High-quality product information significantly influences product sales; at times, it may have a greater impact than the product itself. An effective Product Information Management (PIM) system allows the rich data offered by product information standards to be easily managed and distributed.

Product information standards define what everything means, how data is formatted, classified, and categorized, and how information is presented and conveyed. The standards help ensure that product information is high-quality and consistent. They also facilitate the sharing and use of product information between different parties. It is the responsibility of the standard owner to maintain and develop it. A good example of this is the smart 2D barcode, which is handy for presenting dynamically changing information.

Many standards are international and enable consistent product information across different market areas (for example, the GTIN code compliant with the GS1 standard). Additionally, they can be sector-specific, like sähkönumerot.fi, ensuring consistent product information within that particular industry.

Depending on the standard, products are divided into various segments, product families, or categories based on their type and classified accordingly. This way, they receive the correct product information or attributes specific to that product. Such standards include ETIM (an international classification standard for technical products), UNSPC (United Nations Standard Products and Services Code), eClass (ISO/IEC-compatible standard for products and services), and GPC (GS1's product classification standard).

Product information accompanies the product throughout its entire lifecycle

The amount of product information is increasing and diversifying. For many buyers, the information available about a product or service plays an even bigger role than the product or service itself. Additionally, the importance of transparency and responsibility continues to grow. 

Product information is needed from the selection phase to use, maintenance, and ensuring proper recycling. Recycling of the product's packaging materials is facilitated when the types of materials used in the packaging are known. Product information can also be utilized in searching for a replacement product. Standardized information enables product comparison. 

By providing high-quality product information, you ensure that your customers find the products and product information they need, for example, online.

PIM facilitates both the implementation and maintenance of standards 

With standardized product information, you can conveniently categorize products and build product families in a PIM system. Classification can be automated based on product features, simplifying data maintenance. When the information is in the PIM system in the format required by the standard, it is easy to integrate with other systems. You can retrieve and transfer product information to a system that complies with the corresponding standard. This way, product information is consistent in both systems.

In the PIM and Product Information Standards Webinar, we will explore the management and integration of product information standards in a PIM system and explain how Akeneo PIM supports product information standards and automates data transfer. Watch the webinar recording 

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