As your retail business grows, so does the complexity of your product data.
From managing thousands of SKUs to selling across multiple marketplaces, it doesn’t take long before product information turns into a full-time headache.

Spreadsheets multiply, data becomes inconsistent, and each channel seems to speak a different language. Sound familiar?

During a recent demo with an established online retailer, we explored how these everyday challenges appear in real life — and how a PIM can help retailers get back in control.

This retailer has been in business for over a decade, managing a catalogue of around 15,000 products. They sell mainly B2C but are preparing to launch a B2B platform soon. On top of that, they already sell through major marketplaces like Bol.com and Amazon, plus Google Shopping, all connected through a Channel Integrator.

It’s a strong setup — but their current product management process is slowing them down.

The challenges: when retail growth meets friction

Before looking into PIM, this retailer faced challenges that many growing retailers will recognize:

• Product information scattered across systems – split between the webshop, Excel sheets, and other sources, making alignment nearly impossible.
• No single source of truth – updates were manual, slow, and often inconsistent across teams and channels.
• Inconsistent marketplace content – automatically generated product titles for Amazon often resulted in incorrect or confusing listings.
• Time-consuming data maintenance – enriching and updating 15,000 SKUs manually simply didn’t scale, especially with new markets on the horizon.
• A failed first PIM attempt – an open-source PIM required too much technical expertise and maintenance for their current setup.

During the demo, we explored how a dedicated PIM could solve these problems — and help retailers like them (and you) grow faster, smarter, and with fewer headaches.

Use Case 1: Creating one reliable source for all product data

Challenge: Product data is scattered across systems, leading to slow updates and costly errors.

Solution: A PIM acts as a single source of truth where all product information is stored, structured, and validated.

With tools like an automapper, retailers can quickly import existing product data — whether from the webshop, Excel files, or supplier lists — and map fields automatically.

Once in place, the PIM connects to the entire retail tech stack (webshop, Channel Integrator, ERP, and future B2B platform), ensuring every update is reflected everywhere instantly.

Use Case 2: Simplifying product enrichment and keeping data consistent

Challenge: Enriching and editing products directly in the webshop is slow and repetitive.

Solution: The PIM becomes the central place to manage enrichment — from descriptions and specifications to SEO fields.

With a hierarchical structure (grandparent → parent → child), retailers can reuse shared information across product variants like sizes or colors, eliminating duplicate work.

Structured input fields like ‘Options’ or ‘Multi-Options’ help maintain consistency — so no more “red,” “Red,” and “light red” scattered throughout your data.

The result? Clean, standardized product information ready to publish anywhere.

Use Case 3: Managing multiple sales channels with ease

Challenge: Each marketplace and platform has unique and changing requirements — keeping track manually is nearly impossible.

Solution: The PIM allows retailers to create attribute groups that match each channel’s specific rules (e.g., “Bol.com Required Attributes”).

A built-in workflow and validation system flags missing data instantly. When a marketplace updates its requirements, the retailer can see exactly which products need attention — even across 15,000 SKUs.

Once complete, the enriched product data is pushed into the Channel Integrator, ready for seamless distribution to all sales channels.

Use Case 4: Scaling into new markets and channels

Challenge: Expanding internationally or launching a B2B channel means managing multiple languages and market-specific content.

Solution: The PIM supports localization, enabling retailers to manage translations directly alongside the original data — ensuring accuracy and consistency across markets.

While AI tools can assist with translation, a human-in-the-loop approach ensures high-quality, product-specific content that fits each market’s needs.

This structure allows retailers to enter new regions or launch new platforms without disrupting existing workflows.

The takeaway: ready to grow without losing control

A PIM isn’t just for large enterprises — it’s for every retailer looking to grow smarter.

By centralizing product data, simplifying enrichment, and keeping channel requirements under control, retailers can save time, reduce errors, and scale their business with confidence.

For this retailer, implementing a PIM would mean:
✅ Consistent and accurate product data across every channel
✅ Faster publishing and fewer marketplace errors
✅ More efficient operations with the same team size
✅ Easier expansion into B2B and international markets

Because better product data doesn’t just make work easier — it helps you sell more.

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Real challenges. Real solutions. Discover how a PIM helps retailers grow smarter.

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