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PIM For Distributors

Distributors are working to improve their online shopping experiences. However, like other B2B eCommerce businesses, they’re playing catch-up with B2C and D2C-focused businesses.

Product Information Management (PIM) for distribution closes the gap by creating real-time and long-term results, driving product sales, and keeping your partner network happy.

To be a successful, value-added distributor with global reach, having consistent, high-quality product data is the essential ingredient. Below, we’ll demonstrate the competitive benefits of Product Information Management (PIM) for distribution.

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Why is product data management so complex for distributors?

Because of the sheer volume of product data!

Distributors deal with hundreds – if not thousands – of suppliers. They handle potentially millions of SKUs, each with its own set of product attributes and digital assets.

So, let’s do the math. Per SKU, there will be up to 50 product attributes. As a minimum, there will be 10 digital assets. This quickly adds up.

Before you know it, distributors will be juggling millions of data points and digital assets. In addition, what makes this even trickier is suppliers will each have different ways of providing product data.

Distributor-Control-Product-Data
Distributor-standardize-product-data

Using PIM to Standardize Product Data

Distributors struggle creating amazing product experiences as the data from suppliers is very raw and basic. Sometimes, distributors will just receive unrefined specification sheets to work with.

PIM standardizes product data by centralizing product information into a single, consistent format.  A powerful PIM platform untangles the process of enriching products, without the fuss. With PIM, there will be no more scrappy product data!

Easily Store Imagery and Media with Digital Asset Management (DAM)

Pimberly includes a Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform. Store a product’s corresponding digital assets – images, videos, certification – alongside the right product. Pimberly’s DAM functionality means distributors don’t have to worry about finding assets in random locations across departments.

Here are just some of the documents that we typically store for distributor customers:

  • Huge volumes of images
  • Installation and service videos
  • Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
  • Hazardous and Chemical Data Sheets
  • 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) assets
  • Building Information Modelling (BIM) files
  • Manufacturing drawings
Digital Asset Management

Seamless Data Feed Management with PIM for Distributors

Value-added distributors are surrounded by an abundance of data points. With hundreds – or thousands – of product data feeds, they have no effective means of understanding changes happening in real time. This makes validating product information difficult.

Manage large numbers of internal and external data feeds with Pimberly’s intuitive workflows and turbo-charge your time-to-market. Product category managers won’t have to chase incorrect product data through the supply chain because of incorrect data.

Ultimately, PIM software gives total assurance of the quality of product data.

Balancing Offline and Online Strategies with PIM

Presenting product data in different formats – such as print catalogs – is a great way to further engage customers. Pimberly’s Catalog and Spec and Sell Sheets are an important part of creating an omnichannel strategy.

Pimberly’s user-friendly catalog functionality includes automatic pagination and a dynamic link to Adobe InDesign. This means you’ll quickly clone and repurpose your assets, speeding up their publication to multiple customers in different languages. In addition, your Pimberly’s Spec & Sell Sheets and Catalog will be branded, creating a seamless experience consistent with your image.

Pimberly Catalog
Distributor-data-compliance

Solid Data Governance with PIM for Distributors

Regarding data accuracy and compliance, distributors must sing from the same hymn sheet. With a PIM system, you’ll easily store the corresponding certification and easily expand to new markets.

In the supply chain, end-users across the globe expect:

  • Language: Product descriptions need to be accurately translated. Translations for multiple languages will be stored within the Pimberly platform.
  • Product safety standards: This includes requirements for testing, labelling, and warning labels that represent a hazard.
  • Customs and duty: It’s important to properly classify your products for customs purposes. Make sure you have the necessary documentation, such as a commercial invoice, to support the classification of your products.
  • Product codes: Used downstream to track, manage, and classify products.

Creating a single source of truth in your PIM ensures the accuracy of product information across all product categories.

Go Global with PIM for Distributors

When it comes to internal expansion, delivering product content in multiple formats to different locations is crucial.

PIM providers enable distributors to store all types of localized product data against your product listings. For instance, distributors will store, manage, and distribute sizing info, different currencies, localized product catalogs, and translated product descriptions for each of the countries you sell to.

Therefore, with Pimberly’s ability to store translated product descriptions, your product data will be multi-language in minutes. Fantástico!

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Distributor-Integration

Is PIM Integration Simple?

Short answer – yes!

At Pimberly, we take a gradual approach to implementation, differing from traditional ‘Big Bang’ approaches. With this method, the data migration process happens all at once after spending months preparing the data. In our experience, ‘Big Bang’ implementation makes mistakes difficult to spot. Instead, Pimberly’s layered approach is much smoother.

ERP systems make up the tissue that binds your processes. For distributors, these legacy systems may have been in place for years. PIM implementation for distribution is straightforward, giving you the power to connect to unlimited internal and external systems.

Frictionless integration combined with the best modern tech attracts the best talent. Consequently, by integrating powerful PIM tools, the only problem you’ll have is too many job applications.

PIM implementation isn’t just for B2C retailers. Now is the time for distributors to realize the benefits of a PIM solution. Ready? Let’s book your demo!

Creating a product in Pimberly Screenshot

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