Desk notes: lookalike seeds after a catalog merge

Catalog merges feel like a reset button, yet many signals still carry weight if you isolate them. Begin by exporting the pre-merge seed list and tagging each pool with its dominant ASIN family. That tree view helps you explain overlaps to agencies without leaning on dense tables.

Next, stage a sandbox seed that mirrors only the merged hero ASINs for a short window. Pair it with a negative pool that explicitly excludes discontinued SKUs so you do not pollute the new seed. External reviewers appreciate seeing the negative list spelled out in plain language.

Close the loop with a stakeholder sign-off memo that states which legacy seeds stay paused for thirty days. The pause window gives merchandising room to fix PDP inconsistencies before you scale again.