Product data glossary.
Clear definitions for the product-data concepts ecommerce teams need when they are building for search, shopping feeds, AI commerce, and machine-readable catalogs.
Start here when you need the relationship between a product catalog, PIM data, structured data, schema markup, and content syndication to make sense in one place.
Browse the glossary
Each entry explains the term in plain language, shows where it fits in ecommerce product-data work, and links to related concepts in the glossary.
- Product data foundation
Product catalog
The organized set of product facts, content, media, categories, prices, and channel-ready records a business uses to present and sell products.
Read definition - Catalog experiences
Digital catalog
An online catalog experience or software tool that presents product information for browsing, search, comparison, sales, and buying.
Read definition - Source of truth
PIM
Product information management: the operational system and workflow for centralizing, governing, and distributing product content.
Read definition - Source of truth
PIM system
The software platform teams use to centralize, enrich, govern, and publish product information across ecommerce channels.
Read definition - Product data foundation
PIM data
The product information stored, enriched, governed, and distributed through a product information management system.
Read definition - Machine-readable data
Structured data
Information organized in predictable fields, formats, and relationships so software can parse, validate, and reuse it reliably.
Read definition - Search signals
Schema markup
Structured data added to webpages with Schema.org vocabulary so search engines and AI systems can understand entities and offers more clearly.
Read definition - Search signals
Product schema
The product-specific structure that labels names, brands, SKUs, offers, availability, variants, and other product facts for software.
Read definition - Product data operations
Catalog management software
Software that keeps product catalog data organized, accurate, and ready for storefronts, marketplaces, feeds, APIs, and AI-shopping systems.
Read definition - Product data operations
Product catalog management
The process of maintaining accurate, structured, channel-ready product information across storefronts, marketplaces, feeds, search, and AI commerce.
Read definition - Product data compliance
Digital product passport
A structured digital record linked to a product, component, or material through an identifier and data carrier so people and systems can access compliance, sustainability, repair, and lifecycle data.
Read definition - Channel distribution
Product feed
A structured product-data file, stream, or transfer that sends channel-ready product records to commerce destinations.
Read definition - Channel readiness
Google Merchant Center
Google's product-data workspace for submitting, validating, and managing product records for Google commerce surfaces.
Read definition - Channel distribution
Distribution channel
The route products take from a brand or seller to buyers across owned stores, marketplaces, retailers, distributors, feeds, APIs, and AI-shopping surfaces.
Read definition - Product identifiers
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
A globally unique product identifier used across retailers, marketplaces, feeds, supply chains, search systems, and product structured data.
Read definition - Product data governance
Master Data Management (MDM)
The discipline of creating trusted, governed master records across systems so product data can be reused in operations, reporting, channels, search, and AI commerce.
Read definition - AI commerce visibility
Generative engine optimization
The practice of making content, product facts, and brand information easier for generative AI systems to understand, cite, compare, and recommend.
Read definition - Product data quality
Data validation
The process of checking product data against rules before it reaches pages, feeds, marketplaces, search systems, and AI-commerce workflows.
Read definition - Machine-readable data
JSON-LD
A JSON-based format for adding linked, machine-readable structured data to product pages, FAQs, breadcrumbs, organizations, offers, and other ecommerce content.
Read definition - Product data governance
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
The practice of managing product information, decisions, workflows, and changes from first idea through launch, optimization, updates, and retirement.
Read definition - AI commerce visibility
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
The practice of making content and product facts easier for answer engines and AI assistants to understand, trust, extract, and return as direct answers.
Read definition - Product data operations
Data synchronization
The process of keeping matching product data consistent and current across commerce systems, feeds, channels, search, and AI-shopping workflows.
Read definition - Product data operations
Inventory management
The process of tracking, controlling, and planning product stock and availability across ecommerce channels, fulfillment locations, feeds, search, and AI-shopping surfaces.
Read definition - Channel readiness
Product listing
The customer-facing product page, marketplace entry, or commerce record that presents one product or variant for sale across channels.
Read definition - Channel distribution
Content syndication
The distribution of content or product data to third-party channels such as retailers, marketplaces, feeds, APIs, and AI-shopping surfaces.
Read definition - Channel distribution
Data feed
A structured file, stream, or scheduled transfer that sends current product data to channels, platforms, and downstream systems.
Read definition - Product data foundation
PIM database
The repository where product information is stored, structured, and governed inside a product information management system.
Read definition
A practical reading path
If you are building the foundation, start with the product catalog, PIM, and PIM systems, then the product information inside them: PIM data. If you are making product pages easier for software to interpret, continue to structured data and schema markup. If you are distributing product facts across retailers, marketplaces, feeds, APIs, or AI-shopping surfaces, read about content syndication and data feeds.
