Aftermarket Catalog Cleanup

The 30-Point Checklist

1) Identify your “money SKUs” first

Pull the top 100-500 SKUs by revenue and margin. Clean these first-don’t waste weeks polishing the long tail.

2) Pull your top return SKUs (the pain list)

List the top 50-200 SKUs by returns and defect reasons. Catalog cleanup should directly attack “doesn’t fit / wrong part / different than expected.”

3) Normalize part names and fitment-critical keywords

Standardize the same terms everywhere:

• Front/Rear

• Left/Right (Driver/Passenger)

• Upper/Lower

• Inner/Outer
  If these aren’t consistent, everything downstream breaks (search, options, mapping, returns).

4) Resolve duplicate SKUs and overlapping coverage

Flag SKUs that are functionally the same:

• same part number under multiple brands

• old superseded SKUs still active

• “near-duplicate” kits/sets
  Decide: merge, retire, or reposition.

5) Fix category mapping before you touch descriptions

Incorrect category / part type mapping creates:

• wrong filters

• wrong buyers

• wrong returns
  Make sure part type + category is correct in your master catalog.

6) Establish a minimum attribute standard (by part family)

Define the required attributes per part type (example: mirrors must have heated/power/signal; lights must have halogen/LED/HID; brakes must have front/rear + rotor type). Anything missing fails the gate.

7) Validate fitment “gates” where mistakes are expensive

For parts with multiple variants, enforce the needed gates:

• engine

• submodel/trim

• drivetrain

• tow package / suspension package

• sensor ports / connector type
  If you don’t gate these, expect returns.

8) Verify “position” logic across everything

Make sure “Front Left” means the same everywhere:

• attributes

• titles

• item specifics

• fitment notes
  Position errors are one of the most common wrong-order causes.

9) Add interchange and OE references consistently

Standardize how you store:

• OE numbers

• aftermarket interchange
  This improves marketplace matching and reduces “it doesn’t match my original part” claims.

10) Create a simple publishing gate (don’t list junk)

Before a SKU is allowed to go live:

• category + part type correct

• fitment complete (with required gates)

• required attributes present

• position/side present (if applicable)

• interchange/MPN present
  If it fails, it stays offline until fixed.

11) Standardize Year/Make/Model formatting (no surprises)

Make sure year ranges and naming are consistent:

• no mixed formats (2012-17 vs 2012-2017)

• no duplicate makes (“VW” vs “Volkswagen”)

• no inconsistent model naming (F150 vs F-150)

12) Validate ACES “core links” (VCdb + PCdb alignment)

If you use ACES/VCdb/PCdb, confirm your base relationships are correct:

• Make/Model/Year ties are valid

• PartType and Position are correct

• You’re not using outdated IDs or mismatched mappings

13) Clean up “notes” so they’re useful (not noise)

Notes should prevent wrong orders, not add confusion.

• Keep them short

• Put the gate (“without tow package”) first

• Remove duplicate/contradictory notes

14) Remove fitment that’s too broad (it’s costing you)

Overbroad fitment boosts coverage but kills profit.
If a part is variant-sensitive, don’t publish “fits all” fitment just to inflate application counts.

15) Build a “variant detection” rule list

Create rules that automatically flag when extra gating is required, like:

• “with/without” text

• sport/tow/off-road packages

• multiple connectors/pin counts

• sensor ports or hardware variations

16) Enforce kit/set logic (bundle fitment must be true)

If you sell sets/kits:

• confirm kit components match the exact same fitment scope

• confirm quantity is clearly correct (pair vs single)

• confirm imagery reflects what’s included

17) Audit “options” in the same make/model

For popular vehicles, look for “two-option traps”:

• different brakes by trim

• different mirrors by features

• different radiators by trans cooler
  These must be separated cleanly or you’ll bleed returns.

18) Fix attribute completeness on your top categories

Pick your top 3-5 part families and ensure attribute coverage is near 100%.
Even a great fitment table won’t convert if the listing is missing key specifics.

19) Add quality checks for “impossible” data

Create basic sanity rules:

• wheelbase can’t be 0

• engine size can’t be blank when required

• position can’t be blank when the part is sided
  These checks catch errors before they hit marketplaces.

20) Reduce “index bloat” by controlling what you publish

Don’t publish SKUs/pages that have:

• poor content or missing attributes

• low inventory reliability

• unclear fitment or universal confusion
  Better to publish fewer, cleaner SKUs than flood marketplaces with weak listings.

21) Tie catalog cleanup to inventory reality

If something is frequently out of stock, discontinued, or has long lead times, it should not be treated like a “growth SKU.” Align catalog effort to SKUs you can actually fulfill consistently.

22) Build an “OOS / cancel risk” suppression rule

Create logic to automatically pause or suppress listings when:

• inventory drops below a threshold

• supplier backorder ETA is unknown

• cancel rate spikes
  This protects account health and prevents marketplace suppression.

23) Price + freight sanity checks (before listing goes live)

Bad pricing creates bad outcomes:

• too low = margin loss + overselling

• too high = no sales + stale inventory
  Add guardrails like min margin %, MAP, and freight surcharges where needed.

24) Track returns by reason code and map them to fixes

Don’t just track return rate-track why:

• doesn’t fit → fitment gating + notes

• different than expected → images + included items + specifics

• defective → supplier/QA issue
  Each reason should have a defined fix path.

25) Create a “top offenders” dashboard (weekly)

Every week, review:

• top SKUs by returns

• top SKUs by cancellations

• top SKUs by negative feedback/messages

• top SKUs with high impressions but low conversion
  This becomes your weekly cleanup roadmap.

26) Establish a cadence: weekly triage, monthly audit, quarterly deep clean

Catalog discipline isn’t a one-time project.

• weekly: fix top offenders

• monthly: attribute/fitment completeness review

• quarterly: SKU rationalization + mapping review

27) Protect your catalog with publishing roles and approvals

Separate:

• who can edit

• who can publish
  Add approval steps for high-risk categories (fitment-sensitive parts).

28) Document your standards (so the catalog stays clean)

Write a one-page standard for:

• naming

• position rules

• required attributes by part family

• fitment gates

• notes formatting
  This prevents regression as teams grow.

29) Run a “duplicate + overlap scan” every quarter

Duplicates creep back in through:

• supplier feed changes

• supersessions

• new brand lines
  Quarterly scans keep the assortment healthy and prevent slow bleed.

30) Scale only after you’ve stabilized the fundamentals

The best time to expand coverage is after:

• fitment is clean on best sellers

• return reasons are under control

• attributes are complete

• inventory signals are reliable
  Otherwise, adding SKUs just multiplies problems.

If you want help applying this checklist, I can run a free 20-minute catalog review and identify your biggest opportunities across fitment, attributes, duplication, and returns. Reach out here with your link and SKU count.