the second axis

Properties

A property is a question a product answers. Properties group by concern — a way of sorting the questions that cuts across the family tree of kinds. Every question is answered in one of three ways: with a chosen word, with a measured amount, or with a piece of free text.

Identity who and what it is

37 questions in all: 33 answered from a set list (brand, manufacturer, sub-brand and 30 more) and 4 free-text or code fields (display name, model name, trade identifier and 1 more).

Measurement its measurable, physical facts

123 questions in all: 54 measured figures (net weight, height, width and 51 more) and 69 answered from a set list (installation type, defrost type, heating mode and 66 more).

Facet The concern grouping a product's UNIVERSAL cross-kind merchandising facets — the chosen, filterable token attributes every product can be identified and differentiated by regardless of kind: color, material, size (and the size system it is expressed in), pattern, and the like, declared on root `Product`. Distinct from `measurement` (a kind's spec sheet — quantitative extents plus kind-specific categorical settings) and from the storefront-treatment concerns (pricing, availability, fulfilment, …). Whether a facet is a BUYABLE variation axis is NOT a fact of this grouping: it is the per-kind `axis` mark, judged once per kind (color is one held value on a solid tee yet the splitting axis on a tie-dye). This concern re-founds the retired `variation` concern, whose sole job — naming 'the selectable axes' — is now carried by that mark.

22 questions in all: 22 answered from a set list (material, color, size and 19 more).

Pricing what it costs

8 questions in all: 6 measured figures (list price, sale price, price component and 3 more) and 2 answered from a set list (custom amount enabled and offered by).

Compliance where it is from and what it meets

12 questions in all: 1 measured figure (flash point), 7 answered from a set list (country of origin, certification, energy efficiency class and 4 more) and 4 free-text or code fields (warning, responsible person, regulatory permit and 1 more).

Media how it is shown

2 questions in all: 2 free-text or code fields (description and media).

Availability whether it can be obtained

7 questions in all: 1 measured figure (inventory quantity), 4 answered from a set list (availability status, oversell policy, eligible region and 1 more) and 2 free-text or code fields (availability starts and availability ends).

Social proof what buyers and critics say about it

8 questions in all: 2 measured figures (aggregate rating and engagement counter), 2 answered from a set list (fit verdict and review highlight tag) and 4 free-text or code fields (review, community question, community answer and 1 more).

Condition the state the item is sold in

2 questions in all: 1 answered from a set list (item condition) and 1 free-text or code field (condition note).

Fulfilment The storefront concern of how a product is shipped, delivered, or collected — shipping rates and the destinations/speeds/handling/transit they cover, the channel by which an order is received, whether the product needs shipping at all, the carrier-rating shipping weight, shipping restrictions, and the customs/duty classification (HS tariff code). Orthogonal to availability (whether a unit is buyable) and to measurement (the product's own mass). The per-offer operational layer — which seller/program/warehouse fulfils a given offer — is downstream catalogue data, not part of this grammar.

6 questions in all: 2 measured figures (shipping rate and shipping weight), 3 answered from a set list (fulfilment channel, requires shipping and shipping restriction) and 1 free-text or code field (hs tariff code).

Subscription & financing The storefront concern of how a product is paid for over time rather than in a single up-front amount — a recurring subscription plan (its cadence, usage model, trial, setup fee, and intro-then-standard phasing) and a pay-over-time financing plan (its instalment count, down-payment, and credit type). Orthogonal to the one-off `pricing` concern (a single list/sale amount): here the structure is the SCHEDULE of payment, not its magnitude. Per-customer-subscription operational config (proration policy, auto-charge vs invoice) and per-seller-checkout config (which BNPL provider, which rewards programme) are downstream catalogue/offer data, not part of this grammar.

2 questions in all: 2 measured figures (recurring price and instalment plan).

Tax The storefront concern of how a product is classified and disclosed for sales/value-added tax — its tax classification (the governed external code that drives which rate applies) and the convention by which its published prices include or exclude tax. Product-INTRINSIC tax facts only: the classification travels with the product, and the display convention states what the published price numbers mean. The actual applied tax-rate (percentage × jurisdiction × type) is NOT here — it is computed at checkout from the classification and the buyer's jurisdiction and varies by who sells the SKU and where, so it is downstream offer/transaction data (catalogue). Customs/duty classification lives in `fulfilment` (`hs_tariff_code`), which drives carriage, not sales tax — a distinct external registry and role.

2 questions in all: 1 answered from a set list (tax behaviour) and 1 free-text or code field (tax category).

Digital delivery The storefront concern of how a non-physical good is delivered and licensed once it has forked off the physical-shipping path (requires_shipping = digital-no-shipping, fulfilment): the digital channel it arrives by (download, e-mailed key, streaming access, cloud or in-app activation, redeem code), the licence model that grants its use, the platform / DRM environment it targets, and any download or access-time bounds. The digital twin of fulfilment's physical hand-off. Also carries the gift-card flag — a stored-value instrument that cross-cuts product kinds. The issued key/link, the remaining-download counter, and the realised balance are downstream instance data (L1), not part of this grammar.

2 questions in all: 2 answered from a set list (digital delivery method and gift card).

Warranty & returns The concern grouping the after-purchase promise facts a listing states before the sale — what is promised if the product fails or comes back: warranties (who backs a repair-or-replace promise, covering what, for how long), return terms, and protection-plan add-ons. The orthogonal concern axis (L6), never a product kind. Distinct from compliance, which holds marks of regulatory conformity (a CE mark certifies conformity to law; a warranty is a commercial promise to repair or replace), and from condition, which states what the item is like now, not what is promised later.

2 questions in all: 1 answered from a set list (return policy) and 1 free-text or code field (warranty).

Payment The storefront concern of which payment-method TYPES an offer accepts at the point of settlement — cash, a payment card, a mobile-money channel, a bank transfer, cash on delivery, a digital wallet, or pay-by-invoice. Orthogonal to `pricing` (the magnitude and composition of the ask) and to `subscription` (the SCHEDULE of paying over time): this concern is the CHANNEL of settlement. Region-neutral: the grammar governs the method TYPE; the specific brand (M-Pesa, Visa, PayPal) is an instance value the seller states, never Pool grammar. A fee charged for paying a particular way is NOT a separate host here — it is a `price_component` line of type=surcharge (pricing concern) qualified by the payment method it applies to. The realised transaction — which brand the buyer used, the amount settled, a percentage-of-order surcharge a checkout computes — is downstream catalogue/offer data (L1).

1 question in all: 1 answered from a set list (accepted payment method).

accepted payment method

Eligibility The storefront concern of WHO MAY TRANSACT for a product and under WHAT PER-ORDER LIMITS and CREDENTIAL GATES — the offer-level access rules, as opposed to what the product is (Axis K) or what it costs (pricing). It holds the buyer segment an offer is restricted to (customer_type_eligibility), the minimum and maximum quantity purchasable (minimum_order_quantity / maximum_order_quantity), and the credential a buyer must present to complete the purchase (purchase_gate). Orthogonal to `pricing`: `price_eligibility` (b56) selects which PRICE TIER a buyer qualifies for among prices all still buyable; this concern gates whether a buyer may buy AT ALL and how much. Its members are offer FILTERS, not product-variation axes — no product is sold in a 'trade version' vs a 'public version', so a family never splits on eligibility (axis-eligibility is derived, not stored). The realised checks — is THIS buyer a member, does THIS buyer hold the licence, how many are in THIS cart — are downstream catalogue/offer data (L1); the grammar that an offer CAN be so gated is the Pool's. Business-function (an offer's verb, Sell/RentOut/Repair — edges into services) is tracked separately and is deliberately NOT a member here.

4 questions in all: 2 measured figures (minimum order quantity and maximum order quantity) and 2 answered from a set list (customer eligibility and purchase gate).

Personalization The storefront concern of the buyer-supplied made-to-order custom INPUTS an offer collects — the input SLOTS a listing exposes for the buyer to fill: a field's buyer-facing label, the data-kind of input it takes (a line of text, a number, a date, an uploaded image), whether it must be filled, and any length limit. The orthogonal concern axis (L6), never a product kind. It holds the field DEFINITIONS (grammar — the slot), NEVER the buyer's entered value: the actual engraved text, the uploaded photo, the chosen font are realised line-item data held downstream (L1), not pool values. Distinct from `variation` (a seller-defined axis whose cells the catalogue prices and stocks as separate SKUs — colour, size) and from what the product IS (Axis K): an engraving field creates no SKU and adds no product kind; it is a per-order input the offer captures.

1 question in all: 1 free-text or code field (personalization field).

personalization field +3

A property is a question a product answers. Properties group by concern — an axis orthogonal to the kind-tree. Each is answered with one of three kinds of value: ◇token (a word from a vocabulary), №number + unit, or “free text.

Identity who and what it is

display name	“free text plain text formats
brand	◇token Brands
model name	“free text plain text formats
manufacturer	◇token Manufacturers
sub-brand	◇token Sub-Brands
seller type	◇token Seller Types
trade identifierhost · carries 1	“free text code formats
identifier exists	◇token Identifier Expectation
tracking marking	◇token Tracking Markings
active state	◇token Active States
closure type	◇token Closure types
gender	◇token Genders
age group	◇token Age groups
size type	◇token Size types
heel height	◇token Heel heights
closure	◇token Closures
toe style	◇token Toe styles
back style	◇token Back constructions
drinkware type	◇token Drinkware types
dinnerware type	◇token Dinnerware types
food storage type	◇token Food storage types
utility vessel type	◇token Utility vessel types
brushware type	◇token Brushware types
waste bin type	◇token Waste bin types
basket type	◇token Basket types
trolley type	◇token Trolley types
seat type	◇token Seat types
table type	◇token Table types
strainer type	◇token Strainer types
grater type	◇token Grater types
roller type	◇token Roller types
planter type	◇token Planter types
operation mode	◇token Vacuum operation modes
also known as	“free text plain text formats
spray mechanism	◇token Spray mechanisms
feeding port	◇token Feeding ports
egg tray type	◇token Egg tray types

Measurement its measurable, physical facts

net weight	№number + unit Mass units
height	№number + unit Length units
width	№number + unit Length units
depth	№number + unit Length units
power rating	№number + unit Power units
operating voltage	№number + unit Electric potential units
noise level	№number + unit Sound level units
installation type	◇token Installation types
defrost type	◇token Defrost types
fresh-food storage volume	№number + unit Volume units
freezer storage volume	№number + unit Volume units
chiller compartment volume	№number + unit Volume units
microwave power output	№number + unit Power units
cavity capacity	№number + unit Volume units
heating mode	◇token Heating modes
turntable diameter	№number + unit Length units
place-setting capacity	№number + unit Place-setting units
wash program	◇token Wash programs
water consumption per cycle	№number + unit Volume units
freezer configuration	◇token Freezer configurations
star rating	◇token Freezer star ratings
freezing capacity	№number + unit Freezing capacity units
water capacity	№number + unit Volume units
keep-warm function	◇token Keep-warm modes
temperature control	◇token Temperature control modes
infuser type	◇token Infuser types
steep time	№number + unit Time units
brew method	◇token Brew methods
grinder integration	◇token Grinder integration
milk system	◇token Milk systems
pump pressure	№number + unit Pressure units
portafilter size	◇token Portafilter sizes
speed control	◇token Speed control modes
container capacity	№number + unit Volume units
blender format	◇token Blender formats
processing attachments	◇token Food processor attachments
mixing attachments	◇token Mixer attachments
extraction method	◇token Juicer types
grind adjustment	◇token Grind adjustment modes
grinding mechanism	◇token Coffee grinder mechanisms
bean hopper / chamber capacity	№number + unit Mass units
cutting plates	◇token Meat grinder cutting plate grades
slice thickness range	№number + unit Length units
blade diameter	№number + unit Length units
blade edge	◇token Blade edges
cut style	◇token Can opener cut styles
integrated functions	◇token Integrated opener functions
heat setting	◇token Heat setting modes
slot count	№number + unit Slot-count units
toast slot type	◇token Toast slot types
oven function	◇token Oven functions
maximum temperature	№number + unit Temperature units
oil capacity	№number + unit Volume units
pot capacity	№number + unit Volume units
cooking program	◇token Cooking programs
load capacity	№number + unit Mass units
loading type	◇token Loading types
spin speed	№number + unit Rotational speed units
wash cycle	◇token Wash cycles
drying technology	◇token Drying technologies
dry cycle	◇token Dry cycles
dry load capacity	№number + unit Mass units
basket capacity	№number + unit Volume units
operating pressure	№number + unit Pressure units
cooking surface area	№number + unit Area units
surface configuration	◇token Surface configurations
waffle shape	◇token Waffle shapes
pan capacity	№number + unit Volume units
loaf capacity	№number + unit Mass units
crust color	◇token Crust colors
tray count	№number + unit Tray count units
egg capacity	№number + unit Egg capacity units
egg function	◇token Egg functions
batch capacity	№number + unit Volume units
jar count	№number + unit Jar count units
popping method	◇token Popping methods
freezing method	◇token Freezing methods
tier count	№number + unit Tier count units
chocolate capacity	№number + unit Mass units
blade length	№number + unit Length units
seal width	№number + unit Length units
sealing mode	◇token Vacuum sealing modes
water tank capacity	№number + unit Volume units
spit capacity	№number + unit Mass units
net content	№number + unit Volume units
sleeve length	◇token Sleeve lengths
neckline	◇token Necklines
collar type	◇token Collar types
cuff type	◇token Cuff types
knit gauge	◇token Knit gauges
back style	◇token Back styles
hood style	◇token Hood styles
pocket style	◇token Pocket styles
fabric construction	◇token Fabric constructions
cuff and hem finish	◇token Rib trims
rise	◇token Rises
leg shape	◇token Leg shapes
fit	◇token Fits
inseam	№number + unit Length units
wash	◇token Denim washes
pleat	◇token Pleat styles
silhouette	◇token Skirt silhouettes
length	◇token Skirt lengths
shaft height	◇token Shaft heights
strap type	◇token Strap types
screen size	№number + unit Length units
capacity	№number + unit Volume units
insulation	◇token Insulation types
lid type	◇token Lid types
shape	◇token Shapes
sealing	◇token Sealing types
bristle stiffness	◇token Bristle stiffness
lid mechanism	◇token Lid mechanisms
wheel count	№number + unit Wheel-count units
latch	◇token Latch types
seat count	№number + unit Seat count units
graduation	◇token Graduation scales
nap length	◇token Nap lengths
drainage	◇token Drainage types
mounting	◇token Mounting types
working width	№number + unit Length units
diameter	№number + unit Length units
length	№number + unit Length units

material	◇token Material types
color	◇token Color types
size	◇token Sizes
size system	◇token Size Systems
pattern	◇token Patterns
width	◇token Widths
storage capacity	◇token Storage capacities
finish	◇token Finish types
memory	◇token Memory capacities
connectivity	◇token Connectivity options
handle	◇token Handle types
bristle material	◇token Bristle materials
blade material	◇token Blade materials
mop head material	◇token Mop head materials
mop head attachment	◇token Mop head attachments
wall construction	◇token Wall constructions
assembly	◇token Assembly states
backrest style	◇token Backrest styles
armrest	◇token Armrest types
mesh grade	◇token Mesh grades
grating grade	◇token Grating grades
sleeve material	◇token Sleeve materials

Pricing what it costs

list pricehost · carries 3	№number + unit Currencies
sale pricehost · carries 7	№number + unit Currencies
price componenthost · carries 2	№number + unit Currencies
tier pricehost · carries 7	№number + unit Currencies
custom amount enabled	◇token Custom Amount Modes
custom amount minimum	№number + unit Currencies
custom amount maximum	№number + unit Currencies
offered byhost · carries 2	◇token Party roles

Compliance where it is from and what it meets

country of origin	◇token Countries
certification	◇token Certifications
energy efficiency class	◇token Energy efficiency classes
climate class	◇token Climate classes
warninghost · carries 1	“free text longform text formats
age restriction	◇token Age restrictions
responsible person	“free text plain text formats
regulatory permithost · carries 1	“free text code formats
geographical indicationhost · carries 1	◇token Geographical-indication schemes
hazard classhost · carries 2	◇token Hazard classes
UN number	“free text code formats
flash point	№number + unit Temperature units

Media how it is shown

description	“free text longform text formats
mediahost · carries 5	“free text media reference formats

Availability whether it can be obtained

availability status	◇token Availability statuses
inventory quantityhost · carries 3	№number + unit Quantity Units
oversell policy	◇token Oversell Policies
availability starts	“free text date formats
availability ends	“free text date formats
eligible region	◇token Regions
ineligible region	◇token Regions

Social proof what buyers and critics say about it

reviewhost · carries 13	“free text longform text formats
aggregate ratinghost · carries 1	№number + unit
fit verdict	◇token Fit Verdicts
engagement counterhost · carries 3	№number + unit Quantity Units
community questionhost · carries 3	“free text longform text formats
community answerhost · carries 3	“free text longform text formats
commenthost · carries 3	“free text longform text formats
review highlight tag	◇token Review Highlight Tags

Condition the state the item is sold in

item condition	◇token Item Conditions
condition note	“free text longform text formats

shipping ratehost · carries 7	№number + unit Currencies
fulfilment channel	◇token Fulfilment Channels
requires shipping	◇token Shipping Requirement
shipping weight	№number + unit Mass units
shipping restriction	◇token Shipping Restrictions
HS tariff code	“free text code formats

recurring pricehost · carries 10	№number + unit Currencies
instalment planhost · carries 3	№number + unit Currencies

tax category	“free text code formats
tax behaviour	◇token Tax Behaviours

digital delivery methodhost · carries 5	◇token Digital Delivery Methods
gift card	◇token Gift-card Nature

warrantyhost · carries 2	“free text plain text formats
return policyhost · carries 3	◇token Return Policy Categories

accepted payment method

◇token Payment Methods

customer eligibility	◇token Price Eligibility Segments
minimum order quantity	№number + unit Quantity Units
maximum order quantity	№number + unit Quantity Units
purchase gate	◇token Purchase Gates

personalization fieldhost · carries 3

“free text plain text formats