• Department Number: This attribute is relevant to 1P suppliers only. The nine-digit supplier ID provided during item setup must be mapped to one of the department numbers for the product type group. Unique to a department name. For example, 46.

One category contains multiple product type groups, and one product type group contains multiple product types.

Based on the product type, each item will have distinct required attributes and values. It is critical that sellers understand and use the established taxonomy when selecting a spec to create or maintain items.

Understanding the Taxonomy API response

Drilling down to the product type name allows sellers to understand which product types are available, their definitions, and what to include in item setup and maintenance by product type specs. You can Filter by Type (Product Type Group; Product Type).

Example API request

Request Type: - GET
Request URL: - https://marketplace.walmartapis.com/v3/items/taxonomy
Parameters: - Version – ex. 4.1 - Feed Type – ex. MP_ITEM
Headers: - ‘accept: application/json'
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://marketplace.walmartapis.com/v3/items/taxonomy?version=4.5&feedType=MP_ITEM' \ --header 'accept: application/json' 

Example API response

{ "itemTaxonomy": [ { "category": "Beauty", "description": "Beauty", "productTypeGroup": [ { "productTypeGroupName": "Fragrances", "description": "Fragrance", "productType": [ { "productTypeName": "Body Sprays", "description": "Body spray is a perfume or cologne product, similar to aerosol deodorant, which is intended to be used elsewhere on the body besides the armpits. Body sprays are lighter in strength than cologne, generally less expensive, and double as deodorant a body spray is just a milder form of perfume. Body spray is a mixture of water and alcohol along with various extracts. Body Sprays will also often be called Body Mists or Hair Mists. The Body Sprays product type includes Body Spray bundles, multi sets, and gift sets, as long as they don't contain perfume or cologne." }, { "productTypeName": "Fragrance Sets", "description": "Fragrance Sets are perfumes and colognes in a bigger box packaging than an individual perfume or cologne item. These items will have more than 1 product inside its packaging. Fragrance Sets are often meant to be given as gifts or used to sample a variety of fragrances. Fragrance Sets sometimes have see-through plastic windows on the packaging that allow the consumer to view the items in the set. Fragrance Sets can be made up of all perfume items, all cologne items, or a mix of perfume/cologne items and lotions, skin care, makeup, or other beauty products, etc. If the item doesn't contain a perfume or cologne, it is not considered a Fragrance Set. Body Spray sets are not Fragrance Sets.\n\nIf a listing has bulk/bundles identical items (2 or more of the same exact item, for example 3 boxes of the identical perfume), it is not a fragrance set." }, { "productTypeName": "Perfumes", "description": "Fragrant liquids typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes. Perfumes and colognes come in a wide array of containers: Mini & Travel, Rollerball, Full Size, and Value Size. Perfumes and colognes can use application techniques including: dabbing, spraying, spritzing, rolling-on, etc. Perfumes and colognes are sometimes differentiated by gender: Perfumes are for women and colognes are for men. There are colognes/perfumes that are unisex, as well. Perfumes and Colognes can also be identified by their Chemical Composition. Perfumes and Colognes are NOT body sprays. Perfumes and Colognes were recently separated into two individual SOPs. Any way they come in (Perfumes & Colognes, Perfumes, Colognes is acceptable. To be under Perfumes, gender = female. To be under Colognes, gender = male." }, { "productTypeName": "Colognes", "description": "Fragrant liquids typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes. Perfumes and colognes come in a wide array of containers: Mini & Travel, Rollerball, Full Size, and Value Size. Perfumes and colognes can use application techniques including: dabbing, spraying, spritzing, rolling-on, etc. Perfumes and colognes are sometimes differentiated by gender: Perfumes are for women and colognes are for men. There are colognes/perfumes that are unisex, as well. Perfumes and Colognes can also be identified by their Chemical Composition. Perfumes and Colognes are NOT body sprays. Perfumes and Colognes were recently separated into two individual SOPs. Any way they come in (Perfumes & Colognes, Perfumes, Colognes is acceptable. To be under Perfumes, gender = female. To be under Colognes, gender = male." } ], "department": [ { "departmentName": "BEAUTY", "departmentNumber": "46" } ]