How to Categorize Products for AEON Marketplace

Understanding AEON Product Categorization

AEON Co., Ltd. stands as Japan's largest retail group and one of Asia's most significant retail conglomerates, operating over 21,000 stores across 14 countries throughout Japan, China, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Founded in 1926 and headquartered in Chiba, Japan, AEON has grown from a regional textile merchant into a diversified retail empire encompassing general merchandise stores (GMS), supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty retailers, shopping malls, and financial services. Our AI-powered categorization API helps suppliers and partners automatically classify products into AEON's sophisticated retail taxonomy, ensuring optimal placement across their vast network of store formats and e-commerce platforms.

The AEON Group operates multiple retail formats, each with specific categorization requirements. AEON GMS stores serve as comprehensive one-stop shopping destinations combining supermarket, department store, and specialty retail elements under one roof. AEON Mall properties house hundreds of tenant retailers alongside AEON's own branded departments. MaxValu supermarkets focus on grocery and daily necessities, while specialty banners like AEON Style, AEON Bike, and AEON Liquor require category-specific taxonomies. Understanding these diverse formats is essential for suppliers seeking to position products effectively across the AEON ecosystem.

Accurate product categorization is crucial for success in AEON's inventory and merchandising systems. The retailer employs sophisticated category management practices that determine shelf positioning, promotional calendars, and supplier partnerships. Products must be classified according to AEON's internal taxonomy standards to ensure proper inventory tracking, planogram compliance, and integration with their WAON loyalty program analytics. Our enterprise API addresses these requirements with deep learning models trained specifically on AEON's product catalog, private label (TOPVALU) standards, and category management conventions used across their global operations.

AEON Category Taxonomy System

AEON's product taxonomy reflects its position as Japan's leading General Merchandise Store (GMS) operator, organizing millions of products across food, fashion, home, and lifestyle departments. The system supports both traditional supermarket category management and the broader lifestyle merchandising approach used in AEON Mall and AEON Style formats. Understanding this taxonomy is essential for effective product placement across AEON's diverse retail network.

The taxonomy follows a five-tier hierarchical structure with major departments, categories, subcategories, segments, and item types. For example, a premium Japanese rice product might be categorized as: Food > Rice & Grains > White Rice > Premium Brands > Koshihikari. This detailed classification supports AEON's sophisticated planogram management and enables the retailer's focus on local sourcing and regional specialties that vary by store location within Japan.

Primary AEON Categories

AEON continuously evolves its category structure to accommodate new product trends, sustainability initiatives, and regional preferences. The retailer places particular emphasis on local sourcing, organic products, and health-conscious options through their TOPVALU GREEN EYE and BESTPRICE lines. Our AI models are regularly updated to reflect these taxonomy changes and AEON's private label categorization standards.

API Integration Guide

Integrating our AEON categorization API into your supply chain systems is straightforward and designed for enterprise workflows. We provide RESTful endpoints that accept product information in multiple languages, returning detailed categorization results including department codes, category paths, TOPVALU compatibility flags, and store format recommendations based on AEON's diverse retail network.

import requests

def categorize_for_aeon(product_description, api_key):
    base_url = "https://www.productcategorization.com/api/ecommerce/ecommerce_category6_get.php"
    params = {
        "query": product_description,
        "api_key": api_key,
        "data_type": "aeon"
    }
    response = requests.get(base_url, params=params)
    return response.json()

# Example usage
result = categorize_for_aeon(
    "Niigata Koshihikari Premium Japanese Rice 5kg",
    "your_api_key_here"
)
print(f"Category: {result['category']}")

async function categorizeForAeon(productDescription, apiKey) {
    const baseUrl = 'https://www.productcategorization.com/api/ecommerce/ecommerce_category6_get.php';
    const params = new URLSearchParams({
        query: productDescription,
        api_key: apiKey,
        data_type: 'aeon'
    });
    const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}?${params}`);
    return response.json();
}

// Example usage
categorizeForAeon('Organic Cotton Bath Towel Set Navy Blue', 'your_api_key')
    .then(result => console.log('Category:', result.category));

curl -X GET "https://www.productcategorization.com/api/ecommerce/ecommerce_category6_get.php" \
  -d "query=Japanese Wagyu Beef A5 Grade Sirloin 300g" \
  -d "api_key=your_api_key_here" \
  -d "data_type=aeon"