In a recent video, Stephan Spijkers and Chris Jobse (founders of PIMvendors.com) sat down with Luc Smeets (Managing Director of KatanaPIM) to talk about one thing: how product data changes as it moves through the value chain.

From manufacturer to retailer, everyone touches the data. But not everyone uses it the same way.

‍

The evolution of product data

Product data used to be simple.

Retailers were the first to really adopt PIM, mainly because they had to deal with large and complex catalogs. Back then, if you received basic data like height, width, and length from a wholesaler, that was enough.

Not anymore.

Today, everything moves faster. Requirements change constantly. Regulations evolve. Channels demand more.

As Chris Jobse puts it:
“The world is moving faster now than once every six months, and that makes it difficult... you are by definition lagging behind with legislation and practice”

Because of this shift, product data is no longer something you pass along. Every player in the chain now needs to actively manage it.

Different roles, different needs

Everyone uses PIM. But the reason why differs.

Manufacturers and brands
They focus on brand ownership. Especially larger brands.

Many start with a DAM system to control how their brand looks and feels. As Chris explains:
“They were very strong as a brand... they started more with a DAM... so that the retailer ultimately had to use that”

Wholesalers
They act as the middle layer.

They collect product data from multiple brands and turn it into something usable for the market. Think of them as the translators of the chain.

Retailers
They deal with the biggest challenge.

They receive data from everywhere — PDFs, emails, spreadsheets — and have to turn it into something structured. At the same time, they are the closest to the customer.

So if the data is incomplete or just bad, they pay the price.

The challenge of standards and the 80/20 rule

You might think central data standards solve this.

In reality, it’s not that simple.

According to the experts, systems like GS1 often move too slowly. They become “political processes” that can’t keep up with how fast ecommerce evolves.

Instead, standards are often set by big players like Amazon or Bol.com.

So how should you look at your product data?

Split it into two parts:

The 80%
Basic, non-competitive data like logistics. This can be standardized and shared.

The 20%
The part that actually makes you stand out. Your content, your storytelling, your unique product information.

This is where you win (or lose).

A shared objective across the chain

Even though every player has a different role, the goal is the same.

Luc Smeets explains it clearly:
“You just want to make your products as beautiful as possible for the next step in that chain. Because those are just your customers... the people who need your products”

It’s all about passing the baton.

Making sure the next step in the chain has everything they need to sell your product successfully.

Expert advice for your PIM journey

If you want to improve your product data setup, keep it simple.

Work backwards
Start with where your data needs to end up. Then define what you actually need.

Not the other way around.

Leverage branch organisations
These groups look at the full value chain and help smaller players move faster.

👉 Want to see how a PIM helps you take control of your product data? Try it yourself or book a demo.