Matched SKU
A matched SKU is a competitor's listing confirmed to be the same product as one of yours, so the two prices can be compared fairly.
- Is
- A competitor listing confirmed to be the same product as one of yours.
- Uses
- Barcode, brand and part number, pack size and variant together.
- Watch for
- The biggest price gaps. They are the most likely to be mismatches.
Updated
Meaning / 01
What it means for retail and category teams
Matching is the hardest part of competitor price monitoring. Barcodes (GTINs) are missing, reused or wrong on many listings; pack sizes and variants differ; titles are inconsistent; and a number in a title can be a model code, a size or a multipack count. Good matching uses several signals together (barcode, brand and manufacturer part number, pack size, variant) and treats a doubtful match as unmatched.
Matches also age. Listings are relisted, competitors change pack sizes and marketplace sellers come and go, so matches need re-checking on a schedule.
Stakes / 02
Why it matters
Every downstream number, from a single price gap to a category index, inherits the quality of the match. A wrong match produces a comparison that looks clean and is wrong. The most dramatic gaps, the ones most likely to trigger a price move, are often the mismatches.
In twelfth / 03
How Twelfth handles this
In twelfth, the customer SKU is the key for each tracked product, and a barcode (GTIN) or brand plus manufacturer part number are optional matching signals; pack, model, variant and fitment attributes help prevent false matches. The Tracked set marks each competitor as in stock, out of stock or not matched, and a newly added line can stay unmatched until collection has observed and paired it.
Example / 04
Illustrative example
The business and figures are illustrative. None of it is customer data.
| Item | Competitor price | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Similar title, 12-pack (wrong pack size) | $7.2 | −40% · rejected |
| Same product, 24-pack (matched) | $11.4 | −5% · matched |
| Reference line | Your price: $12.00 | |
The dramatic 40% gap was a different product. The real gap is 5%.
Read the example as text
A retailer sells a 24-pack of 600 ml sparkling water at $12.00. A competitor listing with a similar title shows $7.20, 40% lower. On inspection it is a 12-pack of the same product. Once pack size is used as a matching signal, that listing is rejected and the competitor's own 24-pack is matched at $11.40. The real gap is 5%.
Related / 05
Related concepts
Next step
Look at the price gaps that matter
Bring a few products and competitors. We can walk through matching, observation dates and which gaps deserve a closer look.
