What Is a PIM Tool?

PIM tools keep your product data centralized, so every team member has the information they need when they need it. Your marketing team can create more complete and accurate promotions that emphasize every benefit. Your sales team can answer prospects' questions with more confidence. And, your service teams can provide better assistance to existing customers to strengthen your relationships.

What Does PIM Stand For?

PIM stands for product information management. This is the process that allows you to manage all of the product information you need to market, sell, and service your goods. This information will include table stakes data, like the SKU, product name, and part numbers. It can also include product specs, dimensions, and other information.

A PIM centralizes all of your product data in a single software solution. That allows people throughout your organization to access the information they need. When your marketing department is creating, for instance, an ebook promoting a new product line, they can refer to product information stored in your PIM. A sales team member helping a customer choose between models can consult product information to help them narrow down their choice. Service pros can use product information to help current customers troubleshoot.

Who Uses PIM Software?

PIM software is a tool used by manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and any other type of company that needs to centralize the management of their product data across departments in the business. Instead of having information spread out in an unruly collection of fact sheets, brochures, manuals, and handbooks, a PIM keeps it all in one accessible place.

Getting more granular, the answer to "who uses PIM software?" has multiple answers. In some companies, a product information management team handles this data. When there's not a standalone team, the PIM solution is either owned by the marketing team or the product management team. Because they handle other digital assets, handing PIM management to them is a natural fit.

But, the data stored in a PIM can be used by multiple departments, which include sales, customer support, product management, and others. Your PIM solution is a tool for any team that needs access to up-to-date, accurate and detailed product information.

What Is a PIM Tool?

Imagine handling all the information about your products without a centralized solution. Before PIM tools, this could mean file folders stored on computers in different departments, file cabinets and binders full of product sheets, flyers, brochures, and manuals, and other hard-to-track assets. Finding the dimensions of last year's model could mean a lengthy search.

PIM software is a tool that allows you to centrally store and manage all types of product data. Whatever you need to know, you can find it with a few simple clicks. This product data can include basics like product descriptions, SKU, pricing, features, benefits, dimensions, functionality, and more. Product information management tools keep all this handy so anyone in the company who needs it can refer to it.

Product information management systems that have built-in Digital Asset Management functionality can also store related digital assets such as product photos, how-to videos, owner's manuals, spec sheets, and any other digital asset. Working on a promotion for a new product line? You can find the data for your assets in the PIM. Need to update last year's sales flyers? A PIM with DAM functionality allows you to update with just a few steps instead of remaking the asset. The product information management system keeps all of that handy, saving time and reducing aggravation.

There are many companies offering PIM software now. Look at offerings from a number of PIM software companies to see which best suits your organization's needs.

A PIM solution generally allows multiple users to log in and update product data in real time. This way, everyone can store product information and assets in a place it can be accessed as needed. Different team members typically have different levels of access depending on their needs. The PIM serves as a single source of truth for all product information.

What Is an Example of a PIM?

There are many PIM solutions available today, each with their own lists of features and benefits.

Top PIM choices include Akeneo PIM, Acquia PIM, Salsify PIM, Inriver PIM, Plytix PIM, and Lumavate. These all have the ability to centralize your product data. Many PIMs also offer additional functionality.

Lumavate has advantages that make it a preferred solution. These include its robust functionality as a PIM, Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution, and Digital Experience Platform (DXP). Your teams can get not just basic product information, but also supporting assets and documents, without having to hunt this information across multiple departments.

There is no one answer when it comes to the best PIM software. Look at the various PIM tools in market and compare their offerings to your specific needs.

Every company's product information management needs will depend on the internal organization, the marketing methods they use, and myriad other factors. Think not just about product data, but also the assets you use to market, sell, and service your products. When you consider all of these together, you can check out the top PIMs on the market and see which best suits your needs.