A system and method for creating a searchable representation of an electronic catalog the searchable representation of the electronic catalog includes one or more search data structures each having one or more search data records. The search data records include a first data field containing data representing an attribute of a product within the electronic catalog, a second data field containing data representing the number of times the attribute is used in connection with any product within the electronic catalog, and one or more additional data field each containing data representing a record address within the electronic catalog at which data pertaining to each product having the attribute is stored.