6 Steps in Implementing eCommerce Product Data Management

As an eCommerce business, you likely sell plenty of products online and consistently work to get the attention of potential customers. But what if we told you that you could improve your product listings and, in turn, the customer experience with product data management (PDM)? 

Product data management allows you to organise and collect product-related information to better serve your digital customers. In this deep-dive article, we’ll cover the ins and outs of PDM and the steps you can take to implement your own data management strategy. 

What is eCommerce Product Data Management?

We’ve covered the basics of product data management, but let’s take a closer look at what it entails. 

eCommerce PDM is the organisation of information about all the products that you sell in your online store. You’ll automatically hold data about your product pages, descriptions, prices, product images, and inventory statuses – PDM helps you keep all this information catalogued. 

Think of PDM as similar to organising a physical store. Running a storefront requires that customers can access all your products quickly, and understand what they’re buying. As an eCommerce store owner, you also need to ensure that all your product information is well-organised and formatted in an easily accessible way. 

Setting up your eCommerce product data management system is easy, depending on your setup. If you only run one online store, you can use software to collect and store all relevant data. Like many other entrepreneurs, you may have diversified your store across multiple channels like Amazon or eBay. If so, you’ll need to use data integration tools. 

Don’t worry about the setup process; we’ll cover all this later in the article.

How does eCommerce Product Data Management work?

eCommerce product data management typically stores all the data you gather from suppliers and manufacturers into one centralised system. Think of it as a database for all your product information. 

You can create this in Excel and use SQL Pivot row to columns to categorise your data by colour and price or use third-party software to do it for you.  

Here’s the information typically stored in an eCommerce product database:

• Specifications of the product
• Descriptions of the product
• Availability of products at present
• Details about the products provided by suppliers
• Information regarding the numbering system for products
• Instructions and data related to manufacturing

What are the benefits of practising good eCommerce Product Data Management?

Well, a PDM improves the overall shopping experience for your customers. When your product pages are well-organised and accurate, it’s far easier for customers to find what they’re looking for and trust the information you’re providing them. The more confidence your customers have in your eCommerce business, the more sales you will likely secure. 

Keeping your product data clear and structured can help you improve how customers navigate your store. Customers can discover products they may be interested in and will be more likely to add multiple items to their basket, driving up your sales figures. 

Managing your product data can also help you improve your internal processes like inventory management or order fulfilment. With fewer errors and lower costs, your eCommerce business will run smoother than ever.

The 6 steps to implementing eCommerce Product Data Management

Now you’re well-versed in eCommerce product data management, let’s take a look at how you can implement your own strategy from the ground up.

1. Assess how you currently store your Data

Before you begin, you should evaluate how you store your existing data and all your management practices. Draft a document outlining how you currently collect and store your product data and what systems and channels you use. If you’ve done compliance audits in the past, you can use previous information gathered to research your data storage methods. 

Look for any inconsistencies in your current processes that might be impacting the accuracy of your current product data. This will help you improve your strategy moving forward. 

2. Define your Data needs

Once you’ve thoroughly assessed how you store all your current product data, you can start to outline what your business needs regarding data collection. You should begin to identify all the crucial parts of your product data. Think descriptions, images, pricing, and categorisation. 

If customer service is the main motivation behind product data management, the above elements are essentially for presenting your products well to customers. You can collect all the data you need using an ETL pipeline.

Create clear criteria and instructions on organising and displaying your product data consistently across all your channels, whether you have your own website or advertise your products on selling platforms like Amazon and eBay. 

3. Choose a PDM solution

It’s time to choose a PDM solution that works for your eCommerce business. Before deciding, consider the solution’s scalability and integration ability with your other software. 

The solution you choose needs to align with your long-term goals and can adapt and grow with the demands of your business. This is especially important as you begin to scale your business. 

4. Implement Data Governance

You don’t want your product data to fall into the wrong hands, so developing a data governance policy is key. If you have employees or are a one-person operation, you should still define the roles and responsibilities when managing your data’s integrity. 
As an eCommerce business, you’ve probably already undergone workplace digitalisation and understand the importance of keeping data safe. Remember to implement data validation checks and leave audit trails to ensure that all your product data is accurate and that you prevent unauthorised access.

5. Migrate your Product Data to your PDM system

Once you’ve chosen a PDM system and got to grips with how it works, you can transfer your current product data. If it has integration options, you can also connect the PDM software to other systems – for instance, you may have Enterprise Resource Planning software or multiple online platforms on different sites.

Ensure that the data migration happens smoothly by aligning all the data fields correctly and ensuring they’re accurate.

6. Host Training Sessions for yourself and your employees

If you have employees or are in charge of all aspects of your eCommerce business, including data management, you’ll need to set up some training and guidance on using the PDM system.

If you’ve trained yourself to use the system, you can host interactive training sessions and provide user guides to assist your employees when migrating data. Rather than leaving your employees in the dark, you need to foster a culture of learning and growth so they feel comfortable handling your company’s sensitive information and dealing with all your marketplaces.

If you’re the only employee, you might want to ask the business behind the PDM system you chose to provide comprehensive training material so you can get to grips with the software.

Master your eCommerce Data with Product Data Management today

You’ve reached the end of the article and are now ready to manage your eCommerce business’s complex world of product data. You can use all the knowledge you’ve learned to improve how you run your online retail business.

By following the six essential steps outlined in this guide, you’re ready to improve your product listings, enhance the customer experience, and achieve remarkable growth for your business.

As an eCommerce entrepreneur, you likely understand how crucial product data is for the success of your online store. With effective PDM practices in place, you can ensure that your product information is consistent and shown to customers in a compelling way that speaks positively to your digital audience.

By evaluating your current data practices and identifying what you need to get out of your data, you can establish a solid foundation for developing a PDM strategy that works for your eCommerce business.

Selecting the appropriate PDM solution and ensuring you stay on top of your data security measures further strengthens your data infrastructure and will help to safeguard it against security risks while ensuring you stay compliant with eCommerce data regulations.