Matching Guide for FMCG beverages based on 3 waves of comments

General Principles

Match based on product essence, not minor details like packaging or design.
If unsure — mark as potential match for manual review.
Use external sources (manufacturer sites, Master catalog, competitors) for verification.

1. Year of Production / Vintage

Situation	Action
Year not listed	Use `Vintage` field if available. Otherwise — do not match.
Year mentioned only in reviews	Do not trust — often inaccurate.
Year differs between image and description	Ignore the image — often outdated.
Competitor has a year, Master doesn't	Match if it's the only known variant of the product.

2. Volume, ABV, Packaging

Situation	Action
700ml vs 750ml	Allowed, if no exact match exists.
11oz vs 11.2oz	Allowed — acceptable rounding.
2% ABV difference	Usually NO MATCH — likely different product.
Different packaging shape	Allowed if core product is identical.
Single bottle vs multi-pack	NO MATCH.

3. Images, Labels, Design

Situation	Action
Competitor has no image	Match based on description if detailed enough.
Label only instead of bottle photo	Acceptable, especially for wine.
Different labels	Caution — match only if confident it's the same item.
Design change	Allowed if composition and naming are identical.

4. Packs and Quantities

Situation	Action
6-pack vs 12-pack	Match only if configurations are identical.
Unclear SKU / incomplete info	Skip such cases.

5. Naming and Composition

Situation	Action
Shortened/abbreviated names	Allowed if uniquely identifiable.
"Unoaked" present in Master, absent in competitor	Requires further investigation — might be different product.
"Proof" in name	Ignore — not relevant to matching.
Obvious typo like "19pk" instead of "1pk"	Match if context confirms intent.

6. Limited & Seasonal Versions

Situation	Action
Limited vs standard edition	Match if difference is only packaging and not named explicitly.
Seasonal products with same UPC	Allowed if they rotate in the same shelf space.

7. Inconsistencies & Errors

Situation	Action
Typo in competitor name	Match if product is clearly the same.
Description/image mismatch	Evaluate meaningfully: e.g., "Blanco" and "Silver" in tequila are equivalent.
Missing SKU	Skip.

Dashboard Matching Checklist - for daily check

✅ Checked competitor image
✅ Matched volume, ABV, packaging
✅ Confirmed product naming
✅ Verified production year (if applicable)
✅ Checked for limited/seasonal status
✅ Flagged edge cases (suspicious basket) for manual review

Match Labels (rarely used)

Label	Meaning
✅ Match	Confirmed product match
⚠️ ANALOG / Potential Match	Needs manual review
❌ No Match