The Quable PIM solution

PIM solutions allow the e-commerce sector, among others, to publish their product catalogues online more simply and more efficiently. There are several PIMs, which differ in how they are used. We have already covered the Akeneo PIM in a previous article; we will now introduce you to the Quable PIM.

Numendo becomes a Quable PIM integrator

Numendo recently entered into a partnership with the software company Quable. We are officially an integrator of their PIM solution.

As a Quable PIM integrator, we can support you and share our advice throughout the various stages, from implementation to customising the solution.

Quable’s PIM solution

What is a PIM?

PIM stands for Product Information Management. A PIM handles the management and distribution of a company’s content across all the distribution channels it uses.

PIM solutions developed alongside the rise of e-commerce in order to answer the following question: how can a product’s various pieces of information be published online quickly and efficiently while offering the user the best possible experience?

In practice, a PIM solution creates the link between different data sources (ERP, media server, suppliers, purchasing department, marketing, etc.) and end customers via a company’s various sales channels. In addition, with a PIM, data quality is automatically checked before product pages are published.

Quable’s PIM solution

Quable’s promise is the centralisation, enrichment and distribution of product information across all of the company’s channels.

Although implementing a PIM solution can prove time-consuming, it delivers a genuine time saving further down the line.

First, all of the data models that may be used to build the product pages need to be created. Whether it is colour, texture or size, it is advisable to start by producing mock-ups in order to position all of this data correctly.

Once that has been defined, Quable PIM takes care of retrieving the information the company holds in its tools. Indeed, as soon as a new product is created in the company’s information system, Quable’s PIM automatically collects the information entered. All that is left for the various teams to do is focus on improving and optimising the product pages.

Quable prioritises two areas with its PIM solution:

1. Access to collaborative work between the company’s various teams. Since each person can bring their expertise throughout the process of creating a product page, they need to be able to step in to enrich it and make their changes. Quable therefore offers a whole service built around collaboration. Indeed, a company can integrate its various processes and workflows into the PIM. This makes it possible to assign people to stages in order to track progress and speed up publication. And we know that in e-commerce, the shorter the time between a product arriving in stock and going live, the more beneficial it is for the company.
2. Automation: since product pages are regularly modified in order to improve the customer experience, every change made is automatically deployed across all of the sales channels the company owns.

However, while managing content is important, the use of media in e-commerce matters just as much. We now know that a product page published with text only will convert fewer users than a product page accompanied by visuals.

A DAM built directly into the Quable PIM

What is a DAM?

DAM stands for Digital Asset Management. A DAM handles the management and distribution of a company’s media across all the distribution channels it uses. DAM and PIM are complementary and improve the way the various teams (marketing, e-commerce, etc.) work together.

Integrating a DAM solution with a PIM makes it possible to link text content to media content in order to create a complete product page while reducing potential errors.

Indeed, to link product photos to product pages, Quable provides an application whose purpose is to generate a barcode that is unique to each product. The photographer then photographs the product and scans the barcode generated for it. The photo is automatically sent to the PIM and linked directly to the correct product page.

The benefits of combining PIM and DAM

Combining PIM and DAM allows companies to centralise all of their content, whether text content, images or videos. This gives the various teams working on product pages a broader view and lets them control all of the data associated with the products. With this combination, the company obtains a single reference database in which text and media are linked to form a product page.

As a result, all teams collaborate in the same place with the same information. They can check and add whatever falls within their area of expertise (SEO will fill in the image attributes to improve the product’s search ranking, the photographer will upload their photos linked to the right product page, marketing copywriters will create and complete the product pages, etc.)

Quable brings many benefits by combining the DAM solution with the PIM solution:

• A reduced time to market thanks to collaboration across all teams, which shortens the lead time for publishing a product.
• Fewer potential errors when linking media and content, thanks to the generated barcode and process automation.
• Product pages with increasingly rich data thanks to teams contributing at every stage of product page creation.

Quable and Akeneo, two PIM solutions

Quable and Akeneo each offer their own PIM solution. In the table below, we present a comparison of the two PIMs to help you make your choice based on your needs.

If you enjoyed this article and would like more information about the Akeneo PIM, we invite you to read our article Sylius – Akeneo, an interesting alliance.