This introduction to PIM explains the who, what, and why of product information management for the retail industry.

1. Product
Information
Management
An introduction to PIM

2. What is PIM?
PIM stands for Product Information Management. It refers to the process for
handling all the data, content, and other material that is needed to market and sell
products. PIM also ensures that quality data is created for internal use and
multichannel distribution.

3. What kind of product information needs to be managed?
There is a lot of data that supports a single product throughout its lifecycle. A good PIM process is able to deal with
incoming, out-going, and cross-department product information like:
Essential product data
Taxonomy & relationships
Technical Specifications
Digital assets
Marketing Data
Sales Information
Design Specifications
Channel-specific information
Localized information
Supplier & manufacturer data

4. Tools for PIM
Luckily, companies that are keen on digital transformation have it good because there
are many PIM software solutions out there. These are tools that enable companies to
consolidate and manage their entire product catalog in one place. These can be
hosted cloud solutions, bespoke, home-grown, or even deployed on-premise.
PIM tools go by many different names:
○ Product Information Manager (PIM)
○ Product Image Manager (PIM)
○ Product Content Manager (PCM)
○ Product Data Manager (PDM)
○ Product Resource Manager (PRM)
○ Item Master
Whatever it’s called, the goal is the same. These are tools that serve as a central
product database or library that helps standardize information for company wide use.

5. Digital Asset Management (DAM)
Content Management System (CMS)
There is some confusion with all of these acronyms. A DAM and a CMS are not
specified for the PIM job. Though they can be used in tandem with a PIM, they are
better suited to solve other problems related to digital content.
Close... but not quite
Compare PIM VS DAM

6. What can you do with a PIM
system?
○ Centralize and sanitize scattered data
○ Enrich product descriptions and specifications
○ Track progress and product completion
○ Link images, documents and media to products
○ Categorize products and files
○ Manage upstream data and prepare it for sales
channels
○ Manage relationships between products
○ Create and publish product catalogs
○ Format product data for multichannel
syndication
○ Automate catalog creation and maintenance
○ Find everything in one central database

7. What are the benefits of using a PIM?
A PIM system is great for companies that need to juggle a lot of product information and sell in multiple channels. The
benefits are profound, especially when it comes to productivity. A PIM allows teams to save time, improve data quality and
take control of their products.
○ Create rich, consistent content optimized for all
your sales channels
○ Sell more with better content and accessible data
○ Expand product offering in a sustainable way
○ Import and sort supplier data quickly
○ Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty
○ Reduce errors and redundancies by relying on
a single source of truth
○ Eliminate manual data input and updating
○ Get to market faster than your competitors
○ Reduce overhead and wasted resources
○ Eliminate bottlenecks & data silos

8. Who benefits?
Sales teams that need up-to-date,
accurate product data and material on
the go at all times.
Ecommerce managers that need to
constantly update content plus improve
user experience and conversion rates.
Customer support representatives
who can easily access information about
products to ensure accurate service.
Marketing teams that need to juggle
tons of content to create and modify
campaigns across channels.
Your customers. They'll be able to buy
with confidence knowing your brand
shows quality product information they
can rely on.

9. What types of companies should use
PIM software?
Companies of all sizes can benefit from using Product Information Management
software. However, it becomes an essential business tool when your company:
○ Manages complex product content and relationships
○ Has a high number of SKUs in its offering
○ Sells products through multiple channels
○ Collects data from multiple suppliers
○ Needs accurate product information available for multiple teams
○ Suffers from too many manual processes
○ Expands or transitions product offering multiple times a year

10. Learn More
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