As e-commerce businesses like online stores involve buying and selling products and/or services via the Internet, there is usually a need for a database of product information. One item may be sold in different variations—sizes, colors, styles, and more—and it is crucial for retailers to have a system to manage and organize all the different attributes and variations of their products. PIMs are solutions meant to simplify that.
If you have never heard of PIM systems, this post will tell you what they are and who can benefit from using them, as well as provide some more insight into the topic.
What is a PIM?
PIM, also known as Product Information Management, is a system that allows users to store, view, manage, and edit product-related information. This tool also simplifies importing and exporting data from various sources, such as suppliers or manufacturers, to ensure that the information is correct and up-to-date.
PIMs serve as a hub for all data and let all stakeholders access and update product information in real-time. This makes it easier for retailers to keep track of all their merchandise and ensure that the product data is accurate. PIMs offer many features meant to simplify the processes related to product information management.
Should I use a PIM for my online store?
How much you will benefit from PIM e-commerce integration in your business depends on different factors:
- How big is your business?
- How many products do you sell?
- Do you often need access to detailed data about your products?
- Do you have many employees that need access to a unified product database?
- Do you have multiple sales channels or language versions of your website?
- Do you update or edit your product database regularly?
By answering these questions, you can find out whether a PIM would be useful for you. In general, the bigger your store and the more products you sell, the more advantageous it can be. If you operate internationally and have a website in more than one language, a PIM can help you manage and organize the translated product descriptions.
While PIMs are mostly used by medium-sized and large companies, there is no reason why smaller businesses can’t leverage them as well.
Let’s look at the advantages of using a Product Information Management system.
Custom Product Information Management Solutions
Sometimes, it is not possible to find ready-made software that will fit your requirements. You might need a solution tailored specifically to your business needs and addresses the unique challenges you face. In such cases, a custom Product Information Management system would be the most suitable option.
If you do not have in-house developers, you can outsource the work to e-commerce software development company. These usually have employees with experience and expertise in handling various e-commerce-related projects.
By investing in a custom solution, you make sure that it can help you reach your goals. While these solutions can be more expensive upfront, they can reduce your spendingin the long run, by streamlining the product information-related processes and reducing the risk of human error. Hiring someone with custom mobile app development knowledge can also be beneficial, if you want your PIM software to be accessible on phones and tablets.
How Can PIMs Benefit E-commerce Businesses?
If you own an online store, you know how important it is to provide accurate descriptions and photos of your products to give the customer all the information they need. The lack of proper product information can lead to customer dissatisfaction and potential returns, which can be costly.
It is also good to have all the information in one place to streamline other business processes. If you work with a marketing team, for example, you can benefit from having a centralized system that allows them to have easy access to a product database, so they can develop effective marketing strategies that will fit the products in the best way possible.
Because PIMs give a thorough overview of the products, customer service representatives can assist customers more accurately and efficiently, too. Better collaboration between different departments (and the clients) is worth the investment.
One shared database also means less need for manual data entry, which can significantly reduce the chance of human error or inconsistencies between departments. Another aspect worth noting is that if all your sales channels (website, app, social media) use the same database, consistency will be maintained across all platforms, and you will save a lot of time by editing one entry instead of having to maintain separate entries for different channels.
What Type of Data Can You Store in a PIM?
PIMs are very flexible in terms of what data they can store. There are plenty of options that online stores can choose to store in a PIM. Some common types of data include product information such as titles, SKUs, descriptions, categories, dimensions, and so on. Product photos, as well as related documents, can also be stored in the centralized PIM.
Product Information Management Systems can also store product reviews or client testimonials and show them on all your selling channels and social media – making it very handy for businesses to display customer feedback.
Can a PIM work with ERP?
If you already have an ERP system in place, integrating it with a PIM can be even more beneficial. Combining the two can reduce the amount of time and effort spent on manually managing product data across multiple systems, as well as allow for faster access without the need to switch from one software to another all the time.
Such a dual system provides a more effective way to manage the product data, and integrating a PIM with your ERP ensures the data is always accurate across systems. For example, the ERP will update the stock levels in real-time, and the PIM will automatically update product information in all your channels.
PIM Systems for E-Commerce
As you can see, Product Information Management systems are important for efficiently managing and organizing product data for online stores, warehouses, and even suppliers. A PIM can be integrated with your existing systems, such as ERP or CRM, to streamline the data flow and ensure consistency across different platforms.
If you are looking for a solution to help your business run more smoothly, a PIM system may be just what you are looking for.
