Abstract: An invention is described herein that provides methods and apparatus for collecting, distributing and storing product data. A data structure suitable for use in collecting, distributing or storing product data for use in a catalog is disclosed. More particularly, the data structure is based on a data model having one or more classes, where each of the classes has one or more associated categories. The data structure includes at least one class definition, each class definition being arranged to identify one or more associated categories. In addition, the data structure includes a plurality of category definitions, each category definition being arranged to identify an associated attribute group. The data structure further includes a plurality of attribute group definitions, where each attribute group definition is arranged to identify one or more attributes that are associated with the attribute group.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for distributing data for generating an electronic catalog, including capturing product data for a plurality of products according to a data model, storing the product data, receiving language availability information indicative of languages in which the product data are available, receiving a customer profile from a customer indicating one or more of the plurality of products for which product data is to be transmitted, receiving a set of language selections from the customer indicating a plurality of languages in which the product data is to be transmitted, storing the set of language selections for the customer such that the set of language selections is associated with the customer profile, and distributing the product data in accordance with the customer profile to the customer in the plurality of languages indicated in the set of language selections.