Attributes, the distinct characteristics of a product, guide shoppers through an online store to the selection of the product that meets his/her wants and needs. Material type, color and size are common product attributes and you might include them in your descriptions, but the product description does not feed the list of choices or filters for your customers like an attribute.

Savvy sellers know this and look for brands with that understand and take the time to provide "next-level" product attributes.

Choosing which Attributes to Publish – Standardized or Custom Attributes

Every product made has associated attributes. The Auto Care Association (ACA) provides a list of common product attributes associated with any one part type in their Product Attribute Database (PAdb). An example of the standardized attributes suggested by ACA for suspension products is pictured. You can choose to use the ACA attributes and/or create your own unique attributes, based on key product features not listed or is unique to your products. Keep in mind that using custom attributes can make your products stand out or disappear from the list of available products, based on a shopper's filtering choices.

"Publishing attributes can sometimes win the sale for you," says Joe Barone from R&R Marketing, "because your customers and trading partners are better informed." Joe notices fewer returns and increased customer satisfaction for companies that publish attributes compared to those who do not. This will influence your bottom line.

Want to add attributes to your products but don't know where to start? Take this step: contact ontact us at info@semadata.org.

We will help you identify the product attributes hidden in your descriptions and other areas in your company and develop a plan to gather and add them to your product data.

About Joe Barone

Joe has been in the industry for over 10 years. Joe started as a counterman, worked in a warehouse, shipping, product photography and online sales. Joe is an active Autocare YANG and SEMA member. Joe says, "My love for automotive and technology is what makes me excited about this profession. I enjoy collaborating with others in the industry to make better ACES and PIES data. I'm also excited to see where the automotive industry will go and how they will embrace technology in the future."

As always, we're here to help if you have questions. Contact us at info@semadata.org.

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