Why a PIM system?

But what is a PIM system in practice? Within a Product Information Management (PIM) system, an organisation manages and organises all relevant information regarding the products it manufactures or sells.

A Product Information Management solution is aimed at companies that manufacture or sell a high volume of products. This typically includes manufacturers, trading companies and retailers who deal with vast quantities of finished goods and components. A PIM system provides the necessary structure to maintain control. You can read more about this in our guide: "How to organise product content creation for a larger assortment".

With a PIM system, these companies have a governed software solution for managing digital product information. This data can be published directly from the PIM system to various sales channels, such as online stores, marketplaces, point-of-sale systems or catalogues. Furthermore, product content can be distributed to internal systems like ERP, CRM or BI tools. Within the PIM, information can be optimised for sales, and relationships between products can be established.

Organisations that do not yet use Product Information Management software often find their data scattered across various databases and disparate systems. This leads to several issues:

• No single overview of the total product assortment.
• Product information is recorded differently in every system.
• Data is incomplete, outdated or incorrect.
• Content is not persuasive enough to drive purchases or is poorly structured for SEO.

In short, there is no single source of truth. This makes working with product information complicated, error-prone and, above all, incredibly time-consuming.

A PIM system creates order out of chaos, providing the foundation for content optimisation, searchability and sales performance. Many companies are already reaping the benefits of a PIM system, including:

PIM drives efficiency

• Product content only needs to be entered or imported once.
• Accessing information becomes effortless, as there is one central location for all data.
• Different departments can collaborate on content within a single system.
• These factors save time, reduce frustration and shorten the time-to-market for new products.

Confidence in your product information

• Data is stored in a uniform format.
• All information is managed according to a consistent product classification.
• A robust PIM system flags content that does not meet quality standards.
• Content is published from the central system to all channels, such as online stores and POS systems. This ensures the organisation can rely on consistent, high-quality content everywhere.

PIM software improves sales performance

• Tools to optimise content for better search engine visibility.
• Features to create persuasive content that encourages customers to buy.
• The ability to establish product relationships to increase average order value.
• Optimised content helps customers make the right choice, reducing returns and frustration.

How does the ConnectingTheDots PIM platform work?

As the number of suppliers and channels (online, social media, physical stores) grows and customers become more demanding, the importance of high-quality product content increases. In digital channels, accurate and engaging content is vital for being found via search engines and converting shoppers.

Curious about how ConnectingTheDots can help? Explore our Product Information Management page or book a meeting directly.

Tip: Beyond PIM, our More sales channels solution may also be of interest, as quality content is the prerequisite for successful e-commerce.

If you want to delve deeper into the world of PIM, read our other blogs: "Product content creation from a different perspective; what can you do with application information?" and "Product Information Management in retail and wholesale".

Ready to see the possibilities for your business? Contact us for a free consultation or request a demo.