How to display products from child category in parent category by default?

Hello, on my web site I have categories & sub-categories inside it.

I can’t find anywhere in admin option to display products from sub-category in top (parent) category.

I know - I can duplicate all products from one category to another, but I was just wondering - maybe there is a simple way, specific button that can do it in admin?

Or maybe - it's possible to do with a code - just simple modification.. instead of duplicating products every time?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thank you, Elena

Can you explain more about the "why" behind your question?

DrByte:

Can you explain more about the "why" behind your question?

We have "Shop by Manufacturer" sidebox and it displays only manufacturer names that has products in current category. So when I am inside the top(parent) category - my manufacturer box is empty, because my parent category does not have any items. All items is inside the sub-categories. Manufacturer list looks empty and customer might think that there are not products.

Second reason for that is when person comes to parent category - I want him to see all the products right away and if he wants to filter it - he can click on subcategory and narrow it.

I don't like to see my parent category "empty", because not every customer understand that he should click on "subcategory" name in order to view the items.

Elena

What you've asked requires custom programming.

However, some ways around it include:
a) give your subcategories meaningful names
b) give a description to your category -- this descriptive text could include instructions to invite the visitor to click on a subcategory icon shown below the description
c) make sure you have attractive/meaningful icons on your subcategories
d) be sure to use the Featured or New Products or Specials centerboxes on your category pages so that products which are in any of the subcategories will be shown as random selections in those boxes, thus inviting more clicks to move into those products

We have "Shop by Manufacturer" sidebox and it displays only manufacturer names that has products in current category. So when I am inside the top(parent) category - my manufacturer box is empty,

If there is nothing to show, then your sidebox should not show at all - perhaps it doesn't test for this correctly?

I would agree with Semenek on this, I know this is not the wish list but I think it would be nice that it defaulted to displaying products of a default sub-category whenever someone clicked on a category. I just opened my website and was showing a co-worker, they totally missed that I had more products because only a few showed up under New Products. I know this is an old thread but I wanted to see if anyone else had this issue, my wife said it, then co-worker; I wonder how many times it happens. I will look into putting a picture in the sub-category, hopefully that will help catch a customer eyes so they know to click on it to see more products. I also thought about putting total number of products next to category but I think it looks cleaner without.

stryker1:

I would agree with Semenek on this, I know this is not the wish list but I think it would be nice that it defaulted to displaying products of a default sub-category whenever someone clicked on a category. I just opened my website and was showing a co-worker, they totally missed that I had more products because only a few showed up under New Products. I know this is an old thread but I wanted to see if anyone else had this issue, my wife said it, then co-worker; I wonder how many times it happens. I will look into putting a picture in the sub-category, hopefully that will help catch a customer eyes so they know to click on it to see more products. I also thought about putting total number of products next to category but I think it looks cleaner without.

Did you ever figure out a way to display this? I am also looking for the same solution to display all products in categories and subcategories when the top level category is clicked. Would appreciate any insight you have on this.

swamyg1:

Did you ever figure out a way to display this? I am also looking for the same solution to display all products in categories and subcategories when the top level category is clicked. Would appreciate any insight you have on this.

No I have not, I do want to work on this in future to see what all needs to be changed to make it work.