Material handling cart product attributes

Carts and platform trucks are bought on a handful of numbers, and suppliers rarely state them the same way. Deck size may be given as length by width or width by length, overall dimensions get confused with deck dimensions, and deck height is often left out even though it decides whether the cart lines up with a bench or dock. These values are usually in a spec table on a PDF page rather than in the feed.

Load capacity is the other weak point. The same frame can be sold with different casters, and the lowest-rated caster usually sets the cart's capacity, so two carts with identical decks can carry very different loads. Wheel tread material changes floor protection, rolling effort and temperature limits, and many suppliers sell each wheel option as a separate part number without saying which component changed.

A buyer needs the rated capacity, deck dimensions and height, caster configuration with wheel size and tread, braking, and handle style. For food service, clean rooms or electronics work, certifications and surface resistance matter as much as the steel gauge, and those claims should come from the manufacturer's documentation.

The material handling carts attribute template

18 candidate fields in 4 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 12 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	PT-3060-8MR
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Core	0614141000470

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Load Capacity load_capacity	Number · lb	Core	2000
Deck Size (L x W) deck_size_l_x_w	Text	Core	30 in x 60 in
Deck Height deck_height	Number · in	Core	9.75
Overall Height overall_height	Number · in	Core	40
Wheel Diameter wheel_diameter	Number · in	Core	8
Product Weight (Tare) product_weight_tare	Number · lb	Buyer decision	156

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Cart Type cart_type	Controlled list	Core	Platform truck
Deck Material deck_material	Controlled list	Core	12 ga steel
Caster Configuration caster_configuration	Controlled list	Core	2 rigid / 2 swivel
Wheel Tread Material wheel_tread_material	Controlled list	Core	Mold-on rubber
Handle Type handle_type	Controlled list	Core	Removable tubular steel
Number of Shelves number_of_shelves	Number	Buyer decision	2
Brake Type brake_type	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Total-lock foot brake
Deck Edge Style deck_edge_style	Controlled list	Buyer decision	1.5 in retaining lip

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
NSF/ANSI 2 Certification nsf_ansi_2_certification	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	NSF/ANSI 2 certified
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Deck height
• Load rating per caster
• Wheel tread operating temperature range
• Replacement caster part number
• Push/pull force rating

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing material handling carts ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Will this cart carry a 1,500 lb load, and what caster sets that limit?
• What is the deck height, and will it line up with our workbenches?
• Are the wheels non-marking, and are they suitable for a cold room?
• Which replacement caster fits this cart?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ