B2B companies find themselves in a silent but expensive product data fragmentation state․ As catalogs grow‚ sales channels multiply‚ and buyer expectations for a smooth digital experience become the norm‚ disparate systems lead to inefficiencies at every stage of the sale․

What is done with spreadsheets and manual processes is not easily scalable and is error-prone․

The best B2B PIM platform for managing product information across multiple channels depends on the size of your company‚ your integrations and your business goals․ But a centralized product information system is non-negotiable․

If businesses want to stay competitive in a multichannel world‚ they have to understand the advantages of product information management (PIM) systems․

Increasing Cost of Data Silos in B2Bs

The U․S․ Census Bureau tracks all retail online sales. As e-commerce sales continue to grow yearly‚ there is a continued need for strong and accurate product information across sales channels․

B2B organizations often employ multiple siloed systems‚ from enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms to supplier feeds and internal databases‚ to manage their product information․ When each of these systems is storing data in different formats‚ teams can spend more time correcting data than growing․ Inconsistent product specifications and outdated or unclear pricing information for products can lead to loss of sales․

What Is a PIM System? And Why It Matters for B2B

A PIM system centralizes‚ by allowing for the management‚ enhancement and distribution of product-related information from a single source of truth to multiple sales channels․ The need for PIMs is greater in the B2B space, given the complexity of many product catalogs‚ volume of pricing tiers, and the relationships between manufacturers‚ distributors and end buyers․

Using a PIM ensures that product information is loaded once‚ and information is accurate and consistent when it is published directly through numerous sales channels‚ eliminating the need to duplicate product information across multiple systems and update each one separately․

Understanding the ROI of a PIM Solution

Advantages of implementing a PIM system include reduced time to market‚ increasing data quality‚ avoiding bottlenecks in internal data flows‚ lowering operating costs‚ and increasing the ability to react rapidly to changes in the market․

From a revenue perspective‚ good product data increases customer confidence and can therefore increase conversions․ When consumers have all the accurate information they need to understand a product‚ they are more likely to purchase it and become repeat customers․

What to Look for in a B2B PIM Platform

Consider is how well a PIM platform integrates with existing systems and how well it scales with the business‚ which is particularly important for those using ERP and eCommerce systems․ The best PIMs will connect with and integrate with these tools to keep data in sync․

Scalability and flexibility are also crucial to account for increasing numbers of SKUs in the catalog‚ and new sources of sales․ Automation, data syndication, and other features like the ability to create and customize taxonomies help ensure the continued relevance of the technology․

The 6 Best B2B PIM Platforms for Managing Product Data Across Multiple Channels

Choosing a PIM system for B2B digital commerce involves more than just ticking off a spreadsheet of functionality and feature sets․ We’ve identified the following six systems as some of the best for addressing product catalog management‚ data synchronization, and distribution to multichannel sales and marketing channels․

Platforms were prioritized based on their ability to aggregate product data while minimizing operational complexities․ Additional requirements included the ability to scale‚ ease of integration‚ relevance for distributors and manufacturers‚ industry experience, and documented use cases․

1․ Unilog – Best for Connect Product Catalogs

Unilog’s CX1 PIM platform is an excellent option for businesses seeking a single solution for handling their products and commerce efforts or requiring a tool to manage their product data across multiple channels․

Unilog has a connected platform of products‚ marketed under the CX1 brand‚ that comprises a product content management and commerce platform that integrates with ERP‚ websites, and third-party solutions to create a single source of product information․ It helps provide a consistent experience across all digital touchpoints for an organization as well as limit maintenance of product data in multiple systems․

CX1 PIM’s publish-and-subscribe feature is the product’s chief selling point․ It allows companies to collect product data‚ add value to it‚ and distribute it to their distribution and channel partners to create more sales opportunities․ It also syndicates product data to partners․ With the ability to manage huge product content and ever-growing subscription options‚ Unilog can accommodate data management needs over time․

Key Features

• Centralized product data integrates with ERP and business systems
• Syndication of content to meet sales channel opportunities
• Access to a wide-ranging product content library
• Taxonomy and attribute management system

2․ Akeneo – Best for Product Experience Management

Akeneo’s product experience management solutions give businesses the ability to improve their product information and have it displayed clearly and in an organized manner across the cross-channel ecosystems where they sell their products․ The emphasis on data quality is especially helpful to companies where the product content and detail are key to engagement․

The software supports cross-team collaboration‚ since product data can be edited by various departments within a single product catalog․ Akeneo also includes localization and translation functionality‚ for managing product information across multiple geographical areas and regions․ Thanks to an API-driven architecture‚ it can easily be integrated with other data broadcasting systems․

Key Features

• Data enrichment workflows for improving product information
• Localization and internationalization for overseas markets
• Integrate with other systems through APIs
• Centralized collaboration across teams

3․ Salsify – Best for Digital Shelf Optimization

Aside from the customary PIM features‚ Salsify also provides analysis of how product content is performing in each digital retail channel‚ allowing organizations to not only syndicate product data‚ but also to analyze how and where a given product is displayed across several third-party retail websites or marketplaces․ This may be particularly useful for organizations with a strong retail presence․

Salsify helps brands manage product content and provides performance analytics to improve the digital shelf as well as syndication to other sales channels․ Salsify helps companies improve product information‚ distribute details and ensure consistency across channels․

Key Features

 Product content syndication to retail and marketplace channels

• Tools to track performance on the digital shelf
• Management of the product update workflow
• Centralized product content management

4․ Pimcore – Best for Open-Source Flexibility

Pimcore is an open-source platform‚ which can be customized extensively․ It works for businesses that need to adapt data models and workflows to fit their needs‚ such as those with bespoke product structures or other complex requirements․ With this level of customization‚ companies can tailor the platform to their operational requirements․

The ecosystem further includes digital asset management (DAM) functionality‚ where product-related data and media can be stored in one single place․ As Pimcore is flexible and can be integrated with most systems‚ some prior technical knowledge may be necessary for the implementation․ This makes it a good candidate for organizations with their own developers․

Key Features

• Open-source architecture aids customization efforts
• Advanced data modeling capabilities
• Integrated product and digital asset management
• Flexible system integration options

5․ Inriver – Best for enterprise B2B

Inriver is aimed at larger companies with complex product information needs‚ and where product information and workflows are tightly controlled and tracked․ It is particularly well-suited for enterprise businesses‚ when multiple business units are involved‚ and information needs to be governed across regions․

It also supports multichannel publishing, which enables companies to publish information about their products to multiple sales channels‚ and it includes product life cycle management functionality‚ used to maintain product information after it has been created․ Its scalability makes it possible to handle large amounts of data about products․

Key Features

• Workflow management in structured data governance
• Multichannel publishing capabilities
• Product life cycle management tools
• Enterprise-level scalability

6․ Plytix – Best for Small to Midsized Businesses

Plytix targets small and medium-sized businesses looking for an easy-to-use product information management solution․ The company was founded on the belief that any team should be able to perform product information management tasks without needing a highly technical enterprise-level PIM system․ It’s practical for companies migrating from manual to computerized systems․

The platform also includes collaboration features which allow teams to work together on product data in real-time․ Plytix offers product data distribution features‚ allowing companies to reach multiple sales channels and supporting scale․ Easy to use‚ the application is designed for companies that require the simplest of PIM functionalities․

Key Features

• Easier to adopt due to its friendly user interface
• Collaboration tools for team workflows
• Manage and organize product data
• Multichannel data distribution support

Comparison Table of Leading B2B PIM Platforms

Platform	Best For	Key Strength	Scalability	Integrations
Unilog	Overall B2B solution	Connected product content	High	Thorough
Akeneo	Product experience	Data enrichment	Moderate	Strong API
Salsify	Digital shelf	Marketplace optimization	Moderate	Retail integrations
Pimcore	Custom builds	Open-source flexibility	High	Custom
Inriver	Enterprise	Workflow governance	High	Enterprise systems
Plytix	SMBs	Ease of use	Moderate	Standard

FAQs About B2B PIM Platforms

Which B2B PIM software is best for managing product information across multiple channels?

The choice of platform depends on your needs, but platforms like Unilog, with product content management paired with system integration, are becoming popular.

How can a PIM system improve ROI?

PIM systems save time‚ increase accuracy‚ speed up product launches, and offer a smooth customer experience with consistent product information․

Isn’t PIM only for big companies?

Some of the listed platforms are intended for enterprise-level use cases‚ while others are targeted at smaller businesses․

Can a PIM be integrated with existing systems?

Yes․ Most PIM systems work well with modern ERP and eCommerce systems and integrate with other business and IT tools․

Bringing Order to Product Data Complexity

B2B organizations want to deliver a consistent‚ accurate product experience and publish product information across multiple channels‚ which is difficult to do without a single source of truth․

When done properly, a PIM platform provides the foundation and infrastructure to help businesses unlock product data to realize growth, drive efficiencies, and better compete in a digital-first environment.