During a recent demo with one of the fastest-growing retail organizations in the Benelux, our team got a front-row seat to the challenges that come with success. The company, operating multiple physical stores and a booming online shop, has been growing so quickly that their tech stack simply can’t keep up anymore.

‍“We’re in a kind of rocket. But if we pull a string on the left, everything collapses on the right.”

This conversation, open, practical, and very real, perfectly shows why so many mid-sized businesses reach that point where a Product Information Management (PIM) system stops being a “nice-to-have” and becomes a necessity.

Outgrowing their systems

Most of their product data—about 80 to 90%—is buried in their WooCommerce setup. The rest? Scattered across files and folders with no real ownership. Their IT environment has become fragile and unpredictable. One wrong move can break something else entirely.

“All our product data sits in one place where everyone’s an admin. I can’t even say what the truth is anymore.”

It’s not just about convenience—it’s about risk. Without a single, reliable source of product information, their team can’t guarantee data quality or even trust what’s in front of them.

Wanting stability before scaling further

Despite the chaos, the company has big ambitions. They’re planning to grow across multiple sales channels: a Dutch and Belgian webshop, new marketplaces, and even a B2B wholesale platform. But they also realize that before expanding, they need a solid foundation.

“We first need to get things organized. If we don’t get our data straight, the next move will be ten times harder.”

It’s a mindset more businesses could benefit from. Growth isn’t just about adding more—it’s about being ready for more.

Learning from past experience

This isn’t their first time dealing with a PIM. One of the team members had already implemented a PIM solution in a previous company and learned that success doesn’t depend only on the software but on how you prepare for it.

“The process is much more important than the application. You have to get your data right first—only then can you scale.”

That lesson stuck. It’s why their approach this time is methodical. They want to structure their product data, define responsibilities, and ensure everyone works with the same truth before any system goes live.

Finding the right fit

For companies like this, the right PIM solution needs to strike a balance: powerful enough to handle complexity, but simple enough to actually use. KatanaPIM fits that balance perfectly.

It’s designed for growing businesses that have outgrown their spreadsheets and ecommerce backends but aren’t looking for heavy, enterprise-level software. With a ready-to-use setup and an intuitive interface, it gives teams structure without slowing them down.

• Single source of truth: KatanaPIM centralizes all product data in one secure place, giving full control over who can edit what.
• Smarter data structure: With parent–child relationships and data inheritance, teams can manage product variants more efficiently.
• Custom workflows: Validation steps like Basic → Content → SEO help ensure products are always complete before publication.
• Open ecosystem: Easy integrations with existing tools and middleware let companies connect their entire stack without custom development.
• Scalable pricing: Based on SKUs, users, and languages—so businesses only pay for what they actually use.

This combination gives growing organizations exactly what they need: a simple way to bring order to their data, improve collaboration across teams, and prepare for long-term scalability.

Building towards future growth

The company now stands at a turning point. They know they can’t keep running at full speed with an unstable setup, and they also know the solution isn’t a quick fix. It’s a long-term investment in how they manage, enrich, and distribute their data.

With a PIM like KatanaPIM in place, their product data can finally become what it was meant to be: a reliable, scalable foundation for growth. Instead of worrying about where information lives or who last updated it, their team can focus on expanding—confident that their data will keep up with their ambitions.

Why this story matters

This was a real, honest conversation about what happens when growth moves faster than structure — something many companies can relate to.

What stood out most was the mindset shift: realizing that clean, centralized product data isn’t just about efficiency; it’s the foundation for every next step — new platforms, new channels, and long-term stability.

As this company continues its journey, one thing is clear: organizing your product information today sets you up for smooth growth tomorrow.

Curious how a PIM could help you get your product data under control?
👉 Book a demo or Try KatanaPIM for free