TOP 4 criteria to consider when choosing a PIM

1 – Continuous features and innovation

The main criterion to consider when choosing a PIM solution is its ability to meet your functional needs in terms of features and ongoing innovation.

Among the key features of a high-quality PIM are:

• Efficient product information management, including attributes, variants, and product associations, as well as media file management through a DAM (Digital Asset Management), and a robust classification system,
• Workflow management, featuring efficient data validation and enrichment processes to facilitate collaboration between marketing, sales and IT teams,
• Data import and export management, including support for specific industry formats such as FAB-DIS, ETIM, BMEcat…

Choosing a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution like Interactiv’ DataBase guarantees a secure cloud-hosted infrastructure, automatic updates with innovative new features to meet market requirements, and easier collaboration between teams, whether working remotely or across multiple locations.

2 – Seamless integration within your digital ecosystem

A high-performance PIM must integrate smoothly with the existing software used within your organization, such as your ERP, CMS, CRM, and more. The goal is to simplify data synchronization and ensure optimal consistency across all your channels.

In this regard, pay close attention to the availability of robust APIs for custom integrations with your internal and external tools, as well as native connectors to the e-commerce platforms you use (Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, etc.) provided by your integrator to ensure smooth implementation.

Also, make sure the tool is compatible with the data exchange formats you use (CSV, XML, FAB-DIS, ETIM, BMEcat…) to easily import and export your data.

3 – Ease of use and team adoption

End users are the key to success. Choose software that is accessible, intuitive and user-friendly as possible to ensure an optimized experience for all employees who will use the tool daily. Make sure the navigation is smooth and that information is clearly structured.

It is also important to select a highly customizable solution that can adapt to your organization and business processes. In a PIM like Interactiv’ DataBase, this may include personalized dashboards, role-based access rights, and permissions aligned with individual responsibilities…

Finally, we recommend choosing a partner that offers training and personalized support to ensure a fast and efficient onboarding process. A responsive support team and up-to-date user documentation are essential to guarantee rapid adoption by your teams.

💡 Tip: Involve a few end users early on in your PIM selection process.

4 – A platform that scales with your growth

A solution capable of supporting your growth, whether that means managing 10,000 new products at once or expanding to 50 new sales channels—is a critical factor not to be overlooked. Its ability to easily adapt to your organization’s evolving needs is essential when making your choice.

Ensure that the platform’s performance remains stable even as your product catalog or number of sales channels increase.

If your ambition is to expand internationally, ask yourself whether the tool can quickly translate your product information, efficiently manage media assets, or automate the creation of product publications. Do not overlook smaller yet important enhancements either, such as adding new attributes or product classifications. A “rigid” PIM can quickly become a barrier to growth.

Bonus : software publisher only? Or publisher & integrator?

Among PIM market players, some act solely as software publishers, while others combine both roles as publisher and integrator. By choosing a partner with both capabilities, you benefit from streamlined collaboration with an expert who knows the solution inside and out and supports you throughout the entire PIM/DAM implementation project, from start to finish.