In today's digital world, effective management of product information is crucial for companies that want to succeed in digital commerce. Many companies use their ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system to manage, for example, inventory, finances and basic product data. But is that enough or do you need to supplement with a PIM? This article will highlight why you need a PIM (Product Information Management) and how it can complement your ERP solution.
PIM is the specialist in managing product data
What are the systems created to do? The basic task of an ERP system is to manage various business processes. A PIM, on the other hand, is focused on handling product data specifically. What distinguishes a PIM is that it can effectively organize, enrich and distribute product information. Your PIM ensures that the product data is correct, up-to-date and easily accessible to meet the various requirements found in e-commerce. We will return to these.
A PIM system is tailored to be able to deliver on the requirements in e-commerce. It enables an optimized product data for all your digital channels while you have the flexibility to manage categories, product lists, images, languages, as well as content that attracts customers effectively online.
Improved data quality and consistency
An ERP is often limited in terms of detail and structure for your product information. Your PIM, on the other hand, provides the opportunity to create a structured and enriched product data that can include several things such as images, detailed descriptions, and more.
This gives you a better quality of your data and a consistency that is essential for building trust with your potential and existing customers. Today, it is largely a requirement that you can offer correct and updated product information in real time.
Sales that span multiple channels
In e-commerce, people often talk about different channels, for example their web, marketplaces, social media channels and more. A PIM system helps in the process of creating and managing product lists in and through all channels. This means that you minimize the risk of errors and inconsistent information in product information.
Creates speed for you
Today, everything happens very quickly and time and being fast is often an important factor in e-commerce. An ERP may not offer the flexibility that may be required to update product information or to quickly and accurately introduce new products to the market. With the help of having your product information centrally collected in your PIM, you can quickly launch new products and act on market trends, etc. and be sure that the information is correct.
An improved customer experience
In order to deliver a competitive customer experience and a shopping experience that the customer demands, accurate product information, high-quality images and structured data are required. Your PIM system makes it possible to deliver this by ensuring that your product information is user-friendly and engaging.
The integration between PIM and the ERP system
PIM and ERP can and should work together. You don't have to choose one over the other but integrate them with each other and create a good flow of information. The integration enables you to take advantage of the strengths of both systems and ensures that product information is synchronized with your business processes.
Finally, although the ERP system is invaluable for managing different parts of your business, it often fails to deliver on the specific requirements required for good product information management of your digital commerce.
By implementing a PIM that can work together with your ERP, you can ensure that your product data is optimized for your online sales. The result is an improved quality of data, customer experiences and a competitive advantage in the market. So, the answer to the question "Is my ERP system sufficient?" is that it is a valuable part of your business, but that a PIM is an important complementary tool to ensure a successful and efficient online commerce.