Variant Products: The Key To Inventory Optimization

Variant products, also known as base products, variant groups, or variable products, are items or SKUs grouped into families. Our design process uses existing data and AI to automate variant product design across the entire catalog, including names, long descriptions, images, documents, and “variant defining attributes.” We then leverage a proprietary design application to further refine the design and review with stakeholders before loading to ERP, PIM or Ecommerce.

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Although the concept is simple, variant products are notoriously tricky, and require us to answer questions like: 

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• Are variant products optional or does every item belong to a variant product? 

• Can we have large variant products, with hundreds of items and five selector attributes? 

• Can a variant product live in a different category than it’s variant? 

• What are the valid and invalid organizing principles for a variant product? 

• Which attributes and content should we manage on variant products? 

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When done well, variant products transform user experiences. PIM and ecommerce users will never want to see a “wall of SKUs” again. You’ll gain a well-organized, efficient, and scalable product catalog that supports your objectives in AI, merchandising, analytics and maintenance.