Relationships / Relations

In brief: Relationships (relations) link products to one another in PIM, for example as accessories, spare parts, alternatives, successors or sets. They provide the foundation for cross-selling and upselling, configurators and spare parts catalogues.

Typical types of relationships

• Accessories: compatible batteries for a drill.
• Spare parts: filters, seals or wear parts for a device.
• Alternatives and upselling: similar or higher-value products.
• Successors and predecessors: important when products are discontinued.
• Sets and bills of materials: components of a bundle.
• Compatibility: for example, vehicles that a part fits.

Why relationships are maintained in PIM

Relationships are often directional and have their own attributes, such as a quantity within a set or a sequence. Maintaining them in PIM makes them consistently available across all channels: as recommendations in the online shop, as an accessories page in a catalogue or in exports to retailers. Well-maintained relationships increase basket value and reduce incorrect purchases.

Example

A coffee machine manufacturer links each machine to compatible descalers, water filters and milk containers. When a model is discontinued, the successor relationship automatically directs customers to the new model in the online shop, while the spare parts catalogue remains complete.

See also

• Products
• Variants, items and SKU
• Managing complexity
• Data model
• PIM for e-commerce