PIM systems are becoming so advanced, too. One of the key
trends for the PIM development is an advanced channel management system so that the user is offered different content, depending on their device, time of day, search history, and geolocation, similar to YouTube's user functionality with personalized viewing recommendations.
Another example of how to work with channels should look like is demonstrated by air ticket aggregators. Some of them work in this way: when you search for tickets at night with Android, tickets are cheaper, and if you use the service with an iPhone and during the day, tickets will most likely be more expensive.
To choose the right PIM, follow the tips below, and be sure that your IT system will not be outdated in two or five years.
The first and important rule: all work with product content should be focused on the end customer. But, as we have already investigated, it is not enough just to store and organize information about the product. It is important to distribute this data to each correct channel. The system should provide the transformation of product content into the channel.
The second critical criterion is scalable data infrastructure. Flexibility is the main characteristic of any successful modern business. Therefore, a modern system must be flexible too and it should enable the company to develop and adapt to market requirements.
A good system should make it easier for businesses to enter the global market by supporting multiple languages, national customization forms, and personalization in local currencies, etc.
When it comes to product content, it is also important to take into account market trends. The product description and specifications are the basis. But there is also content that can help spice-up the customer experience: product videos, 360-degree viewing, and interactive product images, as well as recommendations, star-ratings, and user/buyer reviews. This is today's user-generated content, which can be used to enrich product data through channels.
And 2 more criteria that are indirectly related to channels, but I would recommend paying attention to them: simplicity of settings and a smooth workflow.
When the volume of data is large, every e-commerce technology should be intuitive and user-friendly. The easier it is to customize the system to the business needs, the higher its performance. Especially when a large number of people work with this data.
To work with multiple channels, it is important that all data is processed and updated quickly.
Here is our real case: a DIY retailer had 400 SKU's and 60 physical stores plus an online marketplace. The process of updating the data on stock balances and transferring this information to the online store took them more than a day. And this information needs to be updated every day.
Needless to say, such slow and non-integrated technologies are unacceptable in modern e-commerce?