Mark Chickering
Articles
Best PIM Software for Shopify in 2026
Shopify handles products well until the catalog outgrows it. Variants pile up, supplier files arrive in different formats, a second store needs the same products with different content, and spreadsheets become the real system of record. That is the p...
Mark Chickering
Jewelry Product Catalog Software: Managing Product Data, Line Sheets and B2B Catalogs
One engagement ring design can come in three metals, four center-stone weights and twelve ring sizes. Add natural and lab-grown versions, a wholesale price for boutiques and a separate price list for Europe, and a single design turns into hundreds of...
Mark Chickering
Beauty and Cosmetics Product Data Management: A PIM Guide for Brands
A lipstick launches in 20 shades. Each shade has its own barcode, swatch, product photo, shade description and stock status, and every retailer wants that information in a different spreadsheet. Six months later the brand adds a matte version and a m...
Mark Chickering
Food and Beverage Product Data Management: A Practical Guide for Brands and Distributors
A granola bar recipe changes: almonds replace cashews. The new label goes to print, but the allergen statement on your website, the spec sheet your distributor uses and the listing on an online grocery site still say "contains cashews." Nobody made a...
Mark Chickering
Multichannel Ecommerce Software: A Practical Guide
A shopper finds your product on Amazon, checks the price in your Shopify store and buys it on Walmart. Behind that one purchase sit three listings, one pool of stock and a product description that has to match everywhere. Multichannel ecommerce softw...
Mark Chickering
Automotive Aftermarket PIM Software Guide
An aftermarket brake rotor can fit dozens of vehicles, replace three older part numbers, ship in two package sizes and need a California warning label. Multiply that by 20,000 SKUs, and the spreadsheet that used to run your catalog starts sending cus...
Mark Chickering
Implementing a PIM: Detailed Steps
PIM implementation is the process of moving your product data into a product information management system, structuring it, connecting the PIM to your ERP, ecommerce platform, and sales channels, and getting your team to work in it every day. For a s...
Mark Chickering
Online Retail Distribution Channels: 2026 Guide, Examples and Trends
If you're looking to boost sales, choosing the right distribution channel is critical. A distribution channel is the path products take from manufacturer to end consumer. This includes all intermediaries, processes, and touchpoints involved in del...
Mark Chickering
Cloud-Based PIM: How to Centralize Product Data and Cut Errors
A product launch gets delayed by three weeks because marketing and supply chain teams pull specs from different versions of a master spreadsheet. When someone overwrites the weight metric on a flagship SKU, the resulting checkout error requires manua...
Mark Chickering
What Does It Mean to Normalize Data? A Comprehensive Guide
Data normalization is the process of organizing database information to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity. In simple terms, it's about structuring your data so each piece of information is stored once and can be easily accessed when needed...
Mark Chickering
What is a GTIN Number? Complete Guide for E-commerce & Retail
A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a unique numeric identifier assigned to products for tracking and sales worldwide. Every barcode you scan at checkout contains a GTIN that helps retailers, manufacturers, and supply chains identify and manage prod...
Mark Chickering
Boosting eCommerce: Product Information Management Software
Your product manager just updated the price on your website. Two hours later, a customer calls: "Amazon shows a different price!" Meanwhile, your print catalog from last month lists yet another number. Three channels, three different prices for the s...
Mark Chickering
What is a SKU? A Comprehensive Guide for Retail Success
Warehouse. 2 A.M. Customer wants a red hoodie, medium size. You're digging through boxes like an archaeologist hunting treasure. Every retailer knows this nightmare. SKU numbers end it. Twenty years in retail taught me this: SKUs separate winners...
Mark Chickering
Product Development Life Cycle: Your Path to Success
Have you ever been to an amusement park and seen a glass blower creating collectible spun glass figurines? It's mesmerizing, isn't it? The process is not so different from the Product development life cycle. You start with an idea that is raw and...
Mark Chickering
Driving eCommerce Growth: A Comprehensive Guide to PIM
Lost in a maze of product attributes, data, digital assets, and marketing jargon? Not sure how to manage your product catalog? Fear not! PIM is here to be your guide through this overwhelming labyrinth of information. No longer are you stumbling t...
Mark Chickering
PIM System Speed: A Comprehensive Guide to Enhancing Product Information Management
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, speed is not just a luxury but a necessity, especially when it comes to SaaS Product Information Management (PIM) systems. These platforms serve as the backbone for managing your product data, from basic d...
Mark Chickering
Product Information Management (PIM) System: A Comprehensive Guide
What is a Product Information Management (PIM) System? A Product Information Management (PIM) system is a business application designed to manage all the product information and attributes required to market and sell products through various distr...
Mark Chickering
5 Key Use Cases for Implementing a PIM
Choosing a PIM system is a significant investment, and understanding specific use cases can help you identify whether PIM is right for your business. While every organization has unique needs, certain scenarios consistently demonstrate PIM's transfor...
Mark Chickering
Top 10 mistakes when implementing a PIM for eCommerce.
Product Information Management Systems (PIM) are crucial tools in the world of eCommerce. They serve as a centralized platform for managing all the data, content, and other information related to a company's products. What is a PIM? A PIM i...
Mark Chickering
Introduction to PIM and PCM
A brief explanation of what a PIM (Product Information Management) and a PCM (Product Content Management) are and their roles in e-commerce and product management. Understanding PIM and PCM Product Information Management (PIM) and Product Conte...
Mark Chickering
What Are Product Attributes in a PIM? Complete Guide
Browse for a laptop online and you'll face thousands of options. What helps you narrow them down? Product attributes - specific details like screen size, RAM, and weight. Understanding how these characteristics work in a Product Information Managemen...
Mark Chickering
Understanding Brand Portals
Summary In this video, I walk you through the concept of brand portals using a real customer's data. We explore how brand portals can be configured to share product data effectively, including options for downloading images and product details. I...
Mark Chickering
Streamlining Data Management with PIMInto PIM
Summary In this video, I explain how the PIMInto PIM simplifies data management, especially for those transitioning from spreadsheets. Many customers appreciate the column editing feature, which mimics the familiar spreadsheet format, making it ea...
Mark Chickering
PIMinto: The Ultimate Solution for Managing Product Data Efficiently
Summary In this video I walk through a whirlwind of features that come standard with paid PIMinto subscriptions and demonstrate why managing product data across multiple spreadsheets and files is chaotic—but PIMinto brings order to the madness. I...
Mark Chickering
Unlocking AI's potential in PIM
Summary In this video, I discuss how AI can significantly streamline our work processes, particularly in normalizing PIM data for a better e-commerce experience. I share examples of AI assistants I've used in PIMinto, such as those for translation...
Mark Chickering
Rollback Product Information in your PIM
Summary In this video, I walk you through the rollback feature in PIMinto PIM, specifically how to recover deleted data. I demonstrate the process using a brown duffel bag example, where I deleted the product's French description. Thankfully in ou...
Mark Chickering
AI Creates Product Names & Descriptions from Photos
Summary AI just created engaging product names and descriptions for my ecommerce store using product photos. Let me show you how! As a business owner that is focused on selling online, you know how time consuming generating compelling product nam...
Mark Chickering
Shocking PIM Discovery
Summary I was really shocked to discover that many expensive PIM applications don't work on mobile devices, making it impossible to edit product data on the go. This is a huge issue, especially if you find inaccuracies while away from your desk. W...