Usage / Purpose
Is it a toy, a tool, or therapy? This field knows.
OVERVIEW
The Usage / Purpose field describes the primary function or intended use case of a product. It answers the question: what is this product actually for? A harness can be for everyday walking, hiking, training, or water activities — same product category, completely different purchase contexts.
This field is most powerful for accessories, toys, and non-food products where the product category alone is insufficient. It enables use-case-based collection pages ("training essentials", "travel gear"), cross-sell logic based on activity, and recommendation engines that understand context.
BUSINESS VALUE
Why this field matters
Use-case search queries ("dog hiking harness", "cat travel carrier") need structured purpose data to match
Collection pages built around use cases outperform category pages for SEO and conversion
Cross-sell logic ("you need a harness, leash, and water bottle for hiking") requires purpose alignment
Gifting occasions are use-case driven — "what do I get for a new puppy owner" needs purposeful filtering
ACF's Automatic Tagging feature can auto-apply Shopify tags based on usage_purpose values
ACF SETUP
How to configure this field in Accentuate Custom Fields
Where
ACF dashboard → Templates tab → Product scope → Add new field
Label
Usage / Purpose
Name / Key
usage_purpose
Namespace
accentuate (default)
Field type
Shopify >> Single-line text (List)
Multi-value
Yes — a harness can serve Daily walking + Training + Outdoor adventure simultaneously
ℹ️ Use List type for multi-purpose products. Consider combining with ACF's Automatic Tagging to auto-tag products with Shopify tags based on their usage_purpose values — great for collection automation.
STEP-BY-STEP IN ACF
In ACF, open Templates tab and select the Product scope
Click "Add new field"
Label: "Usage / Purpose" — Key auto-fills as "usage_purpose"
Namespace: leave as "accentuate"
Field type: Shopify >> Single-line text (List)
Enable "Allow multiple selections"
Optional: Enable ACF Automatic Tagging to auto-apply Shopify tags from field values
Click Done, then Save
Open a non-food product and populate with relevant purpose values
🔧 Shopify admin (optional pinning): Pin in Shopify admin: Settings → Custom data → Products. Namespace: "accentuate", Key: "usage_purpose", Type: Single-line text (List). Once pinned, usage_purpose appears directly on the product edit page in Shopify admin alongside ACF.
🔁 Repeatability: Shopify >> List handles multi-purpose products natively. Also explore ACF's Automatic Tagging (Templates tab → field settings → Automatic tagging) to sync purpose values to Shopify tags automatically.
REFERENCE VALUES
Example values — adapt to your catalog
Value
When to use
Daily walking
Standard leash walks; everyday wear; neighborhood and park use
Training
Behavior training; positive reinforcement; puppy obedience
Outdoor adventure
Hiking, trail running, camping; rugged environments
Travel
Car trips, air travel, hotel stays; portable and TSA-compatible
Indoor enrichment
Mental stimulation for indoor pets; puzzles, activity mats
Post-surgery / Recovery
Restricted activity; cones, recovery suits, gentle gear
Water / Swimming
Flotation, waterproof materials; beach, lake, pool use
Dental hygiene
Tooth cleaning, tartar control; daily oral care routines
Calming / Anxiety
Stress reduction; separation anxiety, travel anxiety, fireworks
Performance / Sport
Agility, flyball, dock diving; competition and high-intensity sport
BEST PRACTICES
Assign purpose from the customer's perspective, not the product category perspective
List all relevant purposes — this powers cross-category collections
Align purpose values with your navigation structure and collection naming
Use ACF's Automatic Tagging to sync purpose values to Shopify tags automatically
Recovery and post-surgery products are a distinct, high-intent category — do not omit this value
COMMON MISTAKES — AVOID THESE
Using product category names as purpose values: "Harness" is a product type, not a purpose
Overloading a single product with every possible purpose to maximise visibility
Missing the "Training" value on products clearly designed for training contexts
Not enabling Automatic Tagging — manual tag management at scale is painful and error-prone
Omitting travel-specific products from "Travel" — these have very specific customer intent
IN CONTEXT — EXAMPLE PRODUCT
🎯 Multi-Function Adventure Harness — No-Pull Design
Pet type: Dog
Usage / Purpose: Daily walking, Training, Outdoor adventure
Breed size: M / Medium, L / Large
Activity level: Active, High
Safety notes: No-pull front clip; reflective strips; double-lock buckles
Developer Implementation
Liquid note: Shopify >> List type — use .value for the array. Consider also using ACF's Automatic Tagging so purpose values auto-sync to Shopify tags for collection conditions.
Liquid — Storefront Rendering
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