Discover 10 Reasons Why Implementing a PIM System Is Essential

What is PIM?

PIM, or Product Information Management, is a system designed for centralizing and managing product information. In practice, it serves as a single, organized source of truth for your offerings-housing all product data such as descriptions, technical attributes, images, marketing materials, SEO data, and language versions.

Instead of scattered data across Excel sheets, supplier files, and manual CMS entries, a PIM system provides a unified environment where you can efficiently create, edit, and distribute product information across various sales channels, including online stores, marketplaces, B2B catalogs, and mobile applications.

Implementing a PIM not only accelerates product time-to-market but also significantly enhances data quality, minimizes errors, and automates numerous repetitive processes. It facilitates team collaboration, content version control, and precise communication tailored to specific markets or clients.

PIM systems are particularly beneficial for companies expanding into omnichannel sales, managing extensive product catalogs, or operating internationally. They are not merely tools for content departments but foundational infrastructure elements that impact operational efficiency, customer experience quality, and business scalability.

Summary: PIM is Not Just About Better Descriptions – It’s the Foundation of Scalable E-commerce

In the dynamic world of e-commerce, managing product information transcends filling out CMS fields. It’s a process that influences sales, SEO, team efficiency, user experience, and even B2B partner relationships.

Many managers postpone PIM implementation, viewing it as a future project – “for later, when we’re bigger.” However, the longer a company operates without a centralized product data management system, the greater the losses: in time, finances, and reputation.

At CREHLER, we’ve observed this turning point in numerous projects: companies that recently had 50 products and a single sales channel now struggle with chaos across 3,000 SKUs, five markets, three languages, and teams operating on memory.

If your team spends more time correcting descriptions than creating them, it’s time to consider that PIM is no longer optional – it’s essential.

1. Multiple Data Sources Without a Central Repository

Manufacturers send data in Excel, procurement creates their own files, content teams write descriptions in Word, and e-commerce inputs everything manually into the system. The result? The same product ends up with three different descriptions, none of which are timely or accurate.

A PIM system centralizes product data in one place. Each piece of information has its source, version, and owner, ensuring nothing is lost or accidentally overwritten.

2. Data Structure Hinders Omnichannel Expansion

Selling across multiple channels isn’t just about logistics; it requires adapting descriptions, data formats, images, and metadata to meet specific platform requirements.

Without a PIM, adding a new channel (e.g., Amazon, international marketplaces, B2B catalogs, mobile apps) means duplicating work. With a PIM, you can dynamically manage data structures – exporting only what’s needed in the appropriate format and language.

3. Lengthy Product Introduction Processes

From adding a new product to approving complete data can take days or even weeks. Each step relies on manual arrangements, checklists in spreadsheets, and emails asking, “Is this description ready?”

A PIM automates workflows: every team member knows their responsibilities, and the system prevents incomplete product pages from being published. Time-to-market is drastically reduced – often by several dozen percent.

4. Inconsistent and Error-Prone Data

Different technical values across channels, inconsistent naming, incorrect images, outdated promotional content – all contribute to chaos and real costs: returns, complaints, and loss of customer trust.

PIM systems enforce data quality rules: format validation, checklists, and automatic alerts. This ensures each product undergoes verification before going live.

5. Descriptions That Don’t Support SEO, Sales, or UX

Many sellers still treat descriptions as “something to paste” rather than strategic assets. However, descriptions are where customers seek answers and algorithms find context.

A PIM enables the creation of SEO-optimized descriptions, easy management of language versions, and content segmentation for different audience groups. You can handle various description lengths, meta tags, attributes, and headings in one place – without manual data rewriting.

6. Teams Wasting Time on Automatable Tasks

Constant copying and pasting of data, manual corrections, and cleaning up ERP exports—does this sound familiar?

Instead of growing, your team becomes a data center. A PIM automates imports, validation, attribute completion, and synchronization with other systems. People regain time, and you gain efficiency.

7. Lack of Control Over Customer-Facing Content

Uncertainty about which products are ready for publication, whether all have images, translations, and brand compliance – data quality isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s the foundation of your store’s trustworthiness.

A PIM allows you to define your own completeness criteria and statuses, and report deficiencies in real-time. This ensures every product page meets your standards before going live.

8. Overwhelmed by Scale

Managing 50 products is feasible; 500 becomes challenging; 5,000 without a PIM is impossible. Scaling your catalog without the right system poses operational risks that can hinder company growth.

A PIM lets you manage large product volumes with the same ease as smaller assortments-thanks to rules, bulk operations, and automatic data transformations.

9. Preparing Catalogs, Feeds, and Materials Becomes a Separate Project

Creating a PDF catalog, exporting to Google Shopping, or generating feeds for comparison sites—without a PIM, these are always “special projects” involving multiple people and weeks of work.

With a PIM, you generate materials automatically – in the right formats, with up-to-date data, and according to each partner’s or channel’s requirements.

10. Ambitions for International Expansion Without the Tools to Support It

Expanding abroad requires precision: local descriptions, units of measure, languages, legal versions, and certifications. Without a PIM, each translation becomes a separate, hard-to-control project.

A PIM creates a structure that handles different languages, locations, and legal requirements in a centralized and scalable way. You not only know what you have but also what you can showcase in each country.

PIM is Not Just About Better Descriptions – It’s the Foundation of Scalable E-commerce

If your company is growing and product management is becoming increasingly challenging, it’s a sign you’ve outgrown Excel.

Implementing a PIM is a strategic decision that affects:

• Speed of entering new markets
• Data quality
• Team efficiency
• Content control
• Communication consistency
• Sales effectiveness
  

At CREHLER, we assist companies in implementing PIM systems tailored to their business realities – with a focus on growth, not just “managing chaos.”

If you feel your product catalog is limiting you, have more markets than consistent data, or plan to expand without building everything from scratch – contact us. We’ll help you implement a product management system that works not only today but also three years from now.