E-commerce and PIM: 8 reasons why online shops should use a PIM system to fully satisfy the customer experience
In the dynamic world of e-commerce, the customer experience (CX) is a crucial factor for success.
Today’s customers not only expect a seamless and intuitive shopping experience, but also consistent and high-quality product information across all touchpoints. A Product Information Management (PIM) system plays a central role in this and offers numerous advantages that help online shops to exceed customer expectations.
1. Consistent and accurate product information
Customers rely on the accuracy and completeness of the information they find in an online shop. A PIM system centralises the management of all product data so that online shops can provide consistent, up-to-date and error-free information. This reduces the risk of customer frustration and returns caused by unclear or incorrect product information.
2. Shorter Time-to-Market
Whether e-commerce and/or store, in the fast-moving market world where speed often makes the difference between success and failure of a product purchase. With a constantly updated PIM and DAM system, online shops can launch new products faster and prepare existing products more successfully. This not only accelerates the market launch, but also ensures that customers always find the latest offers and information.
3. Customised and relevant content
In a PIM system, product information is ideally tailored to the needs and preferences of different customer segments. Online shops can create personalised product pages that correspond to the individual interests of customers. This increases the relevance of the offers and increases the likelihood of conversions and follow-up purchases.
4. Multichannel consistency
In today’s omnichannel world, customers expect a seamless experience across different channels, be it in the web shop, in apps, on marketplaces or on social media. A PIM system guarantees that product information is consistent and synchronised across all channels. This reinforces customer trust in the brand and significantly improves the whole customer experience.
5. Improved SEO and visibility
Good visibility in search engines is crucial for a successful online shop. PIM systems help to manage detailed and well-structured product information that complies with SEO algorithms. This boosts search engine rankings and makes products easier to find, resulting in more traffic and potential customers.
6. Support for international expansion
When online shops expand into international markets, they need to adapt product information in different languages and to different cultural contexts. A PIM system allows easy versioning and localisation of product data, enabling entry into new markets while ensuring a consistent customer experience worldwide.
7. Optimisation of the customer journey
A smooth customer journey is crucial to engage customers and encourage their purchasing decisions. A PIM system helps to optimise the customer experience by ensuring that customers can access the right information at every stage of the buying process. This includes detailed product descriptions, high-quality images, customer reviews and technical specifications – all from a single “source of truth”.
8. Efficient management of product data
With a PIM system, online shops can significantly increase the efficiency of internal processes. Automated workflows and centralised data management reduce the effort involved in maintaining and updating product information. This gives the team more time to focus on strategic tasks that directly contribute to improving the customer experience.
How leading retailers design their CX
A successful customer experience and customer journey play an essential role on a digital level. Companies must therefore constantly adapt their e-commerce measures to current purchasing habits. A good example is the Swedish furniture store IKEA, which is launching the IKEA app with new features on 4th September 2024 as a way to create more incentive to buy. ‘Simply shop even better’ is the motto of the loyalty bonus strategy, in which IKEA Family members benefit from many advantages and their shopping experience is made easier and more personalised via the app. This app relaunch includes four essential CX measures that take the customer journey to the next level:
Attractive purchase incentives
Customers collect points in the loyalty bonus programme and receive personalised offers
High time savings
Product self-scanning and self-service checkouts enable fast checkout
Store navigation with AR
The navigation mode shows the way to the products in the store with a map and augmented reality
More accessibility
The app is available in multiple languages (German and English)
Conclusion: A PIM system, vital for e-commerce
A PIM system is an essential tool for online shops to optimise the customer experience. By providing consistent, accurate and personalised product information across all channels, a PIM system strengthens customer trust, boosts conversion rates and supports international expansion. At the same time, it improves the efficiency of internal processes, which sustainably increases overall business success in e-commerce.