Understanding the DVDs & Videos Category (ID 839)
The DVDs & Videos category is a specific classification within the Google product taxonomy used to identify physical and digital media products intended for viewing. In the Google product taxonomy, this category is identified by the numeric ID 839 and falls under the broader parent category of Media. It serves as the primary bucket for retail items that contain recorded visual content, providing Google's algorithms with the necessary context to categorize your listings appropriately within the shopping ecosystem.
Using the correct google_product_category attribute is critical for ensuring that your products are indexed accurately. While this attribute is technically optional, relying on Google's automated classification can often lead to incorrect categorization, which may negatively impact the visibility of your media inventory. By manually specifying ID 839, you ensure that your feed data is processed with precision, allowing Google to understand exactly what you are selling.
What Belongs in This Category
This category is designed for products that consist primarily of visual media formatted for home consumption. Based on data from the US market, this includes a wide array of content delivery formats. You should map products here if they are intended for playback on standard consumer devices. Examples of items that fit into this category include:
- Individual movie titles, such as recent sci-fi hits or blockbuster action films.
- Bundled movie collections, such as compilations from major animation studios or themed multi-disc sets.
- Vintage physical media, such as classic animated films or mixed-genre titles originally released on VHS.
These items generally represent finished entertainment products that are intended for individual or family viewing. If your inventory consists of standalone films, television seasons, or collected box sets, they belong under this classification provided they are not covered by more specific media types.
What Does Not Belong Here
It is important to distinguish this category from other forms of media and educational materials. Products that do not contain visual entertainment content belong to different sections of the Google taxonomy. For instance, if you are selling printed content, these products should be categorized under Books or Magazines & Newspapers. If your inventory includes auditory media, such as soundtracks, music albums, or spoken word recordings, those items should be placed in the Music & Sound Recordings category. Other items that are often confused with visual media but belong elsewhere include:
- Sheet Music: These are musical scores and compositions printed on paper, not recorded media.
- Product Manuals: Instructional documents for equipment or electronics, which fall into their own specific category.
- Carpentry & Woodworking Project Plans: These are technical blueprints or guides and are not considered entertainment media.
If a product fits into any of these neighbouring categories, using the DVDs & Videos ID will lead to a mismatch in classification, which can confuse the search engine and potentially lead to poor performance in shopping results.
Choosing a Specific Subcategory
The DVDs & Videos category is divided into three distinct subcategories to help you better organize your feed. You should use these instead of the parent ID 839 whenever your product fits these definitions: Film & Television DVDs, Film & Television VHS Tapes, and Film & Television Digital Downloads. By selecting a subcategory, you provide a more granular description that helps Google match your product to the specific user intent, whether they are looking for a physical legacy format or a modern digital version of a film.
Implementing Category Mapping in Your Feed
When updating your Google Merchant Center feed, you have two primary methods to map your products to this category. The google_product_category attribute allows you to use either the numeric identifier or the full text path. For internal tracking and language independence, the ID 839 is generally preferred by feed managers. If you choose to use the full path, it must be written exactly as follows: Media > DVDs & Videos.
Remember that this attribute is independent of your free-form product_type. You should keep your product_type values tailored to your specific store organization, while using the google_product_category to align with Google's requirements. Providing this value helps establish the technical context for your listings, ensuring that your inventory is correctly placed within the broader scope of visual media products available in the Google Shopping index.