Example of PIM Software: Real-World Solutions for Product Data Management
Explore real-world PIM software examples and how they support accurate, scalable product data management.
- Sean Purdy
- December 19, 2025
- 8:32 am
Table of Contents
What You'll Learn:
Enterprise vs. mid-market PIM solutions and which vendors lead each category
Real-world examples of PIM software across industries like manufacturing, retail, and e-commerce
Key features that distinguish different PIM platforms in 2025
How to evaluate PIM vendors based on your business size and industry requirements
Implementation considerations including pricing models and integration capabilities
Are you looking for the perfect PIM software to fit your unique business needs? You’re not alone! With poor product information management (don’t deny it – your data is sprawled across spreadsheets and ERPs), businesses of all sizes are turning to Product Information Management systems to create a single source of truth.
But there are over 139 different PIM solutions! How on earth are you supposed to choose the right one?!
Our guide breaks down concrete examples of PIM software across different business sizes and industries. We aim to help you understand which solutions lead the market – and why they may help you lead, too!
Let’s dive in.
1. What is PIM Software and Why Does It Matter?
The bottom line: PIM software centralizes all of your product information, including your descriptions, specs, images, videos, and pricing, into one central system that will feed each of your sales channels. Your product information management software gives you a unified solution to controlling your product data – across the whole organization.
Why it’s critical now:
If you don’t have a dedicated PIM system, yoru product information is probably living in silos. Marketing may have one version in their CMS while sales is working from separate data. E-commerce teams dominate the spreadsheets!
Fragmentation like this leads to inconsistent product data across each and every channel. It slows time to market, and it creates errors that can be quite spendy. Your PIM will help you to manage all of your content across each channel. By reducing manual data entry, your PIM will ensure consistent product data and minimize errors throughout your sales and marketing ecosystem.
According to Gartner’s research on PIM solutions, the analyst firm saw a 35 percent increase in PIM inquiries between mid-2022 and mid-2023, reflecting the current climate of growing market demand. The investment in PIM technology peaked at $1 billion in 2022, signaling that businesses recognize the strategic value of centralized product data management.
What PIM delivers:
A modern PIM platform goes well beyond basic data storage! They enable workflow automation and multi-channel syndication. Digital asset management is incorporated. Content generation and enrichment are increasingly benefiting from AI capabilities.
PIM systems help manage data effectively and provide access to all the data needed for comprehensive product management. This evolution from simple data repositories to comprehensive Product Experience Management (PXM) platforms represents the current state of the market… make sure you’re on board!
2. Leading Enterprise PIM Examples
The bottom line: Enterprise PIM solutions are fantastic tools for large organizations that manage thousands of SKUs, especially across global markets. Of course, international markets have complex data governance requirements.
These platforms usually include robust version control features that will let your teams manage changes to your product data, to maintain audit trails, and to ensure the integrity of your data.
Salsify:
Cloud-based PIM and DAM for brands and retailers.
Focuses on product content syndication, digital shelf analytics, and automation of your teams’ workflows.
Supports detailed tech specs to enable the centralization of your specs, descriptions, prices, and images.
Integrates with your legacy systems, including e-commerce platforms, ERPs, and CRMs, and including third party tools to give you enhanced functionality.
Enables distribution of product data to multiple marketplaces and online sales channels.
inRiver:
PIM platform for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
Emphasizes omnichannel syndication, catalog publishing, and content completeness scoring.
Offers integration with ecommerce platforms and supports syndication to multiple marketplaces for efficient product data distribution.
Salsify
Salsify combines PIM with Product Experience Management capabilities, making it a popular choice for business to consumer brands that are selling through major retail channels. The platform emphasizes customer-facing product content and maintains integrations with the leading U.S. retailers, like Amazon and eBay.
Key capabilities:
Instant catalog generation matches unique retail partner requirements
Product enrichment tools support translation into 156 languages
Plug-and-play integrations with sales platforms and marketplaces are enabled
Built-in reporting tools will identify data inconsistencies
Best of all, Salsify offers a 30-day free trial. Your teams can evaluate the functionality of the system before you commit. The platform ranks 9.4 out of 10 for support according to G2’s Winter 2025 report.
inRiver PIM
inRiver takes a content-first approach. It includes fantastic workflow and storytelling tools that were designed with enterprise businesses in mind. Comprehensive brand consistency across channels is supported.
Key features:
Scalable architecture to handle large enterprise catalogs, even as you grow.
Channel Insights that provide you with Digital Shelf Analytics, including weekly updates on product visibility and pricing.
Real-time audit capabilities exist within their Evaluate tool.
A flexible setup process is tailored to specific business needs.
Trade-off: inRiver comes with a steeper learning curve and longer implementation timeline, and can take up to nine months to deploy. It’s a long-term investment that’s best suited for enterprises with in-house IT resources.
Informatica MDM – Product 360
Informatica offers an enterprise-grade solution that puts emphasis on data governance and master data management alongside PIM capabilities.
What sets it apart:
Configurable user interface with role-based access for improved governance
Built-in DAM for managing product and media assets
Channel preview functionality to visualize data across sales channels
Enterprise integrations with Salesforce, Google Manufacturer, and Hybris
3. Mid-Market PIM Solutions
The bottom line: Mid-market PIM platforms balance functionality with speed and accessible pricing for scaling businesses. Solutions like these are great for medium to small businesses that seek to streamline their product data management. Often, they feature intuitive UIs to simplify onboarding.
Akeneo: Akeneo is a leading open source PIM that gives you the flexibility and scalability you need to manage multichannel product data. It supports import of your data from .csv files, among many others, to simplify unification.
Sales Layer / Pimcore: When evaluating Sales Layer, Pimcore, or similar platforms, it’s important to consider which pim tools best align with your business needs and feature requirements.
Akeneo
Akeneo offers both commercial and open source versions, so mid-sized companies will find the software attractive.
Pricing structure:
Community Edition: Free and open-source with essential PIM features
Growth Package: Starting at $45,000 annually for mid-sized businesses
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for large-scale organizations
Core strengths:
Automation capabilities exist for bulk updates of product attributes
Comprehensive digital asset management for images and videos
Modular platform supporting both community and enterprise deployments
Consideration: According to industry analysis, if Akeneo is your choice it’s best to have a strong internal development team in place, There’s a slightly steeper learning curve for this program; the UI is technical and complex.
Sales Layer
Sales Layer offers cloud-native architecture that was purposefully designed for quick implementation, particularly appealing to business to business manufacturers that have complex catalogs.
What makes it stand out:
Fast onboarding with (and because of) a user-friendly interface.
Strong integration capabilities for manufacturer workflows.
Built-in DAM functionality for centralized media management.
Known for balancing robust data modeling with intuitive design.
Pimcore
Pimcore is an open source platform that combines an alphabet soup of capabilities: PIM, MDM, DAM, and CMS, notably. It’s a comprehensive approach for businesses that are managing a diverse catalog.
Unique value proposition:
The community edition is entirely free, offering unlimited entities, data, and users
Omnichannel publishing to diverse output channels is available
Customizable workflow management exists for complete product lifecycle control
Enterprise and unlimited plans are available for IP protection
Limitations: The current DAM asset portal extension lacks mobile compatibility, and the platform doesn’t track real-time edits, which can result in overriding simultaneous changes in highly collaborative environments.
4. Industry-Specific PIM Examples
The bottom line: Certain PIM solutions are a perfect match for some industries because they’ve got specialized features, integration partners, or functionality that matches sector requirements.
Industry-specific PIM platforms help you manage your complex product catalog data across each of your distribution channels, marketing channels, and multiple sales channels. Your customers will always see consistent, accurate information.
Catsy Manufacturing:
Catsy’s PIM supports manufacturers by centralizing product data, technical specs, and supplier data, all while it streamlines your distribution channel management. This allows for the efficient syndication of your product info to your partners, distributors, and sales teams to support localization and multiple languages.
Shopify E-commerce:
For e-commerce clients, PIM solutions will integrate with Shopify to automate the management of your inventory, to support mobile apps, and to enhance your digital marketing efforts overall. Your product data is accurate and up-to-date across each and every one of your utilized platforms, improving operational efficiency and customer experience.
Multi-Channel E-commerce:
PIM systems enable businesses to syndicate product data across various channels, including multiple marketplaces, new sales channels, and digital signage. This unified approach ensures product information is consistent and ready for omnichannel selling, supporting expansion and seamless integration with marketing tools.
Retail:
Retailers benefit from PIM solutions through brand portals, e catalogs, and robust customer data management. These tools empower the marketing team to deliver high-quality customer experiences and personalized customer experience across all touchpoints. Integration with marketing tools and support for global brands ensures consistent messaging and content distribution.
Many PIM providers offer a free plan for SMBs to get started with essential features, making advanced product information management accessible. Comprehensive support for multiple languages and sales teams further enhances the ability to manage and distribute product data globally.
Manufacturing: Catsy PIM
For industrial manufacturers and distributors, Catsy’s Product Information Management system provides specialized features for complex product hierarchies including multi-level BOMs, technical specifications, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Manufacturing-focused capabilities:
Management of technical product data and engineering specifications
Support for complex product relationships and configurations
Integration with ERP systems commonly used in manufacturing
Compliance tracking for regulatory requirements
Shopify E-commerce: Catsy
For Shopify merchants who manage growing product catalogs, seamless integration designed specifically for brands scaling their e-commerce operations. Catsy PIM provides seamless integration designed specifically for brands scaling their e-commerce operations.
Shopify-focused advantages:
Direct Shopify integration for real-time product data synchronization
Combined PIM and DAM eliminates the need for separate systems
Efficient management of product variants, attributes, and collections
Streamlined workflow for updating products across Shopify and other channels simultaneously
Ideal for: D2C brands, lifestyle products, beauty brands, and fashion retailers using Shopify as their primary or secondary sales channel who need centralized control over expanding product catalogs.
Multi-Channel E-commerce: Catsy DAM & PIM
E-commerce strengths:
360-degree view of product data encompassing all information and digital assets
Easy syndication to multiple channels from centralized system
Vendor profile management for marketplace selling
Native integrations with BigCommerce, Magento, Shopify, and Amazon
Retail: Syndigo
Syndigo combines PIM, DAM, and MDM in a content experience hub designed for consumer brands selling through retail channels.
Retail-focused features:
Two-sided network enabling content distribution between manufacturers and retailers
Data syndication capabilities serving 12,000+ manufacturers and 1,750+ retailers globally
Analytics tools for decision-making across the commerce ecosystem
Industry specialization across grocery, foodservice, beauty, and apparel sectors
5. How to Choose the Right PIM for Your Business
The bottom line: The right PIM depends on your business size, technical resources, industry requirements, and growth trajectory, not just on features and pricing. It’s crucial to evaluate the best PIM solution for your specific needs, ensuring you select the right PIM system that supports data synchronization, channel optimization, and consistent product information across all platforms.
When evaluating vendors, look for a PIM solution that aligns with your business requirements, offers robust digital asset management, automation, and integration capabilities, and can scale with your multichannel or omnichannel strategy.
Assess Your Pain Points First
Before evaluating vendors, identify what’s breaking in your current process. Are teams spending hours updating product information across channels? Are inconsistent product descriptions costing you sales? Does your current system lack the scalability for planned growth?
Your specific pain points should determine must-have features. Not every business needs every capability.
Consider Integration Requirements
Modern PIM platforms must integrate seamlessly with your existing technology stack. Evaluate how well each solution connects with:
ERP systems for product data sourcing
E-commerce platforms for channel syndication
Marketing automation tools for campaign execution
DAM systems (or verify built-in DAM capabilities)
Research from industry analysts emphasizes that API-driven, composable architecture is becoming the standard, allowing businesses to build integrated commerce ecosystems rather than relying on monolithic platforms.
Factor in Total Cost of Ownership
PIM pricing varies dramatically based on business size and requirements:
Small to mid-sized platforms: $1,000 to $2,500 monthly with implementation costs around 1x annual fees
Corporate solutions: $5,000 to $10,000 monthly plus 1.5x annual fees for implementation, typically including multiple bespoke integrations
Enterprise systems: $10,000 to $100,000 monthly with implementation costs of 2 to 3x annual fees for digital transformation projects
Look beyond licensing costs to implementation timelines, training requirements, and ongoing maintenance when calculating ROI.
Evaluate Technical Requirements
Determine whether your team has the technical expertise to support the platform:
Open-source solutions like Akeneo’s Community Edition offer flexibility but require development resources
SaaS platforms provide faster deployment with lower technical overhead
Hybrid approaches offer middle-ground options with managed services
Match Solutions to Business Size
Enterprise solutions like inRiver or Informatica offer comprehensive capabilities but may overwhelm smaller teams with complexity and cost. Conversely, entry-level platforms may lack the governance and scalability enterprises require.
Consider not just your current size, but your growth trajectory over the next 3-5 years.
Key Takeaways
PIM market diversity serves different needs: From free open-source options to enterprise platforms costing six figures monthly, there’s an example of PIM software for every business size and budget
Industry specialization matters: Manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce businesses have different requirements that specialized PIM solutions address more effectively
Integration capabilities determine success: The best PIM platform connects seamlessly with your existing ERP, e-commerce, and marketing technology stack
Implementation timelines vary significantly: Plan for 3-6 months for mid-market solutions, up to 9-12 months for enterprise implementations
AI and composability define the future: Modern PIM examples increasingly incorporate generative AI for content creation and API-first architectures for flexible integration
ROI extends beyond software costs: Factor in implementation, training, integration, and the value of faster time-to-market when evaluating PIM investments
Start with your pain points, not features: The right PIM solves your specific challenges rather than offering the longest feature list
FAQs:
What is the best example of PIM software for small businesses?
For small to mid-sized businesses, Catsy PIM offers an accessible solution designed specifically for manufacturers, distributors, and e-commerce brands that need professional-grade capabilities without enterprise complexity. Catsy combines PIM and DAM in a unified platform with faster implementation timelines than enterprise solutions. Other options include Pimcore’s Community Edition (free but requiring technical resources), Plytix, or PIMinto. The choice is yours, and depends on your industry focus, whether you need integrated DAM capabilities, and whether you prefer open-source flexibility or managed SaaS.
How do PIM and MDM differ in practical terms?
While Product Information Management (PIM) focuses on marketing and sales-ready product content, Master Data Management (MDM) emphasizes data governance across multiple domains including customer, supplier, and product data. Many modern platforms blur these lines. For example, Pimcore and Informatica combine PIM and MDM capabilities. Choose based on your primary use case: if you’re primarily enriching product content for commerce, PIM is the priority.
What does PIM software typically cost?
PIM pricing ranges from free (open-source community editions) to $100,000+ monthly for enterprise solutions. Small business platforms typically cost $1,000-$2,500 monthly, mid-market solutions run $2,500-$5,000 monthly, and corporate platforms start around $5,000-$10,000 monthly. Always factor in implementation costs, which typically equal 1x to 3x annual licensing fees depending on complexity.
Can PIM software integrate with my existing e-commerce platform?
Yes, modern PIM solutions prioritize integration capabilities. Most platforms offer native integrations or API connections to major e-commerce platforms including Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, and marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Verify specific integration capabilities during vendor evaluation, as some platforms excel in particular ecosystem connections.
How long does PIM implementation take?
Implementation timelines vary by solution complexity and business requirements. Entry-level SaaS platforms can be operational in 1-3 months, mid-market solutions typically require 3-6 months, and enterprise implementations often take 6-12 months. Solutions like inRiver may require up to nine months for full deployment. Open-source platforms requiring customization may extend these timelines.
What is Product Experience Management (PXM) and how does it relate to PIM?
Product Experience Management builds on traditional PIM by adding capabilities like Digital Shelf Analytics, AI-powered content optimization, and channel-specific content personalization. PXM represents the evolution from simply managing product data to actively optimizing how products are experienced across channels. Platforms like Salsify and inRiver lead in PXM capabilities, while traditional PIMs are adding these features.
Do I need a PIM if I only sell on one channel?
Even single-channel businesses benefit from PIM when managing more than a few dozen SKUs. PIM centralizes product data, eliminates spreadsheet chaos, enables team collaboration, and prepares you for future channel expansion. However, businesses with very simple product catalogs (under 50 SKUs) may find basic e-commerce platform features sufficient until they scale.
Sean Purdy
