The most important aspect of product information management (PIM)

Imagine you run an online shop where each department has its own version of product information. The marketing department has one table with descriptions, the e-commerce manager has another with prices, and the customer service department has its own notes on the specifications. Chaos? You bet. In the world of e-commerce, such information chaos is a recipe for problems – from ordering errors to loss of customer trust. This is where product information management via a PIM system for e-commerce comes in, based on a single source of truth for products.

A PIM system for e-commerce acts as a central library for managing product information. Prices, descriptions, photos, stock levels – everything is collected in one place and managed from one panel. Why is this so important? Because it guarantees us one source of truth about products. Instead of getting lost in conflicting spreadsheets and file versions, we can be sure that everyone – from marketing to warehouse – is using the same, up-to-date information.

In this article, we will show you why the concept of a single source of truth for products is crucial for data consistency, operational efficiency and a better customer experience in e-commerce.

The problem of information chaos – when a lack of data centralization hurts

If you have ever managed hundreds of products without a PIM system for e-commerce, you know what a lack of centralization of product data looks like. Excel files multiply like rabbits, each with a slightly different version of the truth. One product description differs between the website and the marketplace, and updating the price in five places at the same time is almost impossible. The lack of centralization of product data creates real challenges for e-commerce companies:

• Inconsistent information: The customer sees a different description on the website than the one they got in the newsletter. As a result, they are confused – are they sure it is the same product? The lack of a single source of truth about products leads to communication errors and loss of trust.
  
• Mistakes and errors: When data circulates in multiple versions, it is easy to make mistakes. All it takes is for the sales department not to receive information about a new specification in time, and suddenly they are selling something that is not available or has different characteristics than advertised. Typical errors in product data result precisely from the lack of a central PIM system.
  
• Lost time: How many hours do your employees waste sifting through emails and spreadsheets to find the latest product information? This is time that could be spent on developing the range, not detective work. A PIM system for e-commerce eliminates this waste through centralized access to data.
  

Without a single source of truth, a company is operating in the dark. Everyone is pulling in their own direction with their own data, which is like trying to conduct an orchestra in which the musicians are playing different notes. The result? Cacophony instead of harmony. Therefore, centralizing product data by implementing PIM is not a luxury, but a necessity. In e-commerce, such a cacophony of data can have real costs: from customer dissatisfaction to delays in product launches to overstocking or stock-outs caused by errors in product data. An e-commerce manager without a PIM system often feels like a firefighter running around with a bucket, putting out fires here and there instead of calmly planning a strategy. This is the result of working without a single source of product truth. It's time to change that – but first, let's understand what this concept is all about.

What is “single source of truth”? – The basis of PIM

Single source of truth for products is a philosophy of managing product information, according to which all data is collected in one central and trusted repository – a PIM system for e-commerce. In practice, this means that regardless of who uses the data and where they use it – whether it is the e-commerce team, sellers on marketplace platforms, or customer service – everyone accesses one central repository of product data, which ensures complete consistency of information. In the context of PIM, a single source of truth for products is the PIM system for e-commerce, which becomes the central hub for all product data in the company.

Imagine the PIM system as a central information hub for e-commerce: on the one hand, it collects data from various departments (purchasing provides specifications from suppliers, marketing adds descriptions and materials, the pricing department updates prices), on the other hand, it distributes them to all sales channels (online store, mobile application, platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Allegro, PDF catalogs, etc.). This means that if you change a product description or add a new attribute in the PIM system, for example, the change is automatically propagated wherever the product is displayed – that is the power of one source of product truth.

What are the benefits of this centralized approach? First of all, it puts an end to discrepancies. A single source of truth about products, provided by the PIM system, eliminates data duplicates and inconsistencies in scattered silos. All teams work with the same verified information. Department A no longer has different data to department B; everyone sings from the same hymn sheet, i.e. they use a central product data repository. As a result, the risk of errors caused by working with outdated spreadsheets or different file versions is reduced. PIM systems for e-commerce are the single source of truth for products and become the basis for trusting data – if the information is in the PIM, you can rely on it. This transparency in product information management is the basis for further benefits – from consistency of product data and operational efficiency to customer satisfaction and higher conversion rates.

Data consistency and accuracy – why they are the basis of e-commerce

In e-commerce, consistency of product data and its accuracy are the foundation of trust. Just think about it – if you see shoe size 42 on the product page and 41 in the order confirmation email, you will immediately have doubts. Inconsistent data undermines the credibility of the shop and results in the shopping cart being abandoned. Accuracy of product data is equally important - incorrect size, weight or material composition can ruin the customer's shopping experience and expose the shop to costly returns.

Thanks to the use of a PIM system for e-commerce and the philosophy of one source of product truth, these problems disappear. How? Centralization of information means that the data published is identical across all sales channels. When the product description is edited in the PIM system, the change is automatically updated across all sales channels – website, marketplaces, mobile applications, and PDF catalogs. In practice, this means that customers see the same, consistent product data regardless of where they come into contact with the offer, e.g. on Facebook, the shop's website or a price comparison website. This builds trust and a professional brand image. What's more, a PIM system for e-commerce enforces certain standards, e.g. it does not allow the publication of a product without key data such as description, price or availability, which eliminates information gaps.

Inconsistency of product data is also a real internal risk. Imagine that the purchasing department plans an order based on an outdated price list - the consequences can be costly. One source of truth about products, provided by PIM, eliminates such errors. Every department has access to up-to-date data in real time - there are no “different versions of the truth”, there is one consistent database. Consistency of product data also means faster and more accurate business decisions - when you can be sure that reports are based on up-to-date and correct data, you can confidently develop sales strategies.

Tip: Make sure that the formats and naming conventions in the PIM system are standardized. If one product has “cm” in the description and another has “centimeters,” standardize it. The PIM system allows you to create dictionaries and rules that ensure complete data consistency in terms of colors, dimensions, units of measurement, etc. These are small details that make a huge difference – the entire offer looks professional and consistent. The customer may not consciously notice this, but subconsciously they will feel the order and reliability, which will increase their trust in your shop.

Operational efficiency – save time and money with one source

Operational efficiency in e-commerce is often a matter of survival in a competitive industry. Think about the hours spent manually entering product data into different systems – shop panel, marketplaces, PDF catalogues... It's a never-ending task that can be avoided by automating product data in a PIM system for e-commerce. Without a PIM system, adding a new product takes forever because every piece of information has to be entered manually. One source of truth for products simplifies everything: you enter the data into the PIM once and the system distributes it automatically to all sales channels.

A specific example: you have 1,000 products and you sell them on your website and three marketplaces. Without PIM, updating the price or photos is a four-fold job. With the PIM system for e-commerce, one change is enough. With PIM, one change is enough and the system updates everything. The savings in time and operating costs are enormous. It is estimated that manually entering one product can take 15-30 minutes. If it has to be repeated many times, hours of valuable work are lost. A PIM system for e-commerce frees you from the tedious task of manually retyping data. Automating product data – e.g. importing from the supplier and exporting to the shop – allows the team to focus on real business development: sales analysis, campaigns, and optimizing the offer.

Operational efficiency also means reducing the number of errors. A typo in the product code or an incorrect price can lead to complaints, losses, and customer frustration. When all data comes from one source of truth about products, the risk of mistakes decreases dramatically. There is no need for multiple rewriting – data is uniform, up-to-date and trusted. The result? Lower operating costs: less time for corrections, fewer returns due to incorrect descriptions, fewer stressful rescue operations. What's more, thanks to the PIM system, the quick introduction of new products shortens the time-to-market. A new collection can be distributed across all channels in a matter of hours - and that means faster revenue.

Tip: Tip: Integrate the PIM system for e-commerce with other key tools - ERP, marketplaces, shop. The more integrations, the more automation of product data and less manual work. Define clear processes: who approves the data in PIM, how often to update data from suppliers. This way, your company runs like a well-oiled machine and you can invest time and budget in growth, not in putting out operational fires.

Better customer experience – product data that sells

High-quality product data is one of the key factors influencing the customer experience in e-commerce. Since the customer cannot touch or test the product, they rely entirely on the information you provide – and that is why it must be consistent and reliable. If the data is rich, accurate and consistent, customer comfort and trust increase. A single source of truth about products, provided by a PIM system for e-commerce, guarantees that the customer always sees a reliable, uniform image of the offer - and this has a real impact on sales results:

• Higher conversion: When customers have all the information they need – from a detailed description to technical data and photos – they can make purchasing decisions more easily. Consistent product data across all channels is the key to reducing purchasing barriers. Customers feel like they know what they are buying, so they are more likely to click “Add to basket”. One source of truth about products eliminates conflicting information – regardless of the channel, the customer sees the same message. This increases conversion and reduces the risk of shopping cart abandonment.
• Fewer returns: The most common reason for returns is “the product differs from the description”. A misleading or incomplete description means a loss of trust and costs. Thanks to accurate and consistent product data in the PIM system, the customer gets what they ordered. Thanks to PIM, this risk decreases. The data is standardized and up-to-date, so the customer gets exactly what they saw in the offer. As many as 34% of buyers indicate an incorrect or imprecise description as the reason for returning an item – the PIM system eliminates this barrier. If you ensure reliable, high-quality product data in PIM, you can reduce the number of returns by up to a third – that's a concrete saving and improvement in profitability.
  
• More loyalty and trust: Customers who have bought a product as described have a positive experience and will come back. A PIM system that provides consistent product data has a direct impact on the perception of the shop as professional and trustworthy. Consistency of product data builds credibility – you become a reliable source of product knowledge for customers, which translates into opinions, reviews and recommendations. In practice – fewer doubts, fewer negative opinions (“the description did not correspond to reality”), more positive reviews and recommendations.
  

Let's not forget about omnichannel – today's customers switch between devices: smartphone, laptop, app. If they see consistent product data on each channel (thanks to one source of truth about products in PIM), their shopping journey is smooth and pleasant – and this leads to higher conversion. However, if there is an inconsistency, e.g. a different product color on the website and in the app, it creates friction, which often results in the shopping cart being abandoned. A PIM system for e-commerce ensures that there is no friction – consistency is the key to loyalty and sales.

Tip: Regularly audit the quality of information in the PIM system – most PIM tools allow you to assess the completeness of product data (e.g. the percentage of completed attributes). Use these functions to ensure that each product has 100% of the required information and meets the quality standards of your e-commerce. Analyze customer questions – if they often miss something, complete the description in PIM. This will improve the customer experience in e-commerce and reduce the workload of the service department. Remember: a good product description sells, and a description supported by consistent PIM data sells twice as much.

Managing product information using a PIM system and a single source of truth for products brings tangible benefits to every stage of e-commerce operations.

Consistency and accuracy of product data means no more discrepancies, errors or complaints from customers who receive something different to what they ordered. Your offer looks professional and customers trust the information presented.

Operational efficiency in e-commerce – the team saves time, there are fewer errors, new products are launched faster, and costs are under control.

Better customer experience in e-commerce – fewer returns, more positive reviews and loyal customers. The customer gets exactly what they saw – this is the result of consistent data from the PIM system.

“One source of truth about products” is not just about technology - it is a cultural change in product information management. The idea is that every department - marketing, logistics, sales - should rely on the same, up-to-date data. In practice, PIM is a tool that makes this philosophy possible. Implementing PIM requires work, but you gain order in data, automation and better sales results.

Can you afford to continue operating in information chaos? Probably not, because the competition is not sleeping and is increasingly turning to modern solutions. The PIM system as a single source of truth about products is your foundation for growth - it organizes data today and builds a strong position for the future. Instead of correcting errors, you and your team can finally do what is most important – develop e-commerce and scale sales. In short, organized data means organized e-commerce, ready to win the hearts of customers. Now that you know the way from chaos to a single source of truth, it's time to take the first step.