Keep marketplace source identifiers separate from your internal SKUs
Define identifier namespaces and approved crosswalks when combining product data from eight Chinese marketplaces.
A source identifier tells you where a record came from. Your internal SKU tells your own system which item it manages. Keep those roles explicit when connecting a marketplace export to an existing catalogue.
This guide covers 1688, Alibaba, Taobao, JD, Pinduoduo, Weidian, Goofish and Yiwugo. In a LinkedIn article, retailer Jemma Mead asks suppliers to preserve SKU and barcode text. The crosswalk method below is original editorial guidance; it does not require changing PandaBuyNow’s current sample row structure.
Give each source key a namespace
Retain the platform, identifier type and original identifier text together. Keep listing identifiers distinct from shop and variant identifiers. Treat source keys as text so their original spelling and leading zeros survive handling.
In an original fictional example, Taobao and JD both expose a local identifier written as 00123. Their source keys remain different because the platform namespace differs. Matching strings across sources do not by themselves identify one product. Keep any relationship decision separate from the original keys.
Make the catalogue crosswalk a reviewable decision
Store the source key and any variant key beside the proposed internal SKU, review status and reason. A reviewer should be able to see whether the mapping was approved or still needs clarification. Do not generate an internal SKU from a title and silently mark it approved.
For a fictional internal SKU BAG-042-NAT, document exactly which source option was approved for that catalogue record. A parent listing with several options may require several mappings. A listing URL alone does not choose the intended colour or size.
Keep barcode information and unresolved links explicit
If a barcode or GTIN is required, discuss its source and availability separately. An extracted platform identifier is not automatically a barcode. PandaBuyNow’s fictional public files do not establish barcode ownership or provide verified GTINs; do not manufacture codes to close that gap.
Keep unmatched records available for review instead of dropping them or attaching them to the nearest SKU. Preserve the mapping version and owner when a decision changes. Share your target identifiers and representative source options with the team to agree feasible fields and sample acceptance. A crosswalk is not independent proof of product equivalence.