This document discusses extended attributes, which are highly detailed product information guidelines created by major retailers. The goals of extended attributes are to create a superior shopping experience for consumers by providing more powerful product searches and consistent information across channels, as well as streamlining information exchange between suppliers and retailers. Specific initiatives by retailers like GS1 US, Macy's, Nordstrom, Dillard's, and Kroger's Program Mercury are aimed at collecting extensive attribute data from suppliers to achieve these goals. As extended attribute programs continue to expand across retailers, suppliers will need to provide more in-depth product information.

1. How
EXTENDED
ATTRIBUTES
Sell Your Products
By: Glori Blatt

2. Has one of your retail partners recently started asking you for better information
about your products? If so, you’re not alone.
!
Large retailers like Macy’s, Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Kroger have been
developing and rolling out guidelines that add structure and consistency to the
product information they receive from suppliers. If you’ve taken a look at the
guidelines for the information they’re requesting, or even started preparing this
information yourself, you know that it represents a major shift in how retailers
think about and represent your products across sales channels.
!
How will these initiatives actually help sell your products? In this ebook, we’ll
talk about how this information retailers are requesting - called “extended
attributes” - plays into their larger business objectives and ultimately provide a
better shopping experience for consumers, increasing sell-through of your
products.
INTRODUCTION
Definition
Goals of
Extended Attributes
Specific Retailer
Initiatives
On the Horizon
Introduction

3. “EXTENDED ATTRIBUTES”
Highly-detailed & consistent product information
that meet expanded information guidelines
created by major retailers
Definition

4. WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF
EXTENDED ATTRIBUTES?
Goals of Extended Attributes
To create a superior
shopping experience
for consumers
&
Streamline information
exchange between
suppliers and retailers

5. How product information can create
a superior shopping experience for consumers
Women’s Shirts
Filter By:
Size Collar Type
Ballet Neck
Button-Down
Crew Neck
Mandarin
Peter Pan
Color Sleeve Type
Long
Short
Sleeveless
3/4
More powerful search-and-nav leads to better on-site discovery More information cataloged for products enables higher-quality traffic
More detailed product information reduces return rates Consistent information across all channels leads to more sales
Google
Google
Running shoe SEARCH
SEARCHSize 10 green running shoe
The Best Handbag
Handbag Shoulder Drop: 10 inches
Lining Material: Leather
Closure: Buckle
Online MobileIn-Store
VS.
Goals of Extended Attributes

6. How a common information language can
streamline information exchange between suppliers & retailers
Goals of Extended Attributes
Structured data rules ensure systems seamlessly exchange information
with little to no manual troubleshooting.
Consistent product classification makes it easy to quickly and intuitively list
product inventory.

7. HOW DO
SPECIFIC RETAILER INITIATIVES MAP BACK
TO THE EXTENDED ATTRIBUTES GOALS?
GS1 US Extended
Attributes
Program Mercury
Specific Retailer Initiatives
Overview

8. These initiatives were created independently of one another, but they ultimately work towards
the same goals: making it faster and easier to collect specific, highly-detailed information from
suppliers and using that information to power the best consumer experience possible.
Specific Retailer Initiatives
The GS1 US extended attributes guidelines currently
apply to 6 product categories in general merchandise
and apparel. Their objective is to collect “the essential
product information that end-consumers will need
throughout the purchase cycle” and make it
consistently available on all sales channels.
MACY’S, NORDSTROM, DILLARD’S:
GS1 US Extended Attributes
KROGER:
Program Mercury
Program Mercury currently has attribute
requirements and valid values outlined for over 100
product classes. The project will help consumers get
more detailed allergy and dietary information about
the products they buy and ensure that new products
become available to consumers faster.

9. GS1 US
EXTENDED
ATTRIBUTES
!
Macy’s, Nordstrom,
Dillard’s and more
Macy’s, Nordstrom and Dillard’s are just three of
many major retailers who contributed to the
development of GS1 US' Voluntary Extended
Attributes Guidelines for General Merchandise and
Apparel, and have recently begun asking suppliers to
provide these additional attributes.
Specific Retailer Initiatives

10. Specific Retailer Initiatives
HOW DOES IT WORK?
!
The extended attributes guidelines currently apply
to 6 product categories. Associated with each of
these categories is a list of required attributes
that suppliers must provide for each of their
products, along with sets of accepted values and
data integrity rules for each attribute.
!
Examples:
• Suppliers must provide “care information” for
all six product categories
• Suppliers must provide “sole type” for all
footwear
• Suppliers must pick from one of 22 accepted
values for “collar types” for apparel
Women’s Shirts
Filter By:
Size Collar Type
Ballet Neck
Button-Down
Crew Neck
Mandarin
Peter Pan
Color Sleeve Type
Long
Short
Sleeveless
3/4
Online MobileIn-Store
More powerful search-and-nav
Consistent information across all channels
BENEFITS INCLUDE:

11. KROGER
!
Program Mercury
Kroger introduced Program Mercury in 2012 in order
to "bring the right products and services to the right
customers at the right time." The company wants to
be able to bring products to market faster and is
putting pressure on suppliers to provide product
attributes like kosher labels, NuVal nutritional scores
and in-depth health awareness alerts (like allergens
and cholesterol) to give customers better visibility
about the products they're buying.
Specific Retailer Initiatives

12. HOW DOES IT WORK?
!
Kroger’s Program Mercury guidelines are
currently applicable to over 100 “product
classes,” with more categories scheduled to
become “open to submit” throughout 2015.
!
As with GS1 US’ extended attributes guidelines,
each product category comes with its own set
of required product attributes and accepted
values. Suppliers must submit this information
through Kroger’s Vendor Item Portal, which is
connected with the Global Data
Synchronization Network™ (GDSN®). Once
suppliers prepare and submit this rich
information, it can become easily available to
any GDSN user beyond just Kroger.
Specific Retailer Initiatives
The Best Soup
Gluten-Free: Yes
Organic: Yes
Systems seamlessly exchanging information
More detailed product information
BENEFITS INCLUDE:

13. On the Horizon
In addition to GS1 US and Kroger, there are other retail initiatives related to extended attributes.
!
Walmart, for example, is currently working with GS1 US and other like-minded corporations to
compose the Structured Commerce Classification. The goal of the SCC is to create a global
standard for product categorization, which will simplify data handling and exchange for
organizations across the retail supply chain.
!
Meanwhile, Amazon, Overstock, and dozens of other large retailers have begun requesting
highly detailed category-specific information to ensure that consumers have the product
attributes they need to make confident purchase decisions.
!
As the industry strives to create superior shopping experiences and streamline information
exchange between suppliers and retailers, suppliers across categories should prepare to start
providing more detailed product information. Early adapters will have a competitive advantage
with forward-looking retailers and savvy consumers.

14. Want to learn more about
extended attributes?
!
Sign up for our blog to learn much more about
specific extended attributes initiatives and how
they’re playing out in the actual market.
!
blog.salsify.com

15. SOURCES
!
Guidelines: http://www.gs1us.org/DesktopModules/Bring2mind/DMX/
Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=690&PortalId=0&TabId=785
!
Letter from Nordstrom to their suppliers: http://www.nordstromsupplier.com/
Content/SC_Manual/VendorComm/Extended%20Attributes_October_2013.pdf
!
Kroger/Program Mercury Links: http://www.thekrogerco.com/vendors-suppliers/
supplier-data-responsibilities-for-program-mercury
!
1 World Sync/Kroger: http://www.1worldsync.com/web/us/kroger