> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.spherecast.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Markets

> Organize demand by region using a hierarchy of markets, then map leaf markets to channels and warehouses.

## What this page is for

A **Market** is a geographic or regional grouping used to organize your demand. Markets are arranged as a **hierarchy** — a tree of markets and sub-markets — so you can start broad (for example, "North America") and drill down into smaller regions beneath it.

Markets tie together three things: *where* demand happens (the region), *through which channel* it flows, and *from which warehouse(s)* it is fulfilled. That structure is what lets your demand plan and your targets be broken down cleanly by Market, Channel, and Group.

> **Note:** "Markets" is the default name. Your company may have renamed it (for example, "Regions"). The behavior is the same whatever the label says.

## Key terms

| Term            | What it means                                                                          |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Market          | A region grouping in the tree. Can be a branch or a leaf.                              |
| Branch market   | A market that has sub-markets beneath it. It does not carry channel mappings itself.   |
| Leaf market     | A market at the bottom of the tree. Only leaf markets carry channel mappings.          |
| Sub-market      | A market nested under a parent market.                                                 |
| Channel mapping | A link from a leaf market to a [Channel](/channels), scoped to one or more warehouses. |

## How it works

Every market is **either a branch or a leaf — never both**:

* A **branch** has sub-markets under it and is used purely for grouping.
* A **leaf** sits at the bottom of the tree and holds one or more **channel mappings**. Each mapping connects the market to a channel and is further scoped to the specific **warehouse(s)** that fulfill demand for that market-and-channel combination.

Two rules keep the tree consistent:

* You **cannot add a sub-market** to a market that already has channel mappings. Remove the channel mappings first, and the market can then become a branch.
* **Deleting a market also deletes all of its sub-markets.** Delete with care — the whole branch below it goes with it.

## Step by step: build out a market

1. Select the market you want to build under (or start at the top of the tree).
2. Choose **Add sub-market** to nest a new region beneath it. Repeat to grow the branches you need.
3. Drill down to a **leaf** market — the lowest level, where demand actually lands.
4. On that leaf, choose **Add channel mapping**, pick the [Channel](/channels), and select the **warehouse(s)** that fulfill it.
5. Use **Search** to jump to a market by name in a large tree.
6. To remove a market, use **Delete** — remember it removes everything below it too.

## Example

Suppose you sell across the United States. You might create a branch called **US**, with sub-markets **US - West** and **US - East**. Because *US* has sub-markets, it is a branch and holds no mappings itself.

On the leaf **US - West**, you add a channel mapping to your **Retail** channel, scoped to the **Reno** and **Los Angeles** warehouses. Now demand planned for US - West / Retail is understood to be fulfilled from those two warehouses — and it rolls up correctly under **US** in your plan and targets.

If you later decide US - West needs its own sub-regions, you must first remove its channel mappings, because a market can't have both sub-markets and mappings.

> **Tip:** Design your tree so the **leaves** match how you actually plan and set [Targets](/guide/demand-planning/targets) — by Market, Channel, and Group. Getting the leaf level right up front saves you from restructuring later. See also [Channels](/channels) and [Network channels](/guide/network/channels).