How the Right PIM Optimizes Shopify Plus Variants

1. Centralized product information management

A PIM keeps all your product information in a centralized location, including the product variants for every item you sell. As a single source of truth, all your product information and variants can be changed, updated, and automatically pushed to Shopify Plus using your PIM. This ensures consistency and accuracy across all sales channels. In addition, your PIM organizes attributes like color, size, style, weight, material, finish, etc., enabling you to categorize your Shopify Plus variants easily.

As a result, customers can quickly make selections to customize their orders. Instead of manually categorizing variants, the PIM automatically populates Shopify variants based on the attributes you assigned in your product descriptions.

Your product information hub also helps reduce errors commonly caused when teams access the wrong product information version. Therefore, consistency is maintained throughout your products’ life cycle.

If you manage complex product data, you can also easily create and structure new data templates using each product’s attribute set. A PIM sorts through attribute sets, which are broken down into three logical options such as length, the number, and the unit of measurement used to provide that number, making managing complex product data easier.

2. Enhanced product data

Shopify customers are savvy shoppers and expect all the information they need to be consistent, accurate, and self-explanatory. Using your PIM/DAM combination, you can enrich your product variant information with the following:

• Additional attributes, such as launching new colors for your spring t-shirt collections
• Enriched product descriptions with high-quality images
• Instructional information such as video or 3D product renderings
• Additional marketing materials, such as spec sheets

Using enhanced data helps customers make informed decisions and increase sales. High-resolution digital images capture attention while establishing your brand as a higher-quality product. When the attributes of your products add value, customers feel confident in their online purchases. Using your PIM to add enhanced product data ensures your product attributes are standardized across all the platforms you use, creating a seamless customer experience. When customers easily access relevant information, you also reduce returns as you ensure you meet customer expectations.

3. Customizable product data modeling

Product data models empower customers to make intelligent buying decisions. A PIM provides customizable product data modeling by establishing relationships based on categories and attribute connections. As a result, you can customize your product data modeling to meet your specific needs.

Identifying what information you should capture and when during the product lifecycle is critical. You can increase sales by accurately categorizing data and ensuring it is prepared to meet the market’s needs. Also, using a PIM to create custom Shopify Plus variants unique to your business helps set you apart. As a result, you develop a customer base more likely to bring value through repeat purchases because they trust your brand.

You can then easily manage and update these variants in your PIM, whether it is with seasonal product launches, the introduction of new features or updates, or based on new insights regarding customer purchase habits.

4. Streamlined product variant creation

Creating and modifying product variants for large product catalogs is a beast. However, with your PIM, you can streamline the process. You don’t have to rely on manual processes using outdated, unmanageable spreadsheets, especially when dealing with complex product data with columns that go on for miles.

For example, if your product data is stored in different places such as a DAM, folders on product managers’ personal computers, and spreadsheets, creating or changing an attribute means your team needs to figure out where they need to either save new information or find existing information. If doing this for hundreds or even thousands of products, you waste time and money and slow your time to market, putting you at a disadvantage. However, a PIM provides that centralized location for all your product information and accompanying digital assets.

So, when you need to create or change Shopify Plus variants, it’s done in a searchable, organized hub where all your product information resides. Therefore, you streamline the process, saving time and freeing up resources. As a result, your team can focus on the higher-value tasks that contribute to the most important aspects of your business.

Although Shopify Plus variants are designed to improve customer experience, they can add more work for your team. A PIM enables you to optimize Shopify Plus variants AND reduce the effort required to get products to market.