Vehicle data services
The product data enrichment automotive retailers need: clean catalogues, OE cross-references and attributes
The product data enrichment automotive retailers need is unglamorous: deduplicated SKUs, normalised part numbers, OE cross-references, attributes pulled from TecDoc or PIES, GTINs and images that pass marketplace checks. We take supplier data in whatever format it arrives (TecDoc, MAM, spreadsheets, PDFs) and turn it into a catalogue that sells on your store, eBay, Amazon and Google Shopping.
Most parts catalogues are the accumulated output of years of supplier spreadsheets. The same brake disc exists three times under three supplier codes. Titles are whatever the last person typed. Half the lines have no GTIN, a third have no image, and the OE numbers are stored with and without spaces so an OE search misses stocked equivalents. None of that is a design problem, and no theme fixes it. It is a data problem, and it is why product pages do not rank and why customers ring to ask if it fits.
Enrichment is a pipeline, not a one-off tidy. Catalogue cleansing deduplicates SKUs, normalises part-number formats, corrects brands and titles, removes discontinued lines and standardises units. Attribute enrichment pulls criteria from TecDoc or the PIES attribute database (dimensions, material, fitting position, thread size) into a category attribute schema that drives on-site filters and Google Shopping attributes. OE cross-referencing builds OE to aftermarket to supersession tables so a search for an OE number lands on what you actually stock. Image processing gives consistent aspect ratios, clean backgrounds, multiple angles and marketplace-compliant sizes.
GTINs deserve their own line. Amazon and Google require or strongly prefer them; TecDoc carries GTINs at article level for many brands; and if you manufacture or re-brand parts you should license a GS1 UK company prefix rather than buying resold barcodes that marketplaces increasingly reject. Where the data comes from is broad: licensed TecDoc data packages, MAM Autocat and Autopart exports, supplier spreadsheets, OEM electronic parts catalogues, HaynesPro technical data and provider VRM lookups. We normalise all of it into a PIM (Akeneo, Pimcore, inRiver) or a structured store on your platform, then publish outward.
How it works
End to end
- 01
Ingest every source into a staging schema
TecDoc data packages, MAM exports, supplier price lists (CSV, XLSX, PDF), OEM EPC extracts and your live catalogue land in one staging model with source and date on every row.
- 02
Cleanse
Deduplicate the same article under different supplier codes, normalise part-number formats (spaces, hyphens, leading zeros), fix brand and title casing, remove discontinued lines, standardise units and pack quantities.
- 03
Cross-reference
Build the OE to aftermarket to supersession table from TecDoc OE numbers, supplier cross-reference lists and OEM data, with format variants indexed so any spelling of an OE number resolves.
- 04
Enrich attributes
Map TecDoc criteria and PIES PAdb attributes into a per-category schema (brake disc: diameter, thickness, height, bolt pattern, fitting position) that feeds filters, product specs and Google Shopping product attributes.
- 05
Images and GTINs
Pull supplier and TecDoc images, process backgrounds and aspect ratio, generate placeholders where nothing exists, and attach GTINs from TecDoc articles or your GS1 UK prefix.
- 06
Attach fitment and publish
Link every SKU to its K-Types and criteria (see part fitment mapping), then publish to the store, eBay, Amazon and Google Merchant Center from the PIM with a change log per release.
Deliverables
What you get
- Catalogue audit: duplicates, missing GTINs, missing images, malformed part numbers, thin titles
- Cleansed master catalogue with a documented SKU key and merge log
- OE cross-reference and supersession table with format-tolerant search
- Per-category attribute schema populated from TecDoc or PIES
- Processed image library at marketplace-compliant sizes
- GTIN assignment plan and GS1 UK onboarding where you own brands
- PIM configuration or structured data model on your platform
- Repeatable ingest pipeline for ongoing supplier updates
Data sources
Providers we integrate
We are provider-neutral: we pick the source that fits your budget, licensing position and the fields you actually need.
| Source | What it returns | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TecDoc Data Package (TecAlliance) | Article and reference numbers, OE and trade numbers, GTINs, criteria (attributes), parts lists, images and vehicle linkages. | Licensed raw data, priced per data package and per country; also available through TecDoc Web Services. Your supplier's brand must be a TecDoc data supplier for its articles to appear. |
| MAM Software catalogue data services | Autocat and Autopart data exports; bi-directional TecDoc to Autocat conversion for suppliers. | Autocat is the UK trade counter catalogue used by 11,000+ counter staff. If your customers are factors, your data needs to be right in MAM as well as on your site. |
| Auto Care Association PIES (PCdb, PAdb, Qdb) | Product classification, part attribute definitions and qualifiers for structured product content; Brand Table. | Needed for Amazon and North American distribution. Databases version 2.0 released 26 March 2026. |
| GS1 UK (GTIN) | A company prefix from which you issue your own GTINs for own-brand or re-branded parts. | Marketplaces require or strongly prefer GTINs. License a GS1 prefix rather than buying resold barcodes. |
| HaynesPro (Infopro Digital) | Vehicle identification by VRM, VIN, engine code or KBA number plus technical data that narrows fitment, for example brake disc diameter by PR code. | Subscription, widely embedded in garage management systems and factor catalogues; reseller pricing varies. |
Data quality
Where this goes wrong, and what we do about it
OE numbers arrive with spaces, hyphens and leading zeros in every combination, so searches miss stocked equivalents.
Store a normalised form alongside the display form and index both, so '1K0 615 301' and '1K0615301' resolve to the same article.
Supersession chains: an OE number replaced two or three times, with only the latest in your supplier's file.
Maintain the full chain in the cross-reference table so any historic number lands on the current part.
Supplier gaps: no fitting position or side on linkages, missing attributes on new lines, no images.
Flag incomplete records at ingest, back-fill from TecDoc or OE catalogues, and hold lines from marketplaces until they meet the channel's minimum.
Duplicate SKUs: the same article from two suppliers listed as two products with different prices and stock.
Merge on article number plus brand, keep supplier codes as aliases, and consolidate stock and pricing at the master SKU.
Images copied from supplier sites with watermarks or without rights, which marketplaces reject and brands object to.
Source images from the TecDoc package or the supplier's official media, record the rights, and generate consistent placeholders for the rest.
Proof
Work like this
Scorpion Exhausts · 2016
Dealer orders straight into Orderwise, with no re-keying
Kitspares · 2015
A parts store built for people who build their own cars
Product Data Enrichment: common questions
What is product data enrichment for car parts?
Turning raw supplier data into a catalogue that sells: deduplicated SKUs, normalised part numbers, OE cross-references, structured attributes from TecDoc or PIES, GTINs, compliant images and fitment. It is the data work behind product pages that rank and parts that fit.
Our supplier sends a spreadsheet. Can you work from that?
Yes. Spreadsheets, PDFs, MAM exports and TecDoc packages all land in the same staging schema. We match lines to TecDoc articles where the brand is a data supplier and build the rest by hand, then keep the pipeline so the next update takes hours, not weeks.
Do I need a PIM?
Not always. Under a few thousand SKUs, a well-structured product model on Magento or Shopify is enough. Above that, or with multiple channels and suppliers, a PIM such as Akeneo or Pimcore pays for itself in change control and channel exports.
Why do marketplaces reject my products for missing GTINs?
Amazon and Google require or strongly prefer a GTIN per product. TecDoc carries GTINs for many branded articles. For own-brand parts, license a GS1 UK company prefix and issue your own; resold barcodes are increasingly rejected.
How do OE number cross-references help sales?
Customers and garages search by the OE number on the old part. A cross-reference table maps every OE number and its supersessions to the aftermarket articles you stock, so those searches land on a product page instead of a blank result.
Related data services
Vehicle data
Part Fitment Mapping
Vehicle fitment data is what tells a buyer 'this fits your car'.
Read moreVehicle data
Feed Management
A Google Shopping feed car parts retailers can rely on needs GTINs, clean titles, correct categories and fitment-aware attributes, refreshed as prices and stock move.
Read moreVehicle data
Parts Finder Widget
A 'find parts for my car' widget is the first thing a parts buyer looks for, and it decides whether they trust the fit.
Read moreUsually delivered with
Build
Car Parts eCommerce
Car parts eCommerce has one rule the rest of retail does not: the customer must know the part fits before they buy.
Read moreIntegrations
Amazon Automotive Integration
Amazon Automotive fitment is what puts your parts in front of a buyer who has told Amazon what car they drive.
Read moreIntegrations
eBay Motors Integration
eBay Motors integration connects your parts store, yard management system or catalogue to eBay UK so listings, K-Type compatibility, stock and orders stay in sync.
Read moreSectors that use this
Car Parts Retailers
Car parts marketing agency built on fitment: TecDoc K-Type, reg lookup, eBay and Amazon feeds on Shopify, WooCommerce or Magento.
View servicesAftermarket Manufacturers
Aftermarket parts manufacturer marketing: TecDoc and PIES data distribution, where-to-buy locators, D2C stores and brand content.
View servicesMotor Factors & Distributors
Motor factor website and trade ordering portal with VRM lookup, TecDoc catalogue, MAM Autopart, branch stock and account pricing.
View servicesBreakers & Dismantlers
Breakers yard website with used parts listed by donor VRM and K-Type, in sync with Pinnacle and eBay, plus scrap-my-car leads.
View servicesTuning & Performance
A tuning company website that books dyno and remap slots and sells performance parts with hand-built fitment, written to ASA rules.
View servicesManufacturers & OEMs
Automotive manufacturer marketing for low-volume makers and OEM parts divisions.
View servicesTalk to the pit wall
Scope product data enrichment for your platform
Tell us your platform, your data provider (if you have one) and what the customer should be able to do. We will come back with a fixed-price scope and an honest view of the data licensing.