Child Display Model (CDM) vs Parent Display Model (PDM): What Amazon Sellers Need to Know

Introduction

When selling on Amazon, one of the most confusing aspects is how product titles actually display to customers. Sellers often assume each product variation shows its own title, but Amazon doesn’t always work that way.

Amazon uses two models to determine how titles display: Child Display Model (CDM) and Parent Display Model (PDM). These models also affect how your listings are marked as Live or Not Live in reporting tools. Understanding the difference is essential for managing your content effectively.

What is CDM (Child Display Model)?

The Child Display Model (CDM) is Amazon’s default approach for most categories. In CDM, each child ASIN is evaluated independently.

👉 Example: In electronics, a laptop may come in three storage options: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Each of these is a separate child ASIN with its own title. If a customer clicks on the 256GB variation, Amazon displays the 256GB child title — not the parent or another variation’s title.

What is PDM (Parent Display Model)?

In certain categories, Amazon uses the Parent Display Model (PDM). Parent titles in Apparel/Clothing, Jewelry, and Sporting Goods (with a few exceptions) are treated as PDM products.

This means:

• Information shown on the product page often comes from the parent rather than the individual child ASINs.
  
  

• The parent title is shared across all child ASINs or variants, making it the key piece of content customers see.
  
  

• For these categories, the parent title becomes critical to get right, since it dictates the customer experience for every variation under that parent.

👉 Example: In apparel, a sweatshirt may be sold in red, blue, and orange. Instead of showing separate child titles for each color, Amazon will surface the parent’s unified title (e.g., “Unisex Cotton Crewneck Sweatshirt”) across all three.

How “Live” or “Not Live” is Determined

Under CDM

• Each child’s title is checked individually.
  
  

• Live = child’s title matches Amazon’s displayed title.
  
  

• Not Live = child’s title does not match Amazon’s displayed title.

👉 Example: The 512GB laptop will only be marked Live if its title matches exactly what Amazon displays. The 256GB or 1TB versions don’t affect it.

Under PDM

• The parent title determines the status for all children.
  
  

• Live = parent matches Amazon’s displayed title → all children with a shared variation theme will automatically be Live.
  
  

• Not Live = parent does not match Amazon’s displayed title → all children with a shared variation theme will automatically be Not Live.

👉 Example: If the parent title for a blue, red, and black sweatshirt is Live, all three variations are Live. If the parent is Not Live, none of them are Live — even if one child’s submitted title matches.

Why Amazon Uses Both Models

• CDM = Best for categories where each variation has distinct features and must stand on its own (electronics, appliances, books).
  
  

• PDM = Best for categories with minor variations where a unified presentation improves the customer experience (apparel, jewelry, sports).
  
  

How AutoMato Helps You Interpret This

Parent Titles in the Apparel/Clothing, Jewelry, and Sporting Goods categories are treated as PDM products. This means much of the information shown to customers comes from the parent, and that information is shared across all of its child ASINs/variants. Because of this, the parent title becomes critical — it dictates the main customer experience for every variation under that parent.

AutoMato mirrors this exact behavior in its UI so sellers can clearly see how Live status is applied:

• In PDM categories (Apparel, Jewelry, Sports):
  When a parent product is Live, all its child products also display as Live. In AutoMato, these child products show a Live status with a stroke, indicating they inherit their status from the parent.
  
  

• In CDM categories (most others):
  Each child ASIN is evaluated independently. In AutoMato, Live status is shown without a stroke, since it reflects only that specific child’s title.

• Info icons for context:
  Both statuses include an info icon with a tooltip explaining whether the product is following PDM or CDM.

This ensures sellers can track whether their AutoMato-generated content is Live on Amazon while fully accounting for both models. It also gives sellers confidence that AutoMato reflects Amazon’s own rules — whether it’s for a single ASIN or an entire group of variations.

Quick Comparison: PDM vs CDM

Key Takeaway

• CDM = Each child stands alone; titles and Live status are evaluated individually.
  
  

• PDM = Parent controls Live status for all variations.

By reflecting Amazon’s rules, AutoMato gives sellers complete clarity into whether their products are evaluated under CDM or PDM — ensuring the Live status they see in AutoMato matches the customer experience on Amazon.