eCommerce Blog | IronPlane

5 Top Benefits of a PIM

Written by Tim Bucciarelli | May 17, 2023

In today's digital age, eCommerce companies have to manage hundreds of thousands of SKUs and the data that go along with them.

Keeping product information up to date can be a challenging task. A product information management system (PIM) can help.

PIMs are software solutions designed to streamline product data management, enabling companies to manage their product information efficiently.

In this blog post, we'll:

  • Define product information management
  • Explore the 5 main benefits of a PIM 
  • Share 4 of the top PIM solutions on the market

What is a PIM?

A PIM system allows companies to manage their product information from a single location and ensure consistency across all channels, including websites, marketplaces, and mobile applications.

5 key benefits of a PIM for eCommerce merchants

With a large number of products, variations, and data points, managing product data can be a daunting task. A PIM system helps eCommerce companies streamline their product data management processes, enabling them to:

1. Streamline Product Data Management

A PIM provides a centralized location for managing product data, enabling companies to manage and organize their product data more efficiently. With a PIM system, companies can manage their product data from a single location and ensure consistency across all channels.

2. Improve Data Accuracy

A PIM system enables companies to ensure data accuracy by providing a single source of truth for product data. With a PIM system, companies can manage their product data more accurately, reducing the risk of errors and inconsistencies.

3. Reduce Time to Market

A PIM system enables companies to bring products to market more quickly by streamlining product data management processes. By managing product data more efficiently, companies can reduce the time it takes to get products to market, giving them a competitive advantage.

4. Increase Sales

A PIM system enables companies to increase sales by providing customers with accurate and consistent product information across all channels. By providing customers with the right information, companies can increase customer confidence and reduce the risk of returns.

5. Improve the Customer Experience

A PIM system enables companies to provide customers with a better experience by providing accurate and consistent product information across all channels. By providing customers with the right information, companies can increase customer confidence and reduce the risk of returns.

The Best PIMs on the Market

There are several great PIMs available in the market. Here are some of the best PIMs to try:

Akeneo 

Akeneo is one of the most popular PIMs available in the market. Akeneo has advanced capabilities such as data import/export, product classification, and versioning, making it a comprehensive solution for managing product information.

One of the standout features of Akeneo is its intuitive user interface, which makes it easy for users to navigate and use the system. It also provides a range of integrations with other systems, such as Magento, Shopify, and Salesforce, making it easy to manage product data across multiple platforms.

Akeneo is an open-source solution, meaning it can be customized according to individual business needs. It is also highly scalable, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Watch our interview with François Chaix, Head of Partner Evangelism at Akeneo:

InRiver

InRiver is a highly customizable solution that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of any business. InRiver offers advanced features such as data modeling, digital asset management, and workflow management, making it a comprehensive solution for managing product information.

One of the standout features of InRiver is its ease of use, which makes it a popular choice for eCommerce companies. It also provides a range of integrations with other systems, such as Salesforce, Adobe Experience Manager, and Microsoft Dynamics, making it easy to manage product data across multiple platforms.

Additionally, InRiver offers a range of training and support resources, making it easy for businesses to get up and running with the system. Overall, InRiver is a powerful and user-friendly solution for managing product data. But it also offers a range of advanced features and integrations that make it a more comprehensive solution.

Salsify

Salsify provides a wide range of features, such as data import/export, digital asset management, and workflow management, making it a powerful solution for managing product information. The system also offers integrations with popular eCommerce platforms like Amazon, Shopify, and Magento, enabling businesses to manage product data across multiple channels easily.

Another notable feature of Salsify is its analytics capabilities, which enable businesses to analyze customer engagement, sales performance, and product data quality in real-time, empowering businesses to make the kinds of data-driven decisions that drive growth.

Salsify is a great choice for businesses of all sizes looking to streamline their product data management processes and grow their eCommerce sales.

Pimcore PIM

Pimcore is an open-source and flexible PIM system that manages product information and digital assets. It offers a comprehensive set of features, including data modeling, data enrichment, versioning, and digital asset management, making it a comprehensive solution for managing product information.

Pimcore’s modular architecture allows businesses to customize the system to their specific needs, and its intuitive interface makes it easy to manage product data and digital assets. In addition, it has a range of integrations with other systems: eCommerce platforms, content management systems, and ERPs.

Pimcore also has extended search capabilities that enable businesses to quickly and easily find the product data they need, even in large and complex product catalogs.

Pick the Right PIM

Efficient product data management is critical in today's highly competitive eCommerce landscape.

With a PIM system, eCommerce companies can streamline their product data management processes, improve data accuracy, reduce time to market, increase sales, and improve customer experience. Several great PIMs are available in the market, including Akeneo, InRiver, Salsify, and Pimcore.

By implementing a PIM system, eCommerce companies can take their product information management to the next level and gain a competitive advantage in the market.

Ready to take the leap? Work with us to determine the right PIM provider for your organization.

FAQS: Benefits of a PIM

Q: What are the benefits of a PIM?

A: A PIM, or Product Information Management system, offers several benefits for businesses, including:

  • Centralized product data management: A PIM allows businesses to manage all their product data in a single, central location, ensuring data consistency and accuracy.
  • Improved data quality: By providing tools for data validation, normalization, and enrichment, a PIM can help improve the quality of product data.
  • Streamlined workflows: With automation and workflow management capabilities, a PIM can help streamline product data management processes, improving efficiency and productivity.
  • Enhanced customer experience: By providing accurate and detailed product information across all channels, a PIM can help enhance the customer experience and drive sales.
  • Scalability: A PIM can easily scale to accommodate growing product catalogs and expanding sales channels.

Q: What is PIM and why is it important?

A: PIM, or Product Information Management, is a system that helps businesses manage and organize product data in a centralized location. It provides a single source of truth for all product information, including descriptions, images, and other attributes.

PIM is important because it helps ensure data accuracy and consistency across all sales channels, leading to improved customer experiences and increased sales. It also streamlines workflows and reduces the risk of errors in product data management. With a PIM, businesses can easily manage large and complex product catalogs, and scale their operations as needed.

Q: What is the goal of PIM?

A: The goal of PIM, or Product Information Management, is to centralize and streamline the management of product information. The system provides a single source of truth for all product data, including descriptions, images, and other attributes. By ensuring data consistency and accuracy, a PIM can help improve the customer experience across all sales channels, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty. Additionally, a PIM can help streamline workflows and reduce the risk of errors in product data management. Overall, the goal of PIM is to improve operational efficiency and drive business growth.