If you’re in the eCommerce market and aiming to stay competitive, implementing a PIM solution can be a game-changer for you. Why? Customers are increasingly embracing the concept of ‘phygital.’ Many conduct online research before visiting physical stores, yet some still value the tactile experience these stores provide. In fact, research indicates that companies employing omnichannel customer engagement strategies retain up to 89% of their customers. To meet these diverse consumer behaviours, it’s crucial to maintain updated product data management across all touchpoints.
Moreover, companies that fail to meet the expectations of omnichannel shoppers often have poor-quality product information, primarily due to outdated data management practices. But how can you tell if your business is suffering? Look out for these signs and empower your business with the best PIM capabilities:
- You’ll find multiple versions of product data scattered all over the place in the business.
- You find yourself heavily relying on manually processing product data.
- You’ll notice inconsistent product and customer experiences across all channels, which can really take a toll on revenue, returns, conversion rates, and your brand’s reputation.
If you can resonate with any or all of these challenges, keep reading and discover how choosing the right PIM system can address them all effectively and in real-time.
1. PIM = High-quality Product Information
Imagine constantly tackling product data issues piecemeal and reactively! To address this, businesses like yours need a proactive measure that not only eliminates errors but also consolidates multiple versions into a centralised source of truth.
High-quality information serves as the backbone of every customer interaction from discovery to purchase. When data is accurate, complete, and relevant, customers are more likely to make purchases confidently and return for future transactions. Make sure that your product data has accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, uniqueness, validity and relevance.
2. PIM Simplifies Supplier’s Onboarding Process
Dealing with the supplier data manually can be overwhelming. In today’s interconnected marketplace, collaboration among suppliers, distributors, and retailers is crucial to streamline and simplify the onboarding process through technological advancements.
Both retailers and distributors require comprehensive product information from diverse sources. The objective is to consolidate these disparate file formats into a unified platform. A PIM system facilitates the streamlining of product data verification and standardisation processes. This ensures that external partners and retailers can efficiently comprehend and utilise the platform, fostering smoother operations and improved data accuracy across the board.
3. PIM for Seamless Omnichannel Experiences
The landscape of customer touchpoints has vastly expanded, with search engines, social media platforms, and major marketplaces like Amazon, Google, and Shopify playing pivotal roles in the initial stages of the customer journey. As the volume and diversity of product information continue to grow exponentially, the challenge lies in effectively managing enriched media across numerous sales channels.
Implementing a PIM automates crucial functions such as onboarding, enrichment, preparation, and distribution of high-quality product information across all channels. This strategic approach empowers marketing teams to concentrate on enhancing data value and planning campaigns strategically, rather than being reactive in their approach.
4. PIM Boosts Workflow Management
A sophisticated PIM system empowers users to craft customised templates tailored to specific requirements, eliminating the laborious task of manually adjusting each catalogue to suit a buyer’s preferences.
This platform seamlessly maps and channels existing data into targeted catalogues for specific buyers, automating the process of modifying individual elements or setting rules for automatic adjustments. From streamlining and expediting catalogue processing without the need for cumbersome manual intervention to ensuring uniformity in data management practices across various departments and throughout the organization, the benefits of integrating a PIM system are manifold.
5. PIM for DAM (Digital Asset Management)
Gone are the days of manually adjusting multiple product images for different channels. A configured PIM setup automates this process, ensuring that each product image is optimised and compliant with specific platform requirements. This automated approach extends to metadata generation, enhancing the discoverability and relevance of product information across various platforms, and ultimately improving searchability and user engagement.
Modern PIM systems integrate seamlessly with Digital Asset Management (DAM) capabilities, bridging the gap between product data and digital assets. This integration enables brands to deliver dynamic, personalised content across diverse channels precisely when and where it’s needed. By aligning DAM with PIM functions, businesses can effectively adapt to technological advancements and evolving market dynamics.
End Note
Companies striving to keep up often find themselves lagging due to manual processes and departmental silos. To thrive in this dynamic environment and deliver exceptional customer experiences over the long term, adopting advanced PIM software is indispensable for effective product data management.
This technology not only enhances sales performance and operational efficiency but also optimises cost-effectiveness across diverse sales channels.
