# Gender / Target audience

OVERVIEW

What is this field?

The Gender / Target Audience field identifies who the product is designed for. This encompasses traditional gender categories as well as age-based, size-based, and inclusive audience segments.

This field is fundamental to product organization and discovery. Nearly every fashion storefront uses audience segmentation as a primary navigation axis.

This field should reflect the intended audience for the product’s design and sizing, not restrict who can purchase it.

BUSINESS VALUE

Why this field matters

* Primary navigation on most fashion stores is organized by audience (Women, Men, Kids)
* Search engines and shopping feeds require audience data for accurate product categorization
* AI recommendation systems use audience data to avoid surfacing irrelevant products
* Size and fit recommendations depend on knowing the target audience
* Advertising platforms use audience data for targeting and segmentation
* Inclusive audience tagging supports brand positioning and customer trust

TECHNICAL SETUP

Recommended setup

Field type: List of single-line text entries (multi-select)

Namespace: custom.product

Key: target\_audience

Multi-value: Yes — allow multiple entries where applicable

STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH

How to create the Gender / Target Audience field in Accentuate

Follow these steps to create and configure this metafield in your Accentuate dashboard.

Step 1: Navigate to metafield definitions

Open your Accentuate dashboard and go to the metafield definitions section. Select the "Product" resource type to add a new product-level metafield.

| Accentuate dashboard — navigate to Product metafield definitions |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------- |

Step 2: Create a new metafield

Click the "Add definition" or "Create metafield" button. Enter the namespace "custom.product" and the key "target\_audience". Set the display name to "Gender / Target Audience".

| Click “Add field” to create the “Gender / Target Audience” metafield |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Step 3: Select the field type

Set the field type to "List of single-line text entries (multi-select)". Enable the "List" or multi-value option so merchants can enter multiple values.

| <p>Select the data type for “Gender / Target Audience”</p><p><br><br><br></p> |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Step 4: Configure validation and description

Add a helpful description for merchants: "Who this product is designed for (e.g., Women, Men, Unisex, Kids, Maternity)." This will appear as helper text when merchants edit the field on a product.

| Description and validation settings for “Gender / Target Audience” |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ |

Step 5: Save and verify

Save the metafield definition. Then navigate to any product and confirm that the "Gender / Target Audience" field appears in the metafields section, ready to accept values.

| The “Gender / Target Audience” field visible on a product editing page, empty and ready |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

STRUCTURING GUIDANCE

How to structure the values

Use a primary audience value that aligns with your store’s navigation structure.

For genuinely gender-neutral products, use “Unisex” or “Gender-neutral.”

Layer in secondary audience indicators where relevant: “Petite,” “Plus size,” “Tall,” “Maternity.”

Keep kids’ categories age-specific where possible.

Be consistent about whether you use “Women’s” or “Women” — pick one format catalog-wide.

USAGE CONTEXT

When to use this field

* Every product in a fashion catalog should have at least one audience value
* Products with gender-specific sizing or fit
* Kids’ and baby products where age range matters for sizing
* Maternity or adaptive clothing with specific audience needs
* Unisex or gender-neutral products that should appear in multiple navigation paths

REFERENCE VALUES

Example values

The following values are recommended starting points. Adapt them to your product catalog as needed.

| Value              | When to use                                                            |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Women              | Products designed with women’s sizing and proportions                  |
| Men                | Products designed with men’s sizing and proportions                    |
| Unisex             | Designed without gender-specific sizing; works for all                 |
| Gender-neutral     | Intentionally designed outside traditional gender categories           |
| Kids (5–12)        | Children’s sizing and design; school-age range                         |
| Girls              | Girls’ specific sizing; subset of kids’ range                          |
| Boys               | Boys’ specific sizing; subset of kids’ range                           |
| Baby (0–24 months) | Infant sizing and design; safety-focused features                      |
| Toddler (2–4)      | Toddler sizing; easy dress features like snaps and elastic             |
| Teen (13–17)       | Teen sizing; trend-forward, between kids and adult                     |
| Maternity          | Designed for pregnancy; stretch panels, empire waists, adjustable fits |
| Petite             | Proportioned for shorter frames; adjusted inseams and rises            |
| Plus size          | Extended sizing with proportional fit adjustments                      |
| Tall               | Extended lengths for taller frames; longer inseams and sleeves         |

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| The “Gender / Target Audience” field populated with example values |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ |

RECOMMENDATIONS

Best practices

* Align audience values with your store navigation for seamless filtering
* Allow products to have multiple audience values when genuinely appropriate
* Use age ranges for children’s categories to help parents find the right section
* If your brand is moving toward gender-inclusive positioning, ensure your data supports it
* Keep audience data separate from size data
* Review audience assignments when expanding into new product categories

AVOID THESE

Common mistakes

* Leaving audience blank and relying solely on collection placement
* Using “Unisex” as a default for products that are designed for a specific audience
* Not distinguishing between age-specific children’s categories
* Inconsistent formatting: mixing “Women’s” and “Women” and “Female”
* Treating audience as a single value when a product spans multiple audiences
* Using audience to describe style rather than sizing intent

IN CONTEXT

Example: How it appears on a product

| <p>Kids’ Waterproof Rain Jacket</p><p>Gender / Target audience: Kids (5–12), Unisex</p><p>Season: Spring, Autumn</p><p>Occasion: Outdoor, Everyday</p><p>Material: Recycled nylon, PU coating</p> |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| Gender / Target Audience data displayed on the storefront via Custom Liquid |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

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