If you manage an e-commerce platform, you may have asked yourself this question: Do actually we need a PIM system? The vendors might often say yes. Colleagues may say “maybe”. And then you end up looking at the budgets, timelines, and an already complex IT setup.
However, from Memo's experience, a PIM system can be very useful, but it is not always needed. In some situations, it brings clarity and structure. In others, it mainly adds extra costs and complexity.
In this blog, we explain when a PIM system makes sense, when it doesn’t, and what to think about before making a decision.
Firstly, we will start with explaining what a PIM system (Product Information Management) is. A PIM is a central place where you manage all product information. It includes product names and descriptions, attributes and specifications, images and documents. And finally, translations. It is very common for your product data to be in various spaces like ERP systems, in the webshop's backend or even in spreadsheets. Over time this can become very overwhelming and maybe even confusing for your employees.
In a situation where your product data is overflowing in various spaces, a PIM can help you out.
A PIM system helps you to:
Keep product data in one place
Improve data quality and consistency
Share product information across multiple channels
It is vital to understand that a PIM system does not replace your ERP or webshop. It sits in between and helps organize product content in a clear way.
If you manage hundreds or thousands of products with many attributes, product data can quickly become hard to maintain. A PIM system can help you keep structure and scale without slowing your team down.
For example:
A webshop
Marketplaces
Dealer or partner portals
International websites
Print catalogs
Managing product information separately for each channel takes time and increases the risk of errors.
With a PIM system, you manage data once and reuse it everywhere.
This happens often in B2B webshops, where products include:
Technical specifications
Variants and configurations
Usage or application data
Certifications or compliance information
A PIM system can then offer you more flexibility than most ERP or webshop systems for this kind of data.
If marketing, sales, e-commerce, and product teams all update product information, things can get unclear.
A PIM system helps define:
Who is responsible for what
Clear workflows
Fewer mistakes and less discussion
For small or medium-sized catalogs, a PIM system is often too much.
Platforms like Shopify and Shopware already offer good product management features.
Adding a PIM too early can slow teams down instead of helping them.
If your webshop is your main or only sales channel, the added value of a PIM system is limited. Many companies invest in a PIM “for the future”, while that future is still years away.
If your ERP system is well set up and product data is clean, a PIM system may not add much. A PIM should not be used to fix poor data quality in the ERP. That usually moves the problem instead of solving it.
A PIM system is more than just software:
It needs implementation
It requires clear rules and ownership
It adds another system to manage
If your focus is speed, simplicity, or cost control, a PIM system may work against those goals.
“Every webshop will need a PIM eventually”
Not true. Many successful webshops run very well without a PIM system, even at scale.
“A PIM system will fix all data problems”
A PIM system does not fix bad data by itself. Without clear processes and ownership, problems will remain.
“A PIM project is mainly technical”
In reality, it is mostly about organization, processes, and teamwork.
We believe the best results come from asking the right questions first, such as:
Which sales channels do we really need?
How complex is our product data now, and in two years?
Who owns product data internally?
Where do mistakes or delays happen today?
Often, webshops first benefit from:
Cleaning up ERP data
Simplifying product structures
Using their webshop platform more effectively
Sometimes this leads to a clear reason to implement a PIM system. However, sometimes it shows that a PIM is not needed yet and that is completely fine.
A PIM system can be a powerful tool, but it is not a must for every webshop.
The end goal is not to use more software, but to support growth without adding unnecessary complexity.
Not sure if a PIM system fits your webshop or future plans? We’re happy to think along and help you make the right choice, even if that means advising you not to use a PIM system (yet).