If you’re managing hundreds – or even thousands – of product SKUs in a spreadsheet right now, you’ve probably hit the point where finding the right product information feels like searching for a needle in a haystack.
And when you finally locate that product spec, the accompanying images are stored somewhere else entirely.
Except, those images are three versions out of date.
Naturally, this is where a PIM or DAM system could help. But what exactly are they, and which one does your business actually need?
What is a PIM system?
A Product Information Management (PIM) system is a central repository for all product-related data. Think of it as a single source of truth, that replaces those spreadsheets.
If product information is updated once in your PIM, that change automatically flows to everywhere it appears. That includes your website, online catalogue, marketplaces, and any other sales channels.
What does a PIM system store?
- Product names and descriptions
- Pricing information
- Technical specifications
- SKU numbers and inventory details
- Product variants (sizes, colours, materials)
- Product categories
- Translations
What is a DAM system?
A DAM system stores:
- Product photography
- Videos and demos
- Design files
- Logos and brand assets
- Marketing materials
- Line drawings and technical sheets
- Warranty documentation
The real benefit of introducing a
DAM system into your business is that everyone is working from the same pool of approved, up-to-date assets. That way, you don’t have to worry about sales sharing the old logo, or marketing publishing an ad with last season’s product photography!PIM vs DAM: Can you use these systems together?
PIM and DAM aren’t competing systems. They’re designed to work together.
When a PIM system and a DAM system are integrated, the structured product data – like specifications, SKUs, pricing, and descriptions – stored in the PIM can be directly connected with the unstructured media and documents (such as images and technical sheets) stored in the DAM.
This means that when you view a product record in the PIM, you can also access all of its associated assets from the DAM.
When integrated correctly, your product specifications and media live side-by-side in a unified view, enabling teams to pull both data and assets from a consolidated source.
When does your business need a PIM or DAM?
It may be sooner than you think, but different businesses hit the tipping point at different stages. There are warning signs, and you can’t keep using a spreadsheet forever.
Spreadsheets may work for a small number of products, but as you scale (with hundreds, or even thousands of SKUs), they become unreliable. They’re prone to errors like accidental deletions, overwritten data, and file-saving issues. Version control becomes difficult, and it could become unclear which version is current, or who made the latest changes.
There’s no clear audit trail, so it’s hard to keep track of pricing or data changes, and who approved them.
Combined, this could result in costly mistakes (such as inaccurate pricing in a printed catalogue) and wasted time.
PIM vs DAM: Do you need both systems?
It depends on what you’re managing.
If you’re primarily managing product information and data – like specifications, prices, or descriptions – then choose a PIM system. You’ll be able to feed that data to multiple sales channels.
On the other hand, if you’re managing visual assets and brand materials, then choose a DAM system. Especially if your main challenge is organising and finding the right files!
If you’re maintaining a product-heavy website, producing multiple catalogues, or need accurate data and the right images, then you should choose both. It’s that simple.
Some of our clients started with one system and quickly realised they needed both. Thankfully, both systems work together seamlessly, and the combined benefit outweighs running them separately.
What else can PIM systems and DAM systems do?
PIM and DAM are designed to power much more than just print. It does make managing your catalogue much easier, too.
A PIM system can send accurate, real-time product information to your eCommerce website, online marketplaces and shopping feeds, distributor portals, and quote systems. Similarly, a DAM system can supply digital assets for marketing campaigns, social media posts, email marketing broadcasts, direct mail, retail displays, and even packaging.
Together, PIM and DAM functions as a core system for your business, to ensure everyone has access to accurate, consistent product information and assets, across all customer touchpoints.
What should you be asking potential PIM or DAM vendors?
If you’re looking at introducing a PIM or DAM system into your business, here are some questions we’d recommend asking:
- What’s the total cost? Not just for licensing the system, but implementation, training, and ongoing support for your team.
- How long does implementation take? Migrating your product information or digital assets into a PIM or DAM is not an overnight solution. Choose a vendor that plans the implementation end-to-end.
- Do you use these systems yourselves? We use our PIM and DAM every day. Whichever vendor you choose should do the same. Experience is important when things aren’t going to plan!
- What’s included in support? Can you pick up the phone, or would they prefer support tickets over email? What’s the average response time? When a deadline is looming, you need to know there’s someone to help you.
- What happens to our data if we leave? You should be able to export your data easily if needed. Lock-in is a real concern.
PIM vs DAM: Frequently asked questions
Can small businesses benefit from PIM and DAM, or are they just for enterprises?
The real question should be: Are you spending too much time managing product information, instead of selling products? A small business managing 300 SKUs across multiple sales channels faces a similar challenge to a larger competitor.
What if we only have 100 products?
Do those 100 products appear across multiple channels, or do you have plans to scale in the future? If the answer to either of those questions is “yes,” then it’s worth looking into a PIM or DAM system. Trust us, the best time to implement one – or both – of these systems is before your existing solution becomes unmanageable.
Which should we implement first if we can do only one?
It’s not a case of PIM vs DAM. It depends on your biggest pain point. If you have more products than assets, then choose a PIM system. If you’re managing more brand and marketing assets, then you should opt for a DAM system. And, if you’re managing both a lot of products and a lot of assets, then you probably need both systems working together.
In short, if your team is spending more than 10 minutes per day searching for assets or product information, both systems will pay for themselves in time savings alone.
Are you ready to discuss your product management challenges?
Managing product information and digital assets doesn’t have to be a time drain for your business.
Whether you’re managing 200 SKUs in a spreadsheet or 2,000 across multiple channels, we’re here to help. Our team understands both the technical and practical sides of PIM and DAM systems. As we’ve already said, we use them ourselves, every day!