PIM – software for writing your own product descriptions
As the number of products you sell grows, managing the product database gets harder. It becomes increasingly difficult to keep prices up to date, maintain relations between complementary products and organise the work of writing your own product descriptions. Unfortunately, most ERP systems on the market don’t support advanced product descriptions or offer tools for organising work on large and very large product ranges. PIM lets you manage your product database using attributes you define yourself, set prices automatically, manage the process of writing product descriptions and define advanced relations between products — without replacing your existing system. PIM integrates seamlessly with the COMARCH XL product catalogue or any other open ERP system, as well as with any open e-commerce platform.
Benefits at a glance
Business security
You can control which fields each copywriter can access. PIM tracks changes made by every user and gives you control over the description process, including the order in which products are described.
Automation and efficiency
New products can be imported from the ERP system. Defined attributes are assigned to product categories, and you can mark “required attributes” that must be filled in before a product is approved. You can also set up permanent relations between products based on defined rules.
Additional benefits
Significant savings in the time and effort needed to add new products. Faster product search thanks to custom attributes. Easier cross-selling of complementary products thanks to product relations. Advanced automatic price management (integration with XSHAKER). Better search engine visibility for your shop thanks to unique, original descriptions.
PIM features
Product attributes
PIM lets you describe products using attributes you define yourself. This not only allows precise descriptions of product parameters and properties, but also enables advanced searching (filtering) by any chosen parameter. Every attribute has a type (text, integer, decimal, boolean, dictionary value, image, other), which lets the system validate data entered by copywriters. You can also mark “required attributes” that must be completed before a description is approved. Attributes can be organised into “attribute groups” to keep the user interface clear. Attributes and groups can be modified after descriptions have been entered, so product content can grow over time. PIM can also create “virtual attributes” — for example, product descriptions assembled automatically from attributes using templates for each product group. This is especially useful for SEO content: valuable descriptions containing the keywords and phrases customers actually use in search engines.
Adding products and writing descriptions
Products are organised by product type (e.g. TVs, washing machines), each with its own set of attributes. Products to be described can be added manually or imported automatically from COMARCH XL. While products are being described, the system validates the data entered. You can add multiple photos to a product, as well as links to product presentations and videos. PIM gives you full control over the description process thanks to built-in moderation mechanisms: users only have access to the data they are responsible for (for example, copywriters writing text descriptions cannot change product attributes). The system can also set priorities for the order in which products are described, based on business needs.
Relations between products and accessories
PIM supports advanced definitions of relations between main products and complementary products (e.g. accessories) or similar products (with similar key attributes). Three types of relations can be defined: by shared dictionary attributes (e.g. camera > filter diameter > lens filter),
by conditions (e.g. digital camera (all brands) > battery (all brands) when the camera is powered by AA batteries > link all AA batteries),
by product codes (e.g. 77474 Bosch BSGL3015 vacuum cleaner > 39383 Bosch BSGL3015 vacuum bag). Once set up, relation rules work automatically for all new products, with no tedious manual mapping of matching products. This significantly shortens the time needed to add new products and eliminates incorrect relations created by copywriters.
Integration with COMARCH XL and other ERP systems
The integration lets users view full product data (attributes, photos, files) directly in COMARCH XL (product catalogue), both in stores and at head office. Product attributes can also be placed on custom printouts for customers, together with information about the store and website. PIM also picks up new products from COMARCH XL and queues them for description. During implementation we can integrate PIM with any open ERP system.
Automatic pricing
PIM works in full integration with our automatic price management system, XSHAKER. Automatic pricing is based on: the product purchase price taken from the central system, how long the product has been in stock (optional), the manufacturer (optional), the target margins set by the shop (percentage or fixed) and current competitor prices. XSHAKER runs unattended but requires a 24/7 internet connection. The only time-consuming part is configuring the program correctly and defining the right pricing rules.
Price labels
Based on product attributes, PIM can create price labels that can be printed in the store.
System details
Product attributes
PIM lets you create attributes dynamically. Every attribute has a type (text, integer, decimal, boolean, dictionary value, image, other), which lets the system validate data entered by copywriters. You can also mark “required attributes” that must be completed before a description is approved. Attributes can be organised into “attribute groups” to keep the user interface clear. Attributes and groups can be modified after descriptions have been entered, so product content can grow over time. PIM can create virtual attributes, e.g. product descriptions assembled automatically from attributes using templates for each product group.
Products
Products are organised by product type (e.g. TVs, washing machines), each with its own set of attributes. Products to be described can be added manually or imported automatically from COMARCH XL. The system validates data as products are described. You can add multiple photos to a product, as well as links to product presentations and videos.
Accessories and product relations
PIM lets you define product relations:
- by shared dictionary attributes (e.g. camera > filter diameter > lens filter)
- by conditions (e.g. digital camera (all brands) > battery (all brands) when the camera is powered by AA batteries — link all AA batteries)
- by product codes (e.g. 77474 Bosch BSGL3015 vacuum cleaner > 39383 Bosch BSGL3015 vacuum bag)
Once set up, relation rules work for all new products, with no tedious manual mapping. Product relations make it possible to suggest accessories when selling main products.
Description workflow and user permissions
PIM gives you full control over the product description process, with built-in moderation mechanisms. Users have permissions that limit their access to the data being described. The system can also prioritise the order in which products are described, based on business needs.
Price labels
Based on product attributes, PIM can create price labels that can be printed in the store.
Automatic pricing
Automatic pricing in integration with XSHAKER provides:
- Business security — the system never sets a price below the thresholds defined by management
- Fast reaction to competitors — when a competitor changes a price, our system automatically adjusts your selling price
- Savings on staff time — in our experience one person can manually update about 1,000 prices; our system can price any number of products automatically
- No unnecessary loss of margin — if you sell a product too cheaply compared to competitors, the system automatically raises the price
The selling price is set automatically based on:
- the purchase price taken from the client’s system
- how long the product has been in stock (optional)
- the manufacturer (optional)
- target margins set by the shop (percentage or fixed)
- current competitor prices.
You can create any number of price lists and activate them on a schedule — for example, different prices at weekends than on weekdays, or price lists active at certain hours to run “happy hour” promotions. Another important feature is the analysis of top products in selected categories, showing which products in your industry are most popular online.
