21 Oct Aligning EDI and PIM Strategies Across eCommerce Marketplaces

Marketplaces Are Not One-Size-Fits-All

EDI and PIM Strategies Across eCommerce Marketplaces

Distributors and manufacturers are increasingly selling across a mix of retail, ecommerce, and B2B marketplaces. Each platform has unique expectations, specifications, and workflows. Treating all marketplaces the same can result in operational inefficiency, inaccurate product content, and lost revenue.

Retail marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay demand rich, SEO-friendly product titles, high-quality images, and detailed descriptions optimized for the consumer experience. Ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Adobe Commerce, and BigCommerce require brand consistency, accurate inventory data, and seamless integration with order management and fulfillment systems. Private B2B marketplaces, including Ariba, Coupa, and SupplyForce, rely heavily on EDI to exchange purchase orders, invoices, and confirmations, but still require accurate product content from PIM to meet buyer specifications.

Understanding these nuances is essential for distributors who want to optimize their operations and maximize sales across multiple channels.

Differentiating PIM and EDI in terms of Marketplaces

A common misconception is that all product and transaction data can live in the same system. Static product data: such as descriptions, specifications, images, and certifications reside in a PIM. Transactional data: purchase orders, invoices, and shipment notices reside in an EDI system.

When these systems are misaligned:

Product content may be inconsistent across marketplaces

Orders may be delayed or incorrect

Customer satisfaction can drop due to mismatched information

When properly aligned, PIM and EDI ensure a seamless product-to-cash flow, from creation and enrichment to order fulfillment.

Marketplaces: Best Practices for Alignment

For organizations using Epicor or Infor, aligning PIM and EDI requires careful planning and governance. Key steps include:

Map each marketplace and channel: Define the content and transactional requirements for every platform your organization sells on. This includes file formats, feed specifications, and buyer expectations.

Configure PIM for channel-specific content: Tailor product attributes, variants, and imagery to meet the unique requirements of each channel.

Design EDI workflows to support transactions: Ensure that orders, invoices, and shipping notices are exchanged efficiently, accurately, and in the format required by each partner.

Integrate via APIs or web services: Real-time synchronization between ERP, PIM, EDI, and ecommerce platforms prevents delays and ensures that inventory, pricing, and product information are always current.

Implement governance processes: Define who owns data creation, approval, and publishing responsibilities. Include a cross-functional team with representation from product, marketing, IT, and operations.

This approach ensures that product content is accurate, orders are processed correctly, and marketplaces are served efficiently.

Real-World Marketplaces

Consider a distributor selling both consumer electronics and industrial equipment. Consumer products on Amazon require rich imagery, detailed descriptions, and SEO-optimized titles. Industrial equipment sold on Ariba needs precise specifications and certifications transmitted via EDI to match B2B buyer expectations. Without a unified PIM and EDI strategy, the distributor might publish inaccurate product content to Amazon, causing customer complaints, while also risking delayed or rejected transactions on Ariba.

By aligning PIM and EDI, the distributor can maintain consistency and accuracy across all marketplaces. APIs ensure that inventory levels update in real time, and governance processes prevent workflow bottlenecks.

Governance and Continuous Improvement

Alignment is not a one-time project. Continuous governance is critical:

Cross-functional teams should review data quality, transaction performance, and channel-specific KPIs regularly.

Audits should detect errors in product content or transaction processing early.

Feedback loops should exist to address recurring issues and implement best practices.

This ensures that marketplaces operate efficiently and accurately over time, even as the business scales.

Key Takeaways

Every marketplace has unique requirements. Aligning PIM and EDI strategies ensures that product content is accurate and transactional processes run smoothly. Epicor and Infor ERP systems provide the foundation, but integration and governance unlock their full potential for multi-channel distribution.

Want more information?

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To learn more about our PIM solution, click HERE.

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