From Complexity to Clarity: Why Product Data Quality Is Now a Strategic Advantage in IT Distribution

The complexity challenge in IT distribution

If you’ve worked in IT distribution, you’ll know that product data has always been a major challenge. You’re dealing with vast catalogs of products, each with multiple attributes, supplied by dozens of vendors.

And here’s the reality: those vendors — many of them global giants — operate on their own terms. They provide product data in the formats that suit them, not you.

That leaves distributors juggling multiple sources, inconsistent formats, and varying levels of quality. For years, the solution was brute force. Teams of people spent countless hours cleaning, reformatting, and enriching data just to make it usable.

This manual approach was considered an unavoidable cost of doing business. It was painful, but it worked — at least well enough to keep products moving.

But today, that’s no longer enough.

“Poor product data quality is no longer just an inefficiency — it’s a risk to revenue.

Why product data quality is now mission-critical

In the past, organizations understandably focused on where their data was stored and how secure it was. Both are still vital, but far less attention was given to what was inside that data.

That’s where legislation like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) has changed the game. Poor product data quality is no longer just an inefficiency — it’s a risk to revenue.

If your data doesn’t meet compliance standards, the products associated with it can’t be legally sold in certain markets. It’s as simple as that. Imagine holding stock you can’t move, not because of market demand, but because the data attached to it isn’t up to scratch.

The dramatic upside of getting it right

The good news is that when you improve product data quality, the rewards are just as dramatic as the risks.

I’ve seen distributors cut their time to market by 40–50% simply by investing in product data quality and automation. Evo Group, for example, reported a 40% improvement in how quickly they could launch new products.

And that’s not an upper limit. The improvements scale with how much you automate and how creative you are in managing your processes.

Another great example comes from Exertis. The business needed to produce a detailed report on PC hardware that was Copilot-enabled. The immediate reaction was that they’d have to scramble to contact hundreds of PC manufacturers to request information, but because Exertis had already invested in enriching and structuring its product data in Pimberly, they already had the information in the right place before the question was even asked.

That’s the real power of good product data practices. They don’t just help you comply with regulations like DPP — they make your business faster, more resilient, and better prepared for whatever the market throws at you.

Operational efficiency and cost savings

High-quality product data also improves day-to-day operations. Think about the time wasted on correcting errors, resending information, or fielding support calls because customers bought the wrong product. Every one of those inefficiencies costs money.

When product data is clean and structured, you eliminate a huge amount of manual rework. Teams spend less time firefighting and more time adding value — whether that’s improving product content, launching new categories, or supporting sales.

The savings compound over time. Less wasted resource, fewer returns, and faster product launches all contribute to stronger margins in a sector where every percentage point counts.

From burden to competitive advantage

In IT distribution, margins are notoriously thin. Everyone in the industry knows it. That’s why distributors are always looking for ways to add value and differentiate. Product data quality offers exactly that.

When you can provide enriched, structured, compliance-ready data, you reduce complexity for your partners. Retailers don’t have to waste time fixing errors, vendors see smoother launches, and end customers get the right product first time.

Managing product data well moves it from being a cost centre to being a strategic differentiator. In a margin-thin sector, that’s huge.

Beyond compliance: the customer experience

It’s worth pointing out that compliance and customer experience go hand in hand.

When you meet new standards like ESPR, you’re not just avoiding penalties — you’re improving the entire buying journey. Products are described more clearly, listed faster, and bundled more accurately. Customers get what they expect, and they get it sooner.

That translates into fewer returns, more trust in your brand, and stronger relationships with both vendors and retailers. It all begins with getting the product data right.

Three priorities for IT distributors

If you’re an IT distributor, here’s where I’d focus right now:

1. Invest in systems and processes. Product Information Management (PIM) platforms are vital to centralize, enrich, and automate your product data. Without them, you’ll struggle to meet future demands.
2. Educate your supply chain. Vendors need to know that poor-quality data is no longer acceptable. Set expectations early and help them adapt, so the burden isn’t always on your side.
3. Scrutinize your suppliers. If a product’s data is incomplete or inconsistent, ask whether it’s worth stocking. If it can’t meet compliance, it may not be sellable.

From complexity to clarity

For years, IT distribution has lived with the complexity of product data. But clarity is what drives success today. High-quality product data ensures compliance, accelerates time to market, reduces errors, and creates real competitive advantage.

This is the foundation IT distributors need to lay now. Because as we’ll see in my next post, Digital Product Passports are coming — and they’ll make product data quality not just a competitive edge, but a compliance necessity.