What is a PIM software and why is it important?

The PIM (acronym of Product Information Management) is a software able to group and organize product information, to define the levels of management, distributing them efficiently through all distribution channels.

The information can be divided into three categories:

1. Emotional information.
2. Usage information.
3. Technical information.

Let’s take the example of a LEGO set. Inside the package you will find the list of components together with the assembly instructions.
Children through LEGO sets containing hundreds of different parts, can become extremely creative, but without instructions they would hardly be able to achieve the right result. This is the case with usage information.  In the same way parents can choose the right set according to the difficulty and the type of components needed for the construction, thanks to technical information highlighted on the box.

LEGO highlights information about proper use of each component, instructing its customers on how to properly assemble the pieces.
 

Ensuring the sharing of product data is the main function of the PIM.

Referring to product data, it is imperative that information is not blocked within individual departments. In fact, the lack of data sharing leads to repetitions of information within the same company and inconsistencies in communication with stakeholders.
This is avoidable if you collect all the information in one place to ensure that all operators always access all the information and the accuracy of shared data.

" Having a product data feed that we can trust – that’s the most important thing. It means that we can be confident that whoever accesses our products is getting the best, and most relevant, information…" - John Ashton, Digital Marketing Executive, Notonthehighstreet.com

What are the other benefits of using a PIM?

 

PIM ensures full control of data management, because it collects all the product information in one place, always accessible, so that sharing information becomes extremely easy and allowing companies to maintain communication coherent with the brand image.

Greater control results in better data quality available to users.

For companies, it means they will be able:

• To plan their strategies in a simpler and more correct way.
• To ensure the reliability of the information provided to customers, effectively improving their shopping experience, reducing effectively the possibility of receiving complaints.
• To ease the activation and management of multi-channel strategies.

From: https://factory.dev/blog/product-information-management-guide