# Product Data

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### Core Product Information

Let's start with the basic data that helps prepare a product for sale.

<table><thead><tr><th width="219">Data</th><th>Purpose</th><th>Examples</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Product Type</strong></td><td>Defines the type of product.</td><td>Product Set (Master, Member or Stock), Product Bundle</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Product Title</strong></td><td>Names the product or variation.</td><td>Nike Air Max 90</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Product Code (SKU)</strong></td><td>Identifies the product or variation.</td><td>100-2405-BLACK</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Historical Code</strong></td><td>Stores the previous SKU used on your legacy platform.</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Brand</strong></td><td>Defines the brand the product belongs to, a.k.a 'Manufacturer.'</td><td>Nike</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Department</strong></td><td>Categorises the product data internally.</td><td>Footwear</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Product Category</strong></td><td>Groups related products for admin and merchandising.</td><td>Trainers</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Season</strong></td><td>Groups products by a relevant time period.</td><td>Spring/Summer 2022</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Sales Audience</strong></td><td>Defines the target audience of the product.</td><td>Womens</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Age Group</strong></td><td>Provides greater control over the intended age group for the product.</td><td>18+</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Min. Order Quantity</strong></td><td>Controls the mimimum number of items required for the product to be purchased.</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Published Date</strong></td><td>Logs the date and time the product was published</td><td>19/01/2023 17:06</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### **Manage your Brands**

Brands are created and managed separately so products can be assigned to them.

You can store the following information against a Brand:

* **Name**: The name of the Brand.
* **URL**: The URL for the Brand's product listing page.
* **Code**: A reference code for management and tracking.
* **Website Address**: The Brand's website address.
* **Default Supplier**: Set the Default Supplier you use when resupplying for this Brand.
* **Image**: The Brand's logo.

#### **Manage your Departments**

Departments are created and managed separately so products can be assigned to them.\
\
You can store the following information against a Department:

* **Name**: The name of the Department.
* **Sales Audience**: Used to override the Sales Audience of all products within the Department, e.g. An ‘Alcoholic Beverage’ Department may use an ‘Adult’ Sales Audience.
* **Purchaser**: Set the lead Purchaser for the Department.

#### **Manage your Seasons**

Seasons are created and managed separately so products can be assigned to them.\
\
You can store the following information against a Season:

* **Name**: The name of the Season, e.g. ‘Spring Summer 2024.’
* **Code**: A reference code for management and tracking, e.g. ‘SS24.’
* **Current Season**: Determine whether the Season is current or not.
* **Status**: Enable or archive the Season.

***

### Prices

**Prices** can be managed at all product levels; [Master, Member, and Stock](#user-content-fn-1)[^1].

When pricing a Product Set, prices set at the Master and Member levels will automatically apply to the Member and Stock levels. However, you can set different prices for variations of the same product if needed.

Bill of Materials (BOM) and Product Bundles can be priced independently from their individual components, allowing for flexibility in pricing strategies.

{% hint style="info" %}
[Pricing](https://docs.venditan.com/docs/product-information-management-pim/product-pricing) is a comprehensive and detailed subject, covered extensively in a dedicated section, which includes the various pricing strategies Venditan Commerce can support.
{% endhint %}

***

### Tax

**Tax** is automatically applied to your products using your configured [Tax Rules](https://docs.venditan.com/docs/product-information-management-pim/taxes).

***

### Stock

**Stock** data is maintained against Stock Items in our [Master, Member, Stock](#user-content-fn-1)[^1] data model.

For Bill of Materials (BOM) and Product Bundles, stock levels are derived from the quantities of the component items included in the bundle or assembly.

Venditan Commerce also supports zero-stock products (Service Items), allowing you to manage products that are not physically stocked but are still available for sale or service.

The following product information contributes to stock management.

<table><thead><tr><th width="219">Data</th><th>Purpose</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Stock Levels</strong></td><td>Tracks the quantity of stock your business holds of a Stock Item, across your <a data-footnote-ref href="#user-content-fn-2">Stock Locations</a>.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Stock Level Settings</strong></td><td>The <a href="../../stock-warehouse-management-wms/stock-control-and-warehousing#set-up-min-max-and-ideal-stock-levels-for-products">Minimum, Maximum and Ideal Stock Levels</a> for a Stock Item, which set stock thresholds for reordering and optimising stock levels.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Reorder Level</strong></td><td>Defines a minimum Stock Level threshold that, when reached, triggers an email alert.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Supplier Links</strong></td><td>Links your Stock Item to the Suppliers you purchase them from, which is used when <a href="../stock-warehouse-management-wms/suppliers-and-purchasing">creating Purchase Orders</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
Learn more: [Stock/Warehouse Management (WMS)](https://docs.venditan.com/docs/reports-and-analytics/stock-inventory)
{% endhint %}

***

### Barcodes & Serialisation

When creating a product, you can input the **Barcode** provided by the manufacturer or leave it blank to let Venditan Commerce auto-generate one for you.

Additionally, Venditan Commerce supports **Product Serialisation**, allowing you to assign unique serial numbers to individual items. This is particularly useful for tracking high-value goods and managing warranties.

***

### Product Attributes

**Product Attributes** are used to collect and store all of the characteristics and qualities that define your products.

Venditan Commerce contains a dedicated **Product Attribute Management Tool** to save attributes for reuse across your inventory.

You can manage the following information against a Product Attribute.

<table><thead><tr><th width="136">Data</th><th>Purpose</th><th>Examples</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td>Names the Product Attribute.</td><td>Material, Battery Life</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Data Type</strong></td><td><p>Defines the type of data the Product Attribute handles.<br><br><strong>Array</strong>: A list of values.<br><strong>Boolean</strong>: True/False values.<br><strong>Float</strong>: Decimal numbers.<br><strong>Integer</strong>: Whole numbers.</p><p><strong>String</strong>: Text.</p></td><td><strong>Array</strong>: 'Available Colours'<br><strong>Boolean</strong>: 'Is Waterproof'<br><strong>Float</strong>: 'Weight in Kg'<br><strong>Integer</strong>: 'Warranty Period in Months'<br><strong>String</strong>: 'Manufacturer Name'</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Input Type</strong></td><td><p>Controls how the data is inputted into the Product Attribute.<br><br><strong>Checkbox</strong>: A simple Yes/No or True/False option.</p><p><strong>Date</strong>: A date picker.</p><p><strong>Datetime</strong>: A date and time picker.</p><p>HTML: For rich text formatting.</p><p><strong>Multi-Select</strong>: Allows selection of multiple values from a list.</p><p><strong>Select</strong>: Allows selection of a single value from a list.</p><p><strong>Text</strong>: A single line of text, or URL.</p><p><strong>Text Area</strong>: A larger text field for detailed information.</p><p><strong>Mapped</strong>: Custom mappings for complex data.</p></td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Filterable</strong></td><td>Controls whether the Product Attribute is displayed as a filter option on your eCommerce website.</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

**Setting up the available options within your Product Attribute**

You can create and name the different options available within an Attribute.\
\
For example, for an Attribute named ‘Material,’ you might list options such as ‘Cotton,’ ‘Polyester,’ and ‘Leather,’ each with a brief description if needed.

**Attribute Groups**

You can set up **Attribute Groups** to collect related Product Attributes.

Grouping allows you to organise your attributes into logical collections, makes it easier to manage and display related information.

For example, you might have a group called ‘Technical Specifications’ that includes Attributes like ‘Battery Life,’ ‘Screen Size,’ and ‘Processor Type.’

{% hint style="success" %}
We configure your **Product Attributes** during your switch to Venditan Commerce, and you can edit and add to them yourself with full training provided.
{% endhint %}

***

### Sizing Scales

**Sizing Scales** allow you to set up pre-saved size ranges when creating new products, reducing the time and effort needed to manage product sizes.

Basic examples of Sizing Scales are:

* Clothing: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
* Shoes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

You can manage the following information against a Sizing Scale:

* **Name**: The name of the Sizing Scale, e.g. ‘Men's T-Shirts.’
* **Sizes**: The sizes included in the scale. Can be dragged and dropped into the desired order.
* **Amazon Classification**: Used when listing products on Amazon, ensuring correct size classification.

***

### Size Guides

**Size Guides** are managed through Venditan Commerce's **Size Guide Template** functionality.

Size Guide Templates are pre-saved structures that provide a foundation for your Size Guides.&#x20;

Templates standardise the creation process, saving time and guaranteeing uniformity across your content.

**Table Builder**

Create columns and rows, then input the necessary data, which is automatically converted into an optimised and responsive Size Guide for your website.

Features include:

* **Metric and Imperial Measurements**: Input sizes in both measurement systems.
* **Data Reuse**: Search for and reuse data from previously created Size Guides, which are ideal for creating similar guides that only need minor data adjustments.

**Automatic Linking and Availability**

Once created, Size Guides can be linked automatically to specific products by selecting relevant Product Categories, Seasons, and Sales Audiences.

For example, you can easily assign a Size Guide to all T-shirts from a particular Brand.

For verification, a 'Linked Items’ section provides a clear overview of all the products associated with the Size Guide.

***

### Colours

Create and pre-save all the **Colours** your products are available in.

Venditan Commerce contains a dedicated **Colour Management Tool** to save them for reuse across your inventory.

You can manage the following information against a Colour:

* **Name**: The name of the Colour, often provided by the Manufacturer.
* **Code**: A unique identifier for the Colour.
* **Amazon Colour**: Used to specify the corresponding colour if selling on Amazon.
* **Brand**: Used to specify the Brand, if the Colour belongs to it.

**Colour Mapping**

Use Colour Mapping to map colours to a standardised term and group variations of the same colour.

For example, ‘<mark style="color:red;">Fire Red</mark>,’ ‘<mark style="color:red;">Ferrari</mark>,’ ‘<mark style="color:red;">Deep Crimson,</mark>’ and ‘<mark style="color:red;">Mars</mark>’ could all be mapped to ‘<mark style="color:red;">Red.</mark>’

This is useful when dealing with multiple variations of the same colour, or obscure colour names that aren’t user-friendly. It helps improve your website's filter and search experience while maintaining the richness of your internal product data management.

***

### Weights

Logging product **weight** data in Venditan Commerce is critical for efficient packing and dispatching.

You can add the following weight information against a product:

* **Actual Weight**: The true weight of the product and its packaging.
* **Shipping Weight**: The weight that is communicated to couriers when fulfilling an order.
* **Weight Unit**: The unit of measurement for the weight.
* **Default Weight**: Adds a default weight (controlled by [Product Category](#core-product-information) or [Department)](#manage-your-departments) that is used as a fallback when the Actual Weight isn’t provided for the product, e.g. Products in a ‘Books’ category will fall back to a Default Weight of ‘300g’ if they do not have an Actual Weight specified.

***

### Related Products

**Related Products** are items linked together to create relationships for merchandising purposes, such as offering one product as an optional add-on to another.

These related products are displayed when viewing the product in the platform, providing an easy way to manage and visualise the relationships between products.

{% hint style="info" %}
Learn more: [Manually link products for controlled relationships](https://docs.venditan.com/ecommerce-websites/merchandising#manually-link-products-for-controlled-product-relationships)
{% endhint %}

***

### Product Tags

Attach rich metadata to your products in the form of **Product Tags**.

Product Tags, also called '*labels'*, give you the ability to describe and categorise products by tagging their characteristics.

For example:

* Best Seller
* Gluten-Free
* Fair Trade
* New Arrival
* Pet Friendly

Tags help with more precise inventory filtering (both on the front-end website and within Venditan Commerce), dynamic product listing page curation, merchandising callouts and effective reporting.

The following information can be stored against a Tag:

* **Tag Name**: The name of the Tag.
* **ID**: The Tag’s ID code.
* **Tag Group**: Used to organise tags into logical categories for easier management and filtering.

When applying Productt Tags to a product, you’ll see a two-panel interface:

* A searchable list of all available tags on the left.
* Your selected tags on the right for easy review or deselection.

***

### Descriptions & Media

Enrich a product with additional content and media.

Venditan Commerce's standard content fields are:

* **Short Description**: A brief product summary, highlighting key features and benefits.&#x20;
* **Long Description**: A detailed product overview, including specifications, usage instructions, and any other pertinent information.
* **Product Images**: A high-quality image of the product to provide a visual representation for customers. There is no limit to the number of images you can add to a product.

{% hint style="success" %}
We can set up unlimited **Custom Description Fields** for your products. This is useful for products that require additional information, like Washing Instructions, Ingredients and Safety Directions.
{% endhint %}

***

### Meta Information

Manage the meta information for your products.

Venditan Commerce's standard meta information fields are:

* **Meta Title**: This is displayed on search results pages and the browser tab.
* **Meta Description**: A short product summary which appears in the search results.

You can let Venditan Commerce auto-generate this information using an optimised formula or override the field with your content.

***

#### Customer Notifications

**Customer Notifications** are data points held against a product when a customer opts to be notified once it is back in stock.

These notifications are visible on the product view screen within the platform and include the customer's name and email address, allowing you to track and manage demand and manually re-engage when the product is back in stock.

[^1]: **Master, Member, Stock** is Venditan Commerce's data model, used to organise your Product Data.

[^2]: [**Stock Locations**](https://docs.venditan.com/stock-warehouse-management-wms/stock-control-and-warehousing#structure-your-stock-management-with-locations-stores-and-bins) are the individual locations you use to hold stock, such as warehouses, fulfilment centres and physical stores.