In this post, we’ll break down how a PIM solution helps retailers streamline operations, reduce errors and scale multichannel operations, without the chaos.
Multichannel selling has become the norm, not the exception.
Customers expect a seamless experience whether they’re shopping on your website, browsing on a marketplace like Amazon, or visiting a physical store. But with each new channel comes more complexity: more product descriptions, more pricing variations and more chances for errors to occur or something to go wrong.
That’s where PIM (Product Information Management) comes in.
Why Multichannel Selling can Create Operational Chaos
Selling across multiple platforms is great for revenue, but it can create a tangle of product information if retailers don’t have a system in place to aid them in managing their product data. Here’s what retailers often face:
- Inconsistent product descriptions across platforms
- Manual updates that take hours or days
- Mistakes in pricing, product descriptions or images
- Delayed product launches
- Missed sales due to incomplete or outdated listings
When product data lives across hundreds of different spreadsheets, outdated systems, or is scattered across departments, maintaining consistency becomes nearly impossible. That’s where a PIM solution changes the game.
What is a PIM Solution?
A Product Information Management (PIM) system is a centralised platform that stores, organises and distributes your product data to all of your sales channels; from ecommerce platforms, to marketplaces, to in-store systems. It’s the single source of truth for:
- Titles and descriptions
- Images and videos
- Pricing
- Technical specs
- And more
5 Ways Retailers use PIM Solutions to Simplify Multichannel Selling
1. Centralised Product Data = Faster, Smarter Updates
Instead of juggling five tools to update product information, a PIM solution allows you to manage everything from one simple system. Whether you’re launching a new product or updating pricing, a PIM pushes changes to all connected and relevant channels instantly.
2. Consistency Builds Customer Trust
Imagine a customer sees one product title on your site, another on Amazon and a third in store. This can be confusing – is it the same product or something different? This can also lead to damaged or reduced trust. A PIM ensures that your product data is consistent across all touch points, which means fewer customer complaints, fewer returns and a better brand experience.
3. Faster Time-to-Market Across Channels
Without a PIM solution, launching a new product on multiple channels can take days. With a PIM, your team can complete all product data updates in one go and publish instantly. This enables you to launch more products if you wish, accelerating your growth.
4. Channel-Specific Customisations, Without the Extra Work
A PIM enables you to tailor your product data to each channel’s requirements without duplicating efforts. You can create templates for each channel you send data to quickly and easily, while keeping your core product data intact and centralised.
5. Seamless Collaboration Across Teams
Your buying team, design team, IT team and logistics team (plus more!) can all collaborate within the PIM solution. With workflows, approvals and version control, your team will be aligned in a simple and easy-to-manage way.
What Happens if You Don’t Use a Product Information Management Solution?
Here’s what we at Retail247 see with retailers who don’t yet have a PIM:
- Weeks to launch a single product
- Products listed with incorrect data (whether that be images, descriptions or specifications)
- Lost sales due to incomplete product data
- Manual processes that eat up internal resource
- Miscommunication between different departments
Origin: the PIM Solution from Retail247
At Retail247, we offer a powerful PIM (+PLM) solution built specifically for retail and multichannel businesses. With features like:
- Price change management
- Mass update
- Product data collation
- Digital asset management
- Product data distribution
We can help you scale without sacrificing accuracy or speed. For example, leading bedding and homeware retailer, Piglet in Bed, has found that Origin reduces the time it takes to set up a product by 60%, and has therefore expanded its product catalogue.
Ready to simplify multichannel selling? If you’re spending too much time managing product data, or if inconsistent data is hurting your customer experience, it’s time to look for a PIM solution.
Book a free demo with our team to see how Origin from Retail247 can help simplify your multichannel operations and scale your business faster. Just email origin@retail247.com with your date/time preferences, and we will be in touch.
