In this guide 6 sections
Capture attributes as separate fields for each category, not as sentences inside a description. Laptops need processor, memory and storage type, cameras need sensor size and lens mount, headphones need driver size and impedance, and wearables need battery life and strap size. Structured fields feed filters, comparison tables and marketplace feeds.
Why do free text descriptions break filters?
A description that says 16GB RAM in one product, 16 GB in another and 16 gigabytes in a third produces three filter values for one fact. The shopper sees three checkboxes and ticks one. Laptops under the other labels vanish.
Search has the same flaw. Typing i7 finds some listings, typing Core i7 finds others, and a comparison table breaks because every product needs an identical row that a paragraph cannot supply.
Marketplace feeds are stricter. They ask for processor, screen size and storage in named fields, and a listing that hides those facts in prose is often rejected or buried.
Laptops need processor, memory and storage as separate fields
Split the processor into brand, family and exact model. Shoppers filter by family and compare by model. Memory needs its size, its type such as DDR4 or DDR5, and a flag for whether it is soldered to the board or sits in a slot.
Storage deserves the same care. Record capacity and interface apart, such as NVMe SSD or SATA drive, because two machines with equal capacity can feel very different in use.
Display fields matter most to gamers and designers, who shop on refresh rate, panel type and colour coverage before they look at the price. List each port on its own.
- Processor brand, family and model
- Memory size, type and upgrade slot
- Storage capacity and interface
- Display size, resolution, panel type and refresh rate
- Graphics chip and ports, listed one by one
- Keyboard layout and operating system
Cameras and lenses carry their own vocabulary
A camera body is sold on its sensor. Record the size in plain terms, such as full frame, APS-C or micro four thirds, then add megapixels, lens mount, video modes and card type.
Lenses need their own template. Focal length, aperture and mount decide whether a lens suits a body, so a mount field reading Sony E or Canon RF lets the page hide misfits.
Kits add a wrinkle. A body sold with a kit lens is two products in one box, so list the lens separately and link it to the kit.
- Sensor size and megapixels
- Lens mount on bodies and lenses
- Focal length and maximum aperture
- Stabilisation in the body or in the lens
- Memory card type and battery model
Audio and wearables turn on ratings and sizes
For headphones, store driver size, impedance, frequency range, Bluetooth version and supported codecs such as AAC or LDAC. Add noise cancelling type and a water rating. Earbuds need two battery fields, one for the buds and one for the charging case, since shoppers compare both numbers.
Water resistance follows the IP code system, which belongs in a pick list, while impedance in ohms and driver size in millimetres belong in number fields.
Wearables turn on fit and phone support. Record case diameter, strap width, strap fitting, sensors such as heart rate or GPS, battery days and the phones the watch pairs with. A shopper with a large wrist or an old phone needs those answers before the price.
- Driver size and impedance
- Bluetooth version and codecs
- Noise cancelling type
- Case diameter and strap width
- Water rating and battery life
- Phone operating systems supported
Write the rules once for each category
Make a template for each category with required and optional fields, so that a laptop cannot be published until processor, memory and storage are filled in. Numbers go in number fields. Store 16 in the field and GB beside it as a unit, so a filter can sort and a range slider can work.
Where the choices are fixed, use pick lists. Panel type allows IPS, OLED or VA and nothing else, and an import check bounces back any row that says 16 gigs, with a message.
Name an owner for each template. Then pick your best-selling category, list ten fields, and clean its existing rows before you add a second category or a single new field.
Attribute sheet per category
A one page grid, one block per category. Columns hold attribute name, data type, unit, allowed values, required or optional, shown as a filter, shown in comparison and where the value comes from. Rows arrive pre-filled for laptops, cameras, headphones and wearables, ready to edit.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Do accessories need this much detail?
Fewer fields, but still structured. A cable needs connector ends, length and a flag for charge only or data, so capture what a shopper filters on and skip the rest.
Where do the values come from?
Start from the manufacturer’s spec sheet or the distributor’s data feed. Import them into fields and check a sample by hand, because retyping from PDFs invites typos that a filter then repeats on every page.
How many filters is too many?
A wall of filters helps nobody. Show the five or six that shoppers really use, tuck the rest behind a more filters link and let the search log decide which earn a place.
Can we fix an existing catalogue without starting over?
Yes. Export it, split the free text into columns for one category, import it back and test the filters for that category before moving to the next. Work one category at a time.