Shop supply product attributes

Shop supplies is a catch-all group: sorbents, wipers, aerosol cleaners, tapes, marking products and other consumables. What they share is that pack and unit data matter more than technical specs. A single line can be sold per sheet, per box and per case, and supplier files often give a price without saying which unit it refers to or how many inner packs sit in an outer case.

Aerosols and chemicals bring a second set of problems. Titles quote a nominal can size, while the regulated quantity is net fill weight, and the two are regularly confused. VOC content may be given as grams per liter, a percentage or a vague "low VOC" claim, and the limits that apply depend on the jurisdiction. Shipping and storage need UN number, hazard class and aerosol level, which usually sit only in the SDS.

A buyer needs to know exactly what one unit is, how much product it holds, what it absorbs or cleans, and whether it can be used or stored on their site. That means the record should keep pack structure, performance values and hazard data in separate fields, each traceable to a data sheet or SDS.

The shop supplies 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. 9 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 (MPN) manufacturer_part_number_mpn	Identifier	Core	SP-1519-U100
GTIN-14 / UPC gtin_14_upc	Identifier	Core	10614141000644
Selling Unit of Measure selling_unit_of_measure	Controlled list	Core	CS
Pack Breakdown (Inner / Outer) pack_breakdown_inner_outer	Text	Core	50 pads/bag, 2 bags/CS
UNSPSC Code unspsc_code	Identifier	Core	47131502

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
Container Size container_size	Text	Core	20 oz (nominal can size)
Item Dimensions (Sheet / Pad Size) item_dimensions_sheet_pad_size	Text	Core	15 in x 19 in
Volume Absorbed per Package volume_absorbed_per_package	Number · gal	Buyer decision	26 gal
Flash Point flash_point	Number · °F	Buyer decision	-4 °F
VOC Content voc_content	Number · g/L	Channel / evidence	25 g/L

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
Product Type product_type	Controlled list	Core	Sorbent pad
Material material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Polypropylene, meltblown
Color color	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Gray
Fluids Absorbed fluids_absorbed	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Universal
Sorbent Weight sorbent_weight	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Medium
Chlorinated Formula chlorinated_formula	Controlled list	Buyer decision	No

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
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Core	United States
NSF Nonfood Compound Category & Reg. No. nsf_nonfood_compound_category_reg_no	Text	Channel / evidence	K1; registration number as shown in the NSF listing

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.

• Net fill weight
• UN number, hazard class and packing group
• Aerosol storage level (NFPA 30B)
• VOC regulatory basis or jurisdiction
• Dispenser or refill compatibility

Questions the record must answer

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

• Is the price per box or per case, and how many pads are in a case?
• Will these pads absorb coolant and water, or only oil?
• Is this aerosol cleaner compliant with VOC rules in our state?
• What UN number and hazard class does this can ship under?

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