Product matching: definition

Product matching, or catalogue alignment, establishes that a reference in one catalogue and a record in another refer to the same product — identical matching — or to equivalent products according to explicit criteria — similar or like-for-like matching. It is inherently difficult: every distributor describes products differently, using its own marketing labels and rarely exposing identifiers.

What product matching is used for

First, it supports pricing strategy: you can only optimise products that have been matched. Raising the match rate extends the share of the catalogue on which pricing rules can be applied. Other uses include positioning private-label products against their equivalents, proposing a substitute when a reference disappears, and responding to tenders with defensible equivalents.

Signals behind a match

  • EAN/GTIN: the global identifier and the strongest signal when it agrees. One product can carry several EANs — one per country or to separate distribution channels — so a different EAN does not disprove a match.
  • Brand + MPN (Manufacturer Part Number): the only genuine unique product identifier. An MPN alone can collide across manufacturers; paired with the brand, it identifies the product unambiguously.
  • Technical specifications: the basis of similar matching.
  • Visual verification: images should be compared before any verdict, especially a negative one.

A SKU is different: it is an internal code specific to each distributor. Two websites selling the same product assign it two different SKUs. It is never a universal identifier.

Identical versus similar matching

Identical matching finds strictly the same product. Similar matching proposes an equivalent according to explicit criteria: a mandatory product type, exclusion criteria, declared tolerances such as “dimensions ±10%”, and a consistent brand tier. Premium, mid-market, generic and private-label brands cannot be treated as freely interchangeable: a one-tier gap is flagged and a two-tier gap is rejected. The tier applies only to equivalence; an identical product remains identical.

Similar matching addresses the blind spot of identical matching: private-label products and exclusives, which by definition have no identical equivalent at competitors but still need to be positioned on price. A defensible equivalent then becomes an indicator for market promotions and positioning.

For the full method, see identical and similar product matching.