Must-Know PIM Trends (2024) for Modern Retailers!

1. Headless PIM

60% of retailers believe headless PIM offers more flexibility and scalability.

Headless Product Information Management (PIM) is a modern approach where the front-end presentation layer is separated from the back-end data management system. This decoupling allows for greater flexibility in how product data is presented across different channels and platforms.

Through the use of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), a headless PIM system delivers product data to any front-end application or platform. This setup means that changes can be made to the presentation layer without affecting the back-end data management, allowing for seamless integration and updates.

Headless PIM offers significant advantages in flexibility and scalability. Retailers can innovate more easily, adapting their digital interfaces and customer experiences to meet changing demands and technologies. This approach ensures a consistent and high-quality experience across various touchpoints, from online stores to mobile apps, improving overall operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

2. BOPIS Experience

BOPIS has seen a staggering 500% growth in the last few years.
This trend merges the ease of online shopping with the immediate gratification of in-store pickup, offering a compelling solution for modern consumers seeking both convenience and speed.

Product Information Management (PIM) systems are crucial in supporting BOPIS strategies. These systems manage and synchronise product availability and location details across various sales channels, ensuring that customers receive accurate information about in-store stock levels and pickup options. By integrating real-time data from both online and physical stores, PIM solutions help retailers streamline the BOPIS process.

Implementing an effective BOPIS strategy not only enhances customer convenience but also drives increased foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. This in-store visit often leads to additional purchases, boosting overall sales. As BOPIS continues to grow, leveraging robust PIM systems will be essential for retailers to meet consumer expectations and capitalise on this trend.

3. 24/7 Access, Self-service, and Syndication

With 67% of customers favouring self-service options over interacting with company representatives, providing constant access to product information and self-service capabilities has become increasingly important.

Product Information Management (PIM) systems play a pivotal role in meeting this demand. By integrating self-service portals, PIM systems allow customers and partners to access product details, updates, and support 24/7. This functionality is complemented by real-time data syndication, which ensures that product information is consistently available across various platforms and partners.

The ability to offer round-the-clock access and self-service enhances customer satisfaction by providing instant answers to queries and facilitating smoother interactions. For businesses, this approach not only improves operational efficiency by reducing the workload on customer support teams but also helps maintain up-to-date and accurate product information across all touchpoints.

As the preference for self-service continues to grow, leveraging advanced PIM solutions will be crucial for delivering exceptional customer experiences and optimising operational workflows.

4. Channel-based Price Management with PIM

With 63% of shoppers starting their product searches online, channel-based price management has become a critical strategy for retailers. This trend involves adjusting and optimising product prices based on the specific sales channel, whether it's an online store, physical retail outlet, or third-party marketplace.

PIM systems are instrumental in this process, leveraging advanced analytics to evaluate market data and competitor pricing. By continuously monitoring and analysing these variables, PIM solutions can recommend optimal pricing strategies for each channel, ensuring that prices remain competitive and aligned with market conditions.

Effective channel-based pricing not only enhances a retailer's competitiveness but also maximises profit margins across various platforms. By tailoring prices to the unique dynamics of each sales channel, businesses can attract a broader customer base and optimise revenue streams, responding dynamically to shifts in consumer behaviour and competitive pressures. This approach ensures that pricing strategies are both flexible and data-driven, contributing to a more strategic and profitable pricing model.

5. Product Experience Management

73% of buyers consider the experience a key factor in their purchasing decisions, ranking it just behind price and quality.

What: 

Product Experience Management (PXM) is about optimising the entire product experience to meet and exceed customer expectations. It involves managing product content, digital assets, and customer feedback to create a seamless and engaging experience.

How:

• PIM Systems Integration: PIM systems play a crucial role in PXM by centralising and managing product information and digital assets. They ensure that product descriptions, images, and specifications are accurate and consistent across all platforms.
• Customer Feedback: By integrating feedback mechanisms into PIM systems, businesses can gather insights on customer preferences and pain points. This data helps refine product content and enhance the overall experience.

Why:

• Customer Satisfaction: A well-managed product experience ensures that customers have access to accurate and engaging information, leading to higher satisfaction and reduced friction in the purchasing process.
• Brand Loyalty: Consistent and positive product experiences build trust and encourage repeat business, fostering brand loyalty.

6. Product Data Analytics & Visualisation in PIM

Businesses using data visualisation tools are 28% more likely to find timely information than those who rely solely on managed reporting and dashboards.

Why does this matter? 

Retailers manage vast amounts of product data, from sales performance to customer behaviour. Without proper analysis, this data can overwhelm rather than inform. Advanced analytics and visualisation tools transform raw data into actionable insights, enabling businesses to quickly spot trends, optimise product offerings, and respond to market changes. 

Accurate data-driven decisions not only reduce risks but also help in capitalising on emerging opportunities.

How this trend actually works?

PIM systems integrate with Business Intelligence (BI) tools to collect and analyse product-related data, including customer preferences, sales trends, and market dynamics. These insights are then presented through visual dashboards, making complex data easy to understand and act upon. For example, a retailer can visualise sales trends across different regions and adjust inventory or marketing strategies accordingly.

7. Multichannel Integration in PIM 

90% of customers expect a consistent experience across all channels. Considering this, for modern retailers, ensuring that product information is uniform and accurate across online stores, physical shops, and social media platforms is crucial for building trust and enhancing the shopping experience.

If product information varies between these channels, it can lead to confusion and a loss of trust, negatively impacting sales. Consistency across channels not only improves customer satisfaction but also boosts conversion rates, as shoppers are more likely to complete a purchase when confident in the information provided.

A PIM centralises all product data—descriptions, images, pricing—and ensures updates are automatically reflected across all channels. Integration is facilitated through APIs and middleware solutions, allowing seamless communication between the PIM system and various sales platforms.

Use Case in Retail:

Take a B2B retailer, for example, that operates through a combination of online storefronts, marketplaces, and direct sales teams. For such a retailer, multichannel integration ensures that a product’s technical specifications are consistent across the online store and in the catalogues used by the sales team.

If a product detail changes, such as compliance with a new regulation, the update is reflected instantly across all channels, preventing any misinformation that could disrupt sales or damage the brand’s reputation.

8. AI-powered PIM

According to a survey by Capgemini, respondent retailers noted an 11% rise in customer visits to stores implementing automation technology.

AI-driven PIM software centralises and enhances product data, ensuring it is accurate and ready for distribution across multiple channels. Tasks like data entry, categorisation, and content generation, which traditionally required significant manual effort, are now automated. AI not only accelerates these processes but also improves data quality, leading to more consistent and accurate product information.

By 2025, the global machine learning market in the retail sector is expected to reach more than $8 billion.

Furthermore, AI analyses customer behaviour across different touchpoints, offering insights into how product information is accessed and used. This allows retailers to optimise product details for specific channels and audiences, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.

As AI technology becomes more affordable and accessible, it enables retailers to make data-driven decisions more efficiently. The integration of AI in PIM is not just a trend but a strategic necessity for modern retailers looking to stay competitive in a data-driven market.

9. Emotional Intelligence in PIM: Tapping Into Customer Sentiments for Personalised Experience

Statistically, 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for an excellent customer experience, and 49% are likely to make impulse purchases after receiving a personalised approach.

Retailers who harness emotional intelligence in their PIM systems can create more personalised and engaging customer experiences. By understanding customer sentiments—whether expressed through reviews, feedback, or purchase behaviour—retailers can tailor their product offerings and marketing strategies to resonate with their audience's emotional needs. This not only fosters customer loyalty but also drives higher sales and encourages impulse purchases, a key advantage in today’s competitive market.

Through AI and machine learning, PIM systems can analyse vast amounts of customer data, including reviews, feedback, and interactions. By gauging sentiment, the system can identify trends in customer emotions and preferences. This allows the PIM to adjust product recommendations, descriptions, and marketing messages to align with the emotional needs of the customer. For example, if a PIM system detects a trend of customers feeling frustrated with a product feature, it can suggest alternative products or adjustments to the existing product information that address these concerns.

10. Cybersecurity in PIM: Safeguarding Product Data 

In an era where cyber threats are ever-present, cybersecurity is a top priority for businesses managing extensive product information. The average cost of a data breach for retailers stands at $3.86 million, underscoring the importance of robust security measures in Product Information Management (PIM) systems.

As PIM systems centralise vast amounts of sensitive product and customer data, safeguarding this information against cyberattacks is crucial. Effective cybersecurity measures protect against data breaches, ensure compliance with data protection regulations, and maintain customer trust. Failure to secure product information not only risks significant financial loss but also damages the retailer's reputation and customer relationships.

To protect data, PIM systems must implement comprehensive security protocols. Key strategies include:

• Encryption: Encrypting data both at rest and in transit ensures that even if unauthorised access occurs, the data remains unreadable.
• Access Controls: Implementing role-based access controls restricts data access to authorised personnel only, minimising the risk of internal breaches.
• Regular Audits: Conducting frequent security audits helps identify vulnerabilities and ensure that security measures are up-to-date.

11. AR & VR Integration

63% of online shoppers say AR would change their shopping experience.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are revolutionising the way customers interact with products online. By enabling shoppers to visualise items in their own space or within a virtual environment, AR and VR integration offers a dynamic enhancement to the traditional product experience.

Product Information Management (PIM) systems play a crucial role in this transformation. They manage and store AR and VR assets, such as 3D models and interactive visuals, ensuring that these assets are accurately integrated and consistently represented across all digital channels. This centralisation allows for a seamless and high-quality AR/VR experience, enhancing how products are showcased.

Why this matters?

Integrating AR and VR into the shopping journey significantly enriches the customer experience. It provides immersive and interactive ways for customers to engage with products, leading to increased confidence in their purchasing decisions. This technology not only helps in visualising products in real-world settings but also aids in reducing return rates by offering a clearer understanding of the product before purchase. Enhanced engagement through AR/VR can drive higher conversion rates and foster stronger customer loyalty. 

12. Voice Search Optimisation 

72% of people who own voice-activated speakers say they use them as part of their daily routine. Consumers are increasingly using voice commands to search for and purchase products, making it crucial for businesses to adapt their product information for voice search.

Product Information Management (PIM) systems play a pivotal role in this transition. These systems ensure that product data—such as descriptions, attributes, and metadata—is structured and optimised to align with voice search algorithms. This involves using natural language processing to make product information more conversational and accessible, catering to how users speak rather than type.

Optimising product data for voice search improves the visibility of products in voice-activated search results, which can significantly enhance discoverability. This leads to a more seamless shopping experience, as consumers can quickly find and purchase products using voice commands. By addressing this trend, businesses can better serve a growing demographic of voice search users and stay competitive in a shifting digital landscape.

13. Mastering Data Domain

Data-driven organisations are 23 times more likely to acquire new customers.

Mastering the data domain is essential for modern organisations as it ensures comprehensive management of product data across all departments. With businesses relying more on data-driven strategies, the ability to manage and leverage data effectively is crucial. Companies that excel in data management are significantly more likely to attract new customers and improve overall performance. 

A retailer like Walmart integrates its Product Information Management (PIM) system with its ERP and CRM systems to create a unified database. This centralisation allows for consistent product data across all channels, improving accuracy and reducing errors. PIM systems aggregate data from various sources, ensuring that product information is synchronised across all platforms.

This central repository helps maintain data consistency, streamlines update, and ensures accurate information across customer touchpoints.

Conclusion

As we move into 2024 and beyond, the trends in Product Information Management (PIM) will continue to evolve, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer expectations. Retailers who embrace these trends will be better positioned to manage their product data effectively, deliver superior customer experiences, and stay ahead of the competition. By leveraging AI automation, ML integration, multichannel strategies, and other emerging trends, retailers can ensure they are ready for the future of retail.