Managing product data is getting increasingly difficult.
And, it’s no surprise. When your team has to navigate multiple files, email threads, and final versions to get to the source of truth for your products, what should be a simple task can quickly escalate into an entire afternoon.
The frustration is real, and – unfortunately – not going away anytime soon.
We’ve worked with plenty of businesses facing exactly this challenge. Having systems in place – like Product Information Management (PIM) and Digital Asset Management (DAM) – can help you overcome it. PIM and DAM aren’t just fancy acronyms for your business. They’re practical solutions that will transform how you handle product information and digital assets across your business.
But, if you still need convincing about the benefits of organised product data, here are some key statistics that prove it isn’t optional anymore:
Almost 20% of employee time is spent searching for files
We’re starting strong, with reports showing that employees spend an average of 19% of their workweek looking for files. That’s the equivalent of one full day every week! If your team is spending their time hunting through folders and asking each other “where’s the latest version?” instead of doing productive work, you’re effectively losing the equivalent of one full-time employee to an inefficient process throughout a year.
99% of B2B business leaders face product information challenges
If you feel like your data has a mind of its own, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Nearly every business struggles with keeping product data accurate, up-to-date, and accessible where it’s needed. With nearly all B2B business leaders facing at least one product information challenge, it’s clear this isn’t a problem that exclusively affects disorganised companies!
Implementing a DAM system could give you a 310% ROI
Implementing a Digital Asset Management system can be hugely beneficial for businesses. In fact, for every pound spent on your system, you could see a £3.10 return. Not only do the returns come from being able to eliminate duplicate work and reducing errors, but you’re also freeing up your team’s time for activities that drive revenue.
Having a DAM is also crucial for brand consistency – ensuring your sales and marketing teams only use approved, up-to-date assets. Using outdated marketing collateral can undermine your reputation and confuse customers, which will directly impact your bottom line.
Over 80% of employees will recreate assets they can't find
If your team can’t locate the original product photo or brand guideline, they’re likely to start again.
A recent study suggests that 83% of employees have had to recreate a document that already existed. Why? Because they were unable to find the original. Not only is duplicating work expensive, it’s also causing a productivity void within your organisation, when your team could be creating new collateral.
DAM can reduce asset creation costs by almost 30%
Think about all the digital assets sitting in your business right now. How many stock photos have you paid for, but never used? How much storage space is occupied by duplicate files that serve no purpose? Where is the image for the new product launch? Without proper organisation, your business could be wasting money creating assets that it already has.
A DAM system eliminates this waste by giving you visibility over what you already have. Instead of buying new stock images or commissioning fresh photography, teams can quickly locate existing assets that fit their needs – which can help reduce the cost of asset creation by 28%.
The PIM system market is growing at 16.7% annually
The global Product Information Management market is expected to be worth up to £24.5bn ($32.84bn) by 2030. It’s a rapidly growing market that reflects the increased business demand for increased productivity, and improved product and data management.
In addition to this, the UK’s PIM market is also growing rapidly, driven primarily by sustainability demands from consumers. This is pushing businesses – especially in fashion, retail, and consumer goods – to adopt PIM systems that can track and communicate product origins, materials, and manufacturing processes.
Only 50% of companies use dedicated PIM systems
Despite the clear advantages of utilising a PIM system, half of businesses still manage their product information manually – whether through spreadsheets or other processes.
For some businesses, this means launching products is faster, changes can be responded to quickly, and teams are able to prioritise strategic work. For others, they’re still stuck in endless email chains trying to find the latest product specifications.
We know which approach we’d prefer!
Creatives spend over 30% of their time searching for assets
Is there anything more frustrating than knowing where an asset should be… only to find it isn’t there?
Your design and marketing teams should be creating compelling content. Instead, they’re playing digital detective – with some employees spending almost 2 hours per day searching for and gathering information – with over 5 hours a week dedicated solely to finding documents. When assets are scattered across different systems, creative work quickly feels more like admin.
Nearly half of marketers have faced content delays due to digital disorganisation
41% of marketing teams have experienced content delays simply because they couldn’t find the assets they needed.
Campaign launches get pushed back, deadlines slip, and teams waste hours on digital treasure hunts instead of creative work. A DAM system can minimise these delays by making sure approved assets are always accessible when teams need them.
Which leads us nicely onto…
DAM systems improve project delivery by 35%
When teams can quickly access the right assets at the right time, projects move faster from concept to completion – by up to 35%, according to some reports..
Digital Asset Management eliminates the friction that can slow down projects – no more waiting for approvals on outdated files, or recreating assets that already exist. These time savings can quickly compound, too. What used to take weeks can now happen in days!
FAQs about PIM and DAM
- What’s the difference between PIM and DAM systems?
PIM manages product information – descriptions, specifications, pricing, availability. DAM handles digital files – images, videos, documents, brand assets. Most businesses benefit from both working together as an integrated system.
- How long does implementation typically take?
Most PIM and DAM projects take 3-6 months, depending on how much data you’re organising. The initial investment in getting everything structured properly pays dividends for years.
- Can smaller businesses justify the cost?
Absolutely. Even companies with a few hundred products see immediate efficiency gains. The time savings alone often covers the investment – and that’s before you factor in reduced errors and faster launches.
- What happens to existing data during setup?
Data migration is part of the implementation process. Your existing information gets cleaned up, duplicates removed, and everything transfers to the new organised system. Nothing gets lost, but plenty of clutter gets eliminated.
Are you ready to wave goodbye to chaotic data?
These statistics show what we see, working with our clients, every day.
Organised product information and accessible digital assets aren’t just nice-to-have anymore. It forms an integral part of your business’ digital infrastructure.
Having PIM and DAM systems in place reduces the time wasted searching for files, reduces errors from outdated information, and frees up your team to focus on strategic work that can drive revenue and growth.
