[XXII]

Dragan,

What you've suggested would be a good start IMO but you are right that it maybe too early to implement this sort of thing since you are just starting out.

One disadvantage of a tree-like structure you suggested is that it fixes the order of categorization. For example, your method is all good if I'm looking for an RCA interconnect under 1 metre (say) but what if I didn't care so much about the termination and I was just looking for a 1 metre interconnect? Then I would have to click twice at both the RCA and the XLR section which is not as convenient. I hope this makes sense!
I read somewhere that a study showed that the number of clicks it takes for a consumer to find what they want on a website influenced the likelihood that they would return to that website.

What may be better would be the following: When the seller wants to put (say) an interconnect up for sale, he fills in a form with a series of questions e.g.

1) How Long
2) Material
3) Termination
4) DIY

the answers of which are provided in some pull-down menu. When a potential buyer wants to search for an interconnect, then he fills out a similar form and then he is provided with the search results that match his requirements. A good analogy would be how a travel website like expedia.com works.

Of course, you would need a different form for each category of product.

The advantages of this approach would be anyone who wants to browse your site the old-fashioned way would still be able to without being bogged down by having to navigate a huge tree. You could still offer a regular search function as well.