Which PIM solution for mastering product information?
Looking for a PIM solution comparison ? Ideally, it should also integrate DAM functionalities?
Whatever your company or business, this selection of product data management solutions will enable you to make an informed choice and see the benefits of such a tool for your project.
Reminder: what are the differences between PIM, DAM and MDM?
- PIM stands for Product Information Management.
- DAM stands for Digital Asset Management.
- MDM, for Master Data Management, is the management of reference data, classifying and prioritizing them according to their degree of importance, for better exploitation.
3 good reasons to use a PIM solution combined with a DAM
Fluid management of product information, enriched and complemented by media, is very powerful. Here are three examples.
1. Create an exceptional customer experience (CX)
Many Internet users are disappointed after an online purchase because of the difference between the product they expected and the product they received.
22% of products returned by consumers are because they don't look like their photo on the site. 23% of returns are linked to the fact that the wrong product was sent.
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PIM makes it possible to eliminate this risk completely, not only by updating all media with up-to-date information on the latest changes (including photos, thanks to DAM), but also by offering new products more quickly, thanks to centralized management of product data.
Office DEPOT, for example, has reduced its time-to-market for new products by 60%, and considerably reduced inventory errors.
2. Perfect and standardize your omnichannel strategy
The context of a company selling or distributing goods is as follows:
- it has a wide range of products;
- product characteristics change frequently;
- the IT infrastructure is not uniform (resulting from a combination of solutions);
- it sells its goods both in stores and online.
This context makes it impossible to distribute its services and products uniformly across all channels (store, mobile application, marketplaces, e-commerce site, etc.).
PIM makes it possible to standardize information and redistribute it cleanly. The PIM-DAM thus becomes the information centralization point essential to an omnichannel strategy.
Indeed, a sale on a Magento site with an in-store pickup option, for example, must immediately be taken into account in the stock count of the store in question.
3. Enormous gains in information processing
A PIM solution combined with a DAM makes it possible to centralize 100% of product information.
As a result, fewer employees will be working on data processing, freeing up resources that can then be allocated to revenue-generating activities.
What's more, the people who work on the data have the tools at their disposal to drastically improve their productivity:
- automatic calculation rules on certain attributes to convert a value into another unit (e.g. 26 inches converted into 66 cm);
- batch modification of products by applying rules to change the terms "gray", "metallic", "silver" to "Space Grey", for example;
- execute data modification workflows, and fine-tune rights management right down to the product attribute to organize data processing accountability.
The DAM, for its part, enables digital assets to be secured, but also, and above all, to be searched, classified, annotated, and shared internally or with partners.
7 solutions combining PIM, DAM and more...
1. Afineo
Afineo, a PIM pioneer founded in 2004, is a French business-oriented PIM, DAM, MDM and Publishing solution. Its ergonomics, modularity and integrated functionalities make it an easy-to-use yet powerful tool. Deployment is fast and inexpensive.
Afineo's key features and functions :
- Multi-domain and multi-repository (product files from several brands and/or suppliers),
- Possibility of creating one or more DAMs to create digital asset typologies by entity or subsidiary, for example;
- Possibility of creating data on links between two entities, such as the purchase price or a supplier reference attached to a product;
- Import/export engine (named "AFS"). A kind of mini ETL that enables you to establish rules for easily manipulating, extracting and converting data (data and media) in many contexts: in the product file (calculated fields), at import (extraction, conversion), export (conversion, and adaptation to outgoing flow), product/media associations, etc. integrated into the solution and adapted to business users;
- Import/export engine for integrating import files, cleaned and formatted as required without technical expertise, or generating exports adapted to natively feed marketplaces, for example, directly in simple, ergonomic interfaces;
- Automate export flows to distribute data in place of connectors, reducing maintenance and integration costs with ERP or marketplaces. Export flows are also more universal (data can be sent to Amazon, Snap, Magento, etc.); and can be natively distributed in a wide variety of formats: Excel, Csv, Txt, Json, Xml ;
- Possibility of integrating rules into export processes to condition which files or assets will be distributed.
Afineo also offers additional options, such as a publishing module (railway brief) + BAT (including an online annotation and correction system).
Afineo PIM
2. ContentServ
ContentServ is a highly efficient Swiss solution, providing companies with end-to-end support for the management of their data, product information, media and multilingual content.
ContentServ's key features and functions:
- management of translations with a geographical dimension (examples: English USA, English UK, English Singapore),
- automatic data classification based on business rules,
- Context-sensitive MDM: multidimensional attributes for configurable products and complex pricing models,
- Marketing: content optimization for personas.
ContentServ is a PIM solution particularly suited to web companies wishing to make the most of their data to offer a unique customer/user experience.
Contentserv
3. MaPS System
MaPS System is a product designed in Luxembourg by some thirty people, used throughout Europe and recognized for its rigorous data management.
Key features and functions of MaPS Systems:
- customizable data repositories,
- data governance rules,
- contextualization of distributed digital resources by channel,
- solution available in modular form, enabling you to rationalize the cost of the solution and scale it appropriately according to changing needs,
- connectors for CMS, e-commerce and print solutions, and web-services for further development (PHP environment),
- modification of high-resolution files (e.g. Adobe InDesign) directly in the Print Publishing solution interface,
- control of digital assets.
MaPS System is a comprehensive, modular solution suitable for all types of business.
MaPS System
4. OneBase
OneBase is a tailor-made French solution. It adapts to your needs, and its pricing model is one of the simplest and most advantageous on the market: unlimited users, project-channels, languages, articles and media. The unique, 100% customizable framework can be adapted to all activities and trades: trade, construction, retail, logistics, training, e-commerce, etc.
The MDM tool is business-user oriented, and includes a high-performance, automatable PIM-DAM brick. It includes a supplier portal for data collection, and a point-of-sale portal for management and animation, to manage, simplify and unify the marketing of your agencies, sales reps and distributors.
Key features and functions of OneBase :
MDM: creation and management of product, supplier and point-of-sale network repositories.
Multi-project, multi-channel and multi-language PIM:
- data audit engine,
- multi-criteria searches,
- mass modification,
- cross tables - sub-section, customizable header,
- calculated fields,
- module for tracking specific translations,
- management of Fab-Dis, ETIM and custom files,
- management of translatable pictograms,
- integrated ETL for import and export,
- e-mail alerts, dashboard and indicators.
DAM :
- data audit/control engine: formats, weights, sizes, links,
- parameterization, management and automatic transformation of image variations,
- multi-file upload, download, update,
- customizable image watermarking,
- sharing, media distribution by file or url.
Publishing and automation :
- easycatalog file and OBDC export,
- brief, railroad, page mode preview, template integration, web-to-print, etc.
OneBase Solutions
5. Pimalion
Pimalion is a platform integrating PIM and DAM functionalities, as well as an ETL ( Extract Transform Load ) module for simple, mass import of information.
Designed for all types of company, this software manages all product data, even large volumes, from sourcing to publishing.
Key features and functions of Pimalion :
ETL :
- easy import of data into the PIM and DAM, or from the PIM and DAM, from any source and to any destination (your ERP, for example),
- different import modes possible :
- by API,
- by manual import (Excel, CSV, XML files, etc.),
- by scrapping, etc.
- mass conversion of imported data.
PIM :
- complete, centralized management of all product data sheets, recipe data sheets, technical data sheets, etc.
- manual or mass processing of information,
- management of languages and file versions according to the chosen distribution channel,
- different types of information fields available for maximum customization to suit your needs:
- autocomplete text fields,
- checkboxes with single or multiple choices,
- drop-down lists,
- tree structure, etc.
- powerful, multi-criteria search engine for easy retrieval of MIP information,
- version and publication history.
DAM :
- optimized searching, archiving and filing of all your media and assets,
- file indexing and tag management,
- presence of artificial intelligence to easily search for unidentified images,
- connection to Google Drive and Dropbox,
- automation and transformation of file formats according to the chosen publication channel,
- manual or mass media processing.
Finally, Pimalion integrates a publishing tool into its solution, enabling it to manage all sales action plans (promotions, production of print or online catalogs), both multi-channel and cross-channel.
6. Pimcore
Pimcore is a top-notch, 100% API-based German Open Source PIM that takes advantage of its engine while opening up infinite possibilities in terms of data exploitation.
Key features and functions of Pimcore :
- technologies: PHP/Symfony, MySQL, Elastic Search, Mongo DB and Varnish,
- PIM/MDM unifying marketing and technical information,
- multi-domain and multi-vector (compatible with all company sizes in all industries),
- support for all types of data: products, customers and vendors,
- data engine to create product data models in minutes,
- connection to any web service thanks to "Pimcore API" for data transfer internally (ERP, CRM, BI, ESB, etc.) or to third-party applications in real time,
- data import/export according to templates,
- high quality data processing (compatibility with all standards, data governance),
- editorial workflows and business processes.
Pimcore is used by 80,000 companies worldwide. Its universal, open-source profile makes it a benchmark PIM solution.
Pimcore
7. Quable
Quable is a highly ergonomic solution for distributing unified data to a website, paper catalog, mobile application, marketplaces and points of sale.
Key features and functions of Quable :
- unified PIM and DAM experience within a single platform,
- comprehensive dashboard for real-time data lifecycle monitoring (customizable indicators),
- advanced ergonomics (file updates, image editing, file completion rates, etc.),
- rules engine for product classification in a complete tree structure,
- mass product modification engine (add, remove, modify),
- management of cross-selling and up-selling sales logic,
- bulk media import/export,
- modification workflow, product validation (email notifications to alert relevant people),
- intuitive and easy content translation (translation context and validation workflow).
In addition to its ergonomics, Quable offers a very good search engine for rapid access to information. Quable is more business-oriented than e-commerce.
Quable PIM
The combined power of PIM and DAM
The PIM, coupled with a DAM, is a powerful solution for creating an exceptional multi-channel customer experience, reducing time-to-market and eliminating product data errors.
It's also a solution that enables all the parties involved in a product's lifecycle (designer, marketing, production, logistics, sales, etc.) to work together to collect, process and distribute product information ever more quickly and easily.
Today's PIM solutions are very mature, but not all of them natively include functions or a possible evolution towards DAM, publishing or MDM.
So it's essential to check the availability and cost of complementary PIM building blocks, to avoid the surprise of hidden costs after just a few weeks' use of the software.
Updated article, originally published in June 2018.
Article translated from French