A component catalog is useful when an engineer or buyer can find one part record and see stock, lead time, and the price rule. A brochure can introduce the company. It cannot take an order or an inquiry.
Buying actions decide the functions
Start from how a buyer works: search a part number, check the parameters, ask for a quote, or place an order. A feature list that does not support one of those actions can wait. The part record is the shared object for every later step.
Batch updates are daily work
Stock and price change after launch. An import should name the columns, reject a bad row with a reason, and show when the file was loaded. A one-time import on launch day does not keep the catalog believable.
BOM matching proposes, it does not swap parts
Parsing a bill of materials can be automatic. A substitute, or a row the system does not recognize, stays for a person to confirm. The same prefix with a different package is not the same part.
Orders, payment, shipping, and support share one part number
If the order line, the shipment, and the support note use different identifiers, the buyer and the salesperson cannot tell which part was discussed. Payment and logistics belong on top of that shared number, not beside a second catalog.
Customize the rule, not a page per customer
Customer-specific prices and credit limits are data rules. Building a separate page for each exception makes the next price change a design job. Keep the public page stable and put the exception in the record.
Common questions
How is a catalog different from a company site?
A company site can explain who you are. A catalog has to open a part record that can be quoted or ordered, with stock, lead time, and a price rule.
Should BOM matching place the order by itself?
No. Matching can be automatic. Substitutes and unrecognized rows need a person. A different package is not the same part just because the prefix matches.
How often should price and stock change?
That depends on the stock business. The page should show when the data was updated. Stock without a time is not something a buyer can trust.