I'm a developer hired to work on a NetSuite store for a hardware distributor.  We have some complex inventory items to place in our NetSuite store, and we'd like to begin building up the database and templates.  On some of our more complex items (e.g. door handles), there are six or so variables - finish/color, backplate, function, etc. 

I initially explored matrix items.  They provided options, but it appears that items with numerous possible permutations create massive performance issues.  (The count on the test case I was trying was ~1300 items -- not past the limit, but close enough for concern). The NetSuite employee post on this thread --