SaaS vs. Open Source PIM: Deep Analysis of SaaS PIM Software Solutions
- SaaS vs Open Source PIM are two primary categories of PIM solutions.
- SaaS PIM systems are managed by a third-party provider. Meanwhile, Open Source PIM systems are built on publicly available and freely accessible source code.
- SaaS PIM solutions offer a convenient and scalable approach, while Open Source PIM solutions provide flexibility and customization.
In this Article
Data is an increasingly precious commodity as the world fully transitions into the digital age. Disciplines like Big Data are touted as the beginning of a new reality in the business world, and are built on this commodity. What this means is that as the role of data as the currency fueling business success solidifies, organizations increasingly face a monumental challenge: effectively managing their product information—SaaS vs Open Source PIM—the challenge compounds with a growing product range, increasing channels, and expanding the market. Organizations need a sound product data management strategy built on an efficient and robust product information management (PIM) system.
The PIM landscape is fast-paced and ever-evolving. Countless marketing teams worldwide are working on numerous solutions that provide unrivaled data management services. But no matter how you look at the PIM solution, they will always fall into three primary categories: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Custom-Built (Proprietary), and Open Source. They all have immense potential to revolutionize how companies handle their product content, but their approaches and advantages couldn’t be more distinct.
Suppose you choose only one solution; how should your decision go? Should you opt for a SaaS model, where you pay a monthly or annual fee to access a cloud-based platform that handles everything for you? Or should you go for an open source or custom-built option, where you customize the software yourself, with more flexibility and control over the features and integrations? This guide dives deep into this topic, unraveling the essence of the competing paradigms among the PIM solutions.
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What is PIM?
PIM stands for Product Information Management, a single source of truth for all your product data. The system manages product data to showcase products and facilitate collaboration across various sales channels. It takes all product data from every distribution channel and centralizes it into one place. As a result, users, such as online retailers, have a structured framework to collect, enrich, and maintain product data, including inventory levels, product descriptions and images, and granular information like attributes and pricing. By consolidating this information into a centralized database, PIM for retailers allows users to ensure completeness, consistency, and accuracy across all channels and touchpoints.
Specifically, the product data management system helps online retailers:
- Improve data quality and accuracy. The right PIM ensures product information is consistent, complete, and up-to-date across all channels. It also eliminates errors, duplicates, and inconsistencies that can harm customer trust and satisfaction.
- Increase operational efficiency and productivity. The system automates and streamlines product information creation, updating, and distribution. It saves time and resources that would otherwise be spent on manual tasks and data silos.
- Enhance customer experience and conversion. PIM enables online retailers to provide rich, relevant, personalized product information that meets customer expectations and preferences and elevates product experience. It also helps them optimize SEO.
- Expand to new markets and channels. eCommerce PIM allows online retailers to easily adapt product information to different languages, currencies, regulations, and formats. It also helps them integrate with various platforms, such as eCommerce sites, marketplaces, POS systems, catalogs, etc.
Types of PIM Systems
PIM systems are distinguished based on the software delivery model. The product information management software is either hosted and delivered online by a third party (SaaS), developed specifically for an individual organization’s requirements and hosted locally (custom-built), or freely available for use, modification, and distribution by anyone and hosted locally (Open Source).
For PIM SaaS systems, a third-party provider takes over all aspects of the platform’s operation, including maintenance, infrastructure, and updates. In return, the clients do not have to install anything on local servers and only pay a regular fee (perhaps a monthly subscription). Then there is the custom-built platform. As the name suggests, this system meets specific product data management objectives through high customization. This also means the organization hosts the software locally, providing more control over the PIM system. Lastly, Open Source achieves most of the goals of custom-built PIM software. The only difference is that developers built the former on a publicly available and freely accessible source code.
Simply put, the different PIM systems give organizations a wide range of options. On the one hand, SaaS PIM solutions offer a convenient and scalable approach. On the other hand, custom-built solutions are tailored to specific needs. It offers a high degree of customization but requires significant development effort. For Open Source PIM systems, organizations get the foundation to build their own PIM solution, offering flexibility and customization options while requiring self-hosting and management responsibilities. Each approach has its benefits and considerations, and organizations must evaluate their requirements, resources, and preferences to choose a PIM solution that is most suitable for their needs. Let’s explore SaaS vs Open Source PIM in more detail and see how it works.
SaaS PIM Solution: Strengths and Weaknesses
Remember that SaaS is when you pay a subscription fee to utilize a PIM created by another company for as long as you keep paying the fee. Alternatively, if you’re extremely fortunate, you might come across one of the few PIM software providers that offer a free version.
The main advantage of adopting a SaaS PIM solution in SaaS vs Open Source PIM is that you don’t need to use resources on an in-house development team. Although this implies less control, it also means making much less effort. Your PIM solution provider is accountable for keeping up with industry standards, being alert to emerging security concerns, and adjusting to emerging channels and technologies. They and their devoted team of developers carry the entire load, which frees up your time and resources.
When you take into account that you’ll also have access to all of the SaaS PIM provider’s prior expertise and knowledge and avoid the potential danger of writing your own code that turns out to be unsuitable, unusable, or risky in terms of data security, it’s a pretty good deal. The fact that other customers are already using the software means that the company already knows what they’re doing and can help you through the implementation process easily, which means that you’ll be able to be up and running a lot faster than with open source or custom-built solutions.
So, when we talk about SaaS vs Open Source Product Information Management Software, SaaS PIM maybe your greatest option if you want to manage your data and expedite your business operations quickly. By doing this, getting set up might only take a few weeks as opposed to as long as it might take you if you decide to construct a system from scratch.
Needless to say, the major disadvantage here is the lack of control over the source code when compared to open source or constructing your own system. A good SaaS PIM solution should provide all of the flexibility and capabilities you require because, as previously stated, they know what most users need. If you want to change something particular about the SaaS PIM, you’ll have to ask the company that provides it to do it for you, and it’s up to them whether or not they accept your request.
Another drawback of SaaS PIM is that organizations experience a lot of hassle when setting the ground rules with the provider. For example, you have to sign contract terms. In this regard, it helps to look into the terms ahead of time, especially the contract’s duration. Most organizations are hesitant to commit for long periods and, thus, avoid signing long-term contracts unless they’re certain they’ve chosen the appropriate provider. Ideally, it would be best to opt for a rolling contract when still experimenting with a PIM tool. That way, you know you’ll only pay for it for as long as needed. Even better, many subscription-based PIM tools in the market have a free trial, a convenient method to test the software’s capabilities and simplicity of use before committing.
Open-Source PIM: Strengths and Weaknesses
If you may recall from our discussion earlier, anyone can get the basic code framework for these PIM systems for free and then customize it to their organization’s needs. This is a very appealing choice for many people. Who wouldn’t be interested in getting anything for free? On the surface, it appears to be a terrific deal, but is it too good to be true? Is Open Source PIM truly costless? The actual question here is whether Open Source PIM is truly free. The short answer is: it depends.
On the one hand, any company can log onto a computer, open a browser, and download the entire source code for the PIM system. They can then add proprietary lines of code to manipulate the platform to address company-specific needs. On the other hand, Open Source PIM eCommerce tools come with an aspect of cost. Like custom-built platforms, you must have an in-house team that can link your organization’s product data management needs with the available code base.
But that is not to say that open source and custom-built PIM platforms are one and the same thing. Instead, with a custom-built system, you essentially build everything from the ground up; with an Open Source PIM, you start with that free framework that someone else has built and then adapt it to your use case. Open source system is easier to get started with than a custom system. But listen to this: open source PIM is still not as quick as getting started with SaaS. However, it may be your ideal platform if you have precise data requirements but don’t want to go the full custom-built path.
Perhaps the icing on the Open Source PIM cake is the support you get from the community. Many individuals work on open source projects – it is unsurprising to find tens of thousands of enthusiasts maintaining the source and weeding out errors. The best thing is that these changes are properly documented and can be evaluated through code repository platforms like GitHub. However, it would be best to exercise a lot of care because this convenience might also be a trap that upends your entire product information management strategy. Open source code should be thoroughly investigated before applying it to your codebase, like most freely accessible things.
Furthermore, Open Source PIM platforms provide sufficient room to exercise independence from proprietary tools. Some of the best free PIM software is built on open source code, but you do not enjoy the autonomy of manipulating the source code in-house. You have complete control over your version if you acquire the source code and then hire an internal or external team to develop it. But you also have the choice to return to the business that created the source code and use their services for customization or maintenance if that’s what you prefer.
On the negative side, PIM is a very technical piece of technology. For this reason, a company may need a lot of outside support (from third parties) to get the platform running. The open source code merely provides the basic framework, and tuning the platform to address the specific organizational needs will take time and money. But if, in addition to eCommerce, your organization is active in software development, you may already have access to a team that can handle the challenge without external help. Otherwise, you may want to engage the original developer of the source code and ask them to complete the setup. Consequently, your organization may end up in the same situation as if it were developing a custom-built PIM system.
And the costs do not stop there. The independence you earn with open source software implies things like updating the system are all on you. If your product data management team requires further customizations, no one else but the organization will take care of them. Not only that, but you, your team, or whoever you contract to customize the source code for the organization will be responsible for addressing security concerns, compliance with data regulations, hosting arrangements, training, debugging, and any other trials and tribulations that life throws on the PIM system’s path. It’s your code, so it’s your responsibility.
Custom-Built Product Information Management System: Strengths and Weaknesses
Besides SaaS vs Open Source PIM, there is also another option, which is custom-build PIM. Custom-built PIM systems are those that organizations develop themselves or hire specialists to build for them. The design and development of the platforms are in the organization’s hands from the ground up to the finishing touches. The company’s unique product data management needs dictate the direction of the build. Logically, your PIM journey will require substantially more work from the start. A custom-built PIM can take up to six times longer to get up and running than an open-source solution. Let’s not even get started on how much faster SaaS could be.
Without a doubt, time is precious in the world of business time. This means the platform is a significant financial investment. People spending months or years developing and maintaining it expect payment. It’s not an unreasonable request on their part, but still, it is something that you need to bear in mind.
But the fact that you’re building everything yourself means you can customize every tiny detail however you like. So, if your organization has specific requirements for how your product information is organized, the type of information you need to store, permission levels, integrations, and so on, a custom-built platform is the ideal PIM solution. Keep in mind that adaptations require time and effort, leading to additional costs on your part.
Developing the PIM in-house ensures your team becomes well-acquainted with every system component. This could be useful for future updates and troubleshooting. Familiarity is vital since no one else uses your program, except if it’s sold elsewhere. By hiring an internal team for the PIM tool, you aren’t reliant on third-party vendors. The source code is yours to use as you see fit in perpetuity, and you have complete control over how it evolves.
SaaS PIM Software vs Open Source vs Custom-Built PIM: A Comparison
Bottom Line
So, what is the best PIM software for you? What’s the best answer to the question: SaaS vs Open Source PIM? The apt answer here is that it depends. For example, if your product catalog includes complicated product information that no existing PIM tool can meet the management needs. An ideal solution is a custom-built system. Consider building a super-specialized warehouse from scratch to ensure it’s suitable for storing your things.
If your storage needs aren’t complex, consider if building a bespoke warehouse for organizing product information is worthwhile. Assess the expense and hassle before deciding on a customized solution. Consider your needs; a pre-existing basic framework may be more practical. Customize or rent space from an aligned entity to meet your needs efficiently. Especially those that you know will take your feedback and consideration when possible.
Above all, consider the following factors when choosing the ideal PIM system for your company:
· Cost: Evaluate each option’s initial investment, ongoing fees, and maintenance expenses.
· Implementation: Consider the time, resources, and expertise required to implement each PIM system successfully.
· Customization: Assess the flexibility, functionality, and ability to customize the PIM system to meet specific business needs and user interface preferences.
· Security: Evaluate the data protection measures, backup procedures, and recovery capabilities each PIM system offers.
· Support: Consider each option’s availability of training resources, documentation, and customer service.
Conclusion: Why Choose Catsy PIM?
Catsy PIM, as a SaaS platform with a highly-ranked customer success team, embodies the essence of a comprehensive PIM solution. Its user-friendly interface ensures a smooth onboarding process for users of all skill levels, promoting seamless integration into daily operations. The convenience of monthly rolling subscriptions provides flexibility, minimizes financial risk, and offers ample growth opportunities. All of this combines to create an ideal PIM solution.
Catsy PIM specializes in B2B eCommerce, addressing unique challenges and needs, and displaying their commitment to this sector. This focus highlights their dedication to providing tailored solutions for this specific market. The platform offers custom attributes, ensuring a tailored approach to managing product data. This capability allows organizations to maintain a competitive edge by effectively catering to their target markets.
Most importantly, in addition to its strong foundation, Catsy PIM recognizes the importance of key distribution channels, enhancing its appeal. Catsy empowers organizations by facilitating efficient and streamlined product information distribution. This allows them to reach customers effectively and capitalize on valuable opportunities.
Experience the power of Catsy PIM and DAM firsthand by scheduling a demo today. Discover how our user-friendly interface, tailored B2B eCommerce solutions, and efficient product information distribution can benefit your organization. Don’t miss this opportunity to revolutionize your product management processes and drive growth. Book your demo now!
Open-source and SaaS PIM solutions have distinct differences. Open-source PIM is built on publicly available and freely accessible source code, while SaaS PIM is a third-party provider that takes over all aspects of the platform’s operation, including maintenance, infrastructure, and updates. Open-source PIM is easier to get started with than a custom-built system, but it may not be as quick as getting started with SaaS. SaaS PIM solutions offer a convenient and scalable approach, while open-source PIM systems give organizations the foundation to build their own PIM solution, offering flexibility and customization.
PIM SaaS is a type of PIM system where a third-party provider takes over all aspects of the platform’s operation, including maintenance, infrastructure, and updates. It frees up an organization’s time and resources, as the provider carries the entire load.
Cloud-based PIM refers to a PIM system that is hosted on a cloud platform and accessed through the internet. It is a type of SaaS PIM solution where a third-party provider takes over all aspects of the platform’s operation, including maintenance, infrastructure, and updates. Cloud-based PIM allows organizations to access their product information from anywhere with an internet connection, without having to install anything on local servers.
It depends on your organization’s specific needs and resources. Open-source PIM systems offer more flexibility and customization but require significant development effort and technical expertise. On the other hand, SaaS PIM solutions offer a convenient and scalable approach but may not be as customizable. Consider factors such as cost, implementation, customization, security, and support when choosing the ideal PIM system for your company.
Yes, it is possible to switch from an open-source PIM system to a SaaS PIM system, or vice versa. However, switching PIM systems can be a complex and time-consuming process, and may require significant development effort and technical expertise. Consider the time, resources, and expertise required to implement each PIM system successfully when making the switch.
