The growing importance of PIM in 2025
Overview of the PIMvendors 2024 PIM Report
The 2024 PIM Report from PIMvendors highlights key shifts in the PIM landscape, revealing how companies leverage PIM solutions to streamline operations, improve product experiences, and drive revenue growth.
The report provides data-driven insights into how organizations across various industries adopt and optimize PIM platforms.
Some key takeaways include:
- Widespread adoption of cloud-based PIM solutions – More businesses are transitioning to cloud-native PIM platforms, enabling scalability, remote collaboration, and real-time data management.
- AI and automation transforming product data management – Companies are reducing manual processes by integrating AI-powered tools that automatically enrich, categorize, and optimize product information.
- Multi-channel integration as a key priority – Businesses are prioritizing seamless synchronization of product data across ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, and digital channels to enhance omnichannel experiences.
Why PIM is becoming essential for the future of commerce
As businesses expand across multiple sales channels, keeping product data accurate, consistent, and accessible has become a critical challenge.
- A single source of truth – PIM eliminates data inconsistencies by centralizing product information, ensuring accuracy across teams and customer touchpoints.
- Empowering key business functions – From marketing and ecommerce to supply chain and IT, PIM streamlines operations, enhances automation, and reduces errors, boosting efficiency across departments.
- Seamless multi-channel commerce – With ecommerce booming, brands must deliver consistent product experiences across websites, marketplaces, and social commerce — a task made effortless with PIM.
- Future-proofing growth – PIM leverages AI, automation, digital shelf analytics (DSA), and global compliance standards, positioning businesses for scalable growth in an increasingly competitive market.
The evolution of PIM: From data management to digital transformation
Product Information Management (PIM) has evolved from a simple data storage system to a centralized digital ecosystem that enables businesses to manage product information efficiently.
This transformation is driven by automation, AI, cloud technology, and omnichannel commerce, making PIM a critical tool for modern enterprises.
PIM’s transformation from basic data storage to a central digital ecosystem
Initially, PIM systems were designed to store and organize product data, acting as a structured database for SKUs, descriptions, and pricing. However, as digital commerce grew more complex, businesses needed a dynamic management system capable of handling rich product content, integrations, and real-time updates.
Today, PIM serves as the backbone of digital operations, enabling brands to maintain consistent, high-quality product information across all channels.
How automation, AI, and integrations are enhancing PIM capabilities
AI and automation have improved PIM efficiency and accuracy, enabling:
- Automated data enrichment with relevant attributes
- Error detection and correction for data consistency
- Personalized product recommendations based on customer behavior
- Digital shelf analytics insights to optimize product performance
- Content generation and translation for global scalability
Seamless integrations with PLM, ERP, CRM, and ecommerce platforms enhance workflow automation, data governance, and omnichannel synchronization, helping businesses adapt quickly to market changes.
The shift towards cloud-based PIM solutions for scalability
On-premises PIM systems lack scalability and accessibility while cloud-based PIM offers:
- Scalability – Manage large catalogs and expand into new markets
- Real-time collaboration – Teams can update data simultaneously
- Cost savings – Eliminates maintenance costs of on-premises systems
Key PIM trends from the PIM report 2024: What’s shaping the future
These PIM trends highlight the growing need for automation, AI-driven insights, and seamless integrations as digital commerce continues to evolve in line with market trends.
Growth of AI-based PIM solutions
Generative AI is revolutionizing product data management, impacting onboarding, enrichment, and publication processes within PIM. AI enhances efficiency, speed, and accuracy, automating complex tasks that previously required manual intervention.
- AI in product onboarding – AI classifies and maps product attributes while cleansing data, reducing errors, and ensuring standardized naming conventions.
- AI in product enrichment – AI automatically generates product descriptions, translates attributes, and deduces new details to improve content depth and accuracy.
- AI in product publication – AI facilitates seamless data mapping across platforms (ecommerce, marketplaces, marketing feeds), ensuring consistent product listings.
Visual AI also plays a role in attribute enrichment and image generation, allowing automated product categorization and 3D render creation from minimal inputs.
While most PIM solutions currently rely on third-party AI models, integrating generative AI into PIM workflows is expected to reshape the industry in the coming years.
The rise of industry-specific PIM solutions
The one-size-fits-all approach to PIM is fading as businesses demand solutions tailored to industry-specific challenges. PIM systems are evolving to meet the unique needs of manufacturing, wholesale, and retail, ensuring better data accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.
- PIM for Manufacturers – Focuses on managing complex product catalogs, engineering specifications, and compliance. Integration with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) helps track products from design to production.
- PIM for Distributors – Prioritizes data consistency, bulk product updates, and seamless distribution. Features like real-time supplier data sync and scalable catalog management optimize efficiency for distributors.
- PIM for Retailers – Enhances the omnichannel experience, AI-powered merchandising, and customer engagement by ensuring consistent product information across online and offline channels.
As industries diversify their commerce strategies, PIM solutions must align with sector-specific demands, allowing businesses to scale efficiently and stay competitive in evolving markets.
The rise of iPaaS and integration-driven PIM solutions
Seamless integration is now a top priority for businesses managing complex product data across multiple platforms. Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) is emerging as a key enabler of scalable, cloud-based PIM ecosystems, allowing businesses to connect ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, and ERP systems effortlessly.
- iPaaS for data synchronization – Facilitates real-time updates and orchestrates data flows between disparate applications while improving data governance.
- ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools – Help businesses cleanse, transform, and load product data efficiently, ensuring data accuracy and consistency.
- Middleware and integration layers – Enables seamless integration between an organization’s PIM system and external ecommerce platforms, ensuring consistent product data across all customer touchpoints.
- Transaction-based vs. slower data iPaaS – Organizations can choose between real-time data updates or batch processing based on their specific operational needs.
As PIM ecosystems become more interconnected, integration-first strategies will define the next phase of product information management trends and their evolution, helping brands maximize efficiency, flexibility, and agility.
