Insight

How can a PIM solution work alongside your ERP? In the current retail and distribution landscape, there are more and more companies fighting fiercely for a share of an increasingly competitive eCommerce market. They will probably be employing an Enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite to manage the complexities of their operations. But are they using… Read More »PIM vs ERP

PIM vs MDM is a frequent dilemma for data officers in terms of their respective uses and applications for organisations. Let’s look at their features and differences between the two to help you make a more informed choice. PIM (Product Information Management) is an area of activity covering the entirety of processes, governance & solutions… Read More »PIM vs MDM: what’s the difference?

Estimating the pricing of a PIM solution falls into the ‘how long is a piece of string?’ question category. Perhaps an exaggeration, but there are a number of variables which heavily influence what your company will pay for a PIM solution. The benefits of a PIM solution are tied to the extent to which it… Read More »How much does a PIM Cost?

What is PIM Software? PIM software consists of a set of tools and processes which manages an e-commerce business’s product information centrally. Its purpose is to guarantee a comprehensive, accurate and single view of product data. A PIM software system uses its centralised platform to manage and organise all product data efficiently. Of particular importance… Read More »Questions to ask when considering a PIM software solution

The current revolution in purchasing habits is being driven by digitisation, which is not only expanding its power in retail markets but also shifting the operating paradigm for FMCG manufacturers. Product data management is becoming key to their success as expectations regarding new product launches, extension of product ranges and time to market are becoming… Read More »Why FMCG Manufacturers should invest in product data management

Focusing on the importance of product information management usually emphasises its importance for marketing – providing high-quality, customer-facing and rich product data for customers and end users, we’re talking about the wide range of information generated about their products. The following list illustrates as such: This list is far from exhaustive, but it indicates the… Read More »Manufacturers: adopting product information management to support digitisation

Figures from numerous sources indicate that over 30% of British consumers are shopping more online now than during the recent lockdown. The message for retail couldn’t be clearer – digital retail is here to stay and being (or becoming) a truly data driven organisation is what will mark the difference during a significant period of… Read More »Manufacturing: the operational environment

The rapid speed of innovation in technological development has been driving exponential growth of a new kind of manufacturing. Industry 4.0. has enabled greater automation of tasks and processes as well as interconnectivity between people, machines and products. Many manufacturers have only just started out on their journey towards use of these ‘smart’ technologies. For… Read More »Why industrial manufacturers should invest in product data management

In recent posts we explored the importance of fast and efficient product data acquisition processes, and how getting them right helps your business improve time to market and customer experience. There has never been a greater imperative to make sure your online product content stands out from the crowd. It needs to be compelling, comprehensive… Read More »Emerging themes in product data acquisition and onboarding

In previous articles, we’ve already seen the importance of maintaining high standards when onboarding product data for internal treatment and enhancement or when pushing product data out to channels where the end user ultimately decides if it is suitable or not for making a purchasing decision. There are many capabilities and functionalities required by a… Read More »What capabilities are needed by retailers and distributors in the product data acquisition and syndication space?

When it comes to product data, legacy processes usually involve the cumbersome and time-consuming processing of data of various formats in order to onboard incoming information from suppliers, vendors and sellers. Until recently, there have been very few efforts to create a solution guaranteeing universally managed connectivity and content. Compliance with requirements for all resellers,… Read More »The Product Data Value Chain: What is product data acquisition and syndication?

Figures from numerous sources indicate that over 30% of British consumers are shopping more online now than during the recent lockdown. The message for retail couldn’t be clearer – digital retail is here to stay and being (or becoming) a truly data driven organisation is what will mark the difference during a significant period of… Read More »Retailers can enable digital transformation through a data-driven culture

A quick look at the news headlines tells us that retail is facing perhaps its greatest challenge ever. Rapid changes in consumer behaviour has been overlaid with the drastic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on physical retailing. Additionally, there’s been a widespread adoption by previous non-users to online shopping and this has led to retailers… Read More »How enhancements in product data technologies can drive cost savings and efficiencies for retailers

Exploding Information We have seen an information explosion in retailing over the last twenty years. Customers can now search for, select, and buy products via a range of user-friendly and intuitive online interfaces. Moreover, they expect faster, pain-free product experiences, where everything is easy, quick and convenient. That has meant significant changes in the ways… Read More »From considered to conscientious consumers – the role product data plays

Covid-19 has triggered an upheaval in the retail industry, causing many retailers to urgently ramp up their online offering. eCommerce is already well- established in mature economies worldwide, so any digital strategies which are behind the curve are very quickly having to address weaknesses. Regardless of the changes wrought by the pandemic, there will be… Read More »Future trends in retail and how a product data strategy can help retailers adapt

If you’re looking to digitally transform your distribution business, you need a technology-enabled approach where all departments work hand in hand to guarantee the best possible quality for your product data. That is, its uniformity, accuracy, reliability and, above all, governance. In a nutshell, you’re aiming for smooth ingestion of product data, adding value to… Read More »Product data management technology for industrial distributors to scale and improve customer experience

Scalability is becoming a key component of any industrial distributor’s growth strategy. It opens opportunities for maximising revenue from product range extension and diversification. It also significantly improves competitive advantage by reducing Time to market considerably for new products or variants. If distributors are to compete in an increasingly fragmented and consolidated market, they need… Read More »Scale and improve product data management processes in industrial distributors

If you’re in the industrial distribution game, your competitive advantage stands or falls on three attributes: These aspirations are inextricably linked to the way you govern your data. Bad (or no) governance There is a surprisingly large number of distributors whose sins include: This confusion is leaving many organisations like rabbits caught in the headlights… Read More »How a product data governance strategy can drive value for industrial distributors

We’re living through challenging times. Industrial distribution businesses, small and large alike, are having to adapt their strategies to deal with seismic changes in market conditions and the logistics of getting products to customers. These changes are layered on top of a drive towards digitisation which had already been gathering momentum in the distribution sector.… Read More »Why industrial distributors should invest to scale and optimise their product data strategy