Managing complex product catalogs with many attributes and relationships between products could be a real challenge for any business without the right software at hand. The more complex the product is, the more variants it tends to have. For example, while simple toothbrushes might have a few variants, complex products, like wired earbuds or LED flashlights, have additional features or design elements and, therefore, more variants that form more complex hierarchies. When we combine that with multiple sales channels where those products are presented to the customers, managing this amount of intertwined product data requires additional software. This is where the Product Information Management System (PIM) comes into play and saves everyone (provided it is suitable for managing intricate product structures and relationships).

Why using hierarchies functionality is good for product data management?

Product hierarchies help organize complex product structures by organizing their different variants. They save time by allowing shared information to be inherited across multiple levels. When updating an attribute at a higher level, the change automatically applies to all lower levels. For example, if you are a clothing clothing brand with a "T-Shirts" category and want to update the material to "100% Cotton" at the category level, this update automatically applies to every T-Shirt variant, such as different sizes (Small, Medium, Large) or colors (Red, Blue, Black). This is much quicker than updating each variant individually. Attributes that don’t create variants (like size) can still be assigned individually. This functionality also reduces the time and effort needed to describe products, as shared details are efficiently passed down through the hierarchy for generating and updating quality product descriptions.

Key Features to Look for in a PIM for Complex Hierarchies

• Complex product structures organize products into categories, subcategories, and multiple levels, making it easier to manage large, complex catalogs.
• Multi-level product hierarchies organize products into multiple levels, such as main categories, subcategories, and further subdivisions
• Parent-child product relationships allow for the inheritance of attributes from parent-to-child entities and the flexibility to modify attributes at any level of the hierarchy.
• Management of product variants (e.g., size, color, material), and the ability to group variants under a single parent product.
• Customizable attribute distribution to control which attributes are inherited or overridden at different hierarchy levels.
• Detailed control over product attributes for distinct product levels.
• Support for creating product bundles as hierarchical entities.
• Dynamic hierarchy updates such as automatic updates to child entities when parent attributes or structures change.
• Hierarchical taxonomy management for categories and subcategories.
• Visualization and navigation tools for visual representation of product hierarchies to simplify navigation and editing.
• Expandable tree structures or drag-and-drop tools for hierarchy creation and modification.
• Integration of hierarchies with sales channels.

Key Features for Complex Product Structures

• Cross-category relationships between products from different categories, like accessories or complementary items, help with upselling and cross-selling.
• Managing additional product data:
  • Digital assets (storing images, videos, and manuals related to products).
  • Technical details (information like size, weight, and material).
  • Localization (translations and region-specific details for different markets).
  • Pricing and promotions (managing discounts, special offers, and different pricing tiers).
  • Inventory details (tracking stock levels and product availability).
  • Compliance information (keeping track of certifications, safety data, and legal requirements).

Choosing the PIM with Complex Product Hierarchies and Structures Functionality

Not all PIMs are suited for managing complex product hierarchies effectively. Some PIM systems only allow managing limited structures, which is not enough for businesses with complex product relationships.

The suitable PIM software should support multi-level hierarchies with categories, subcategories, and detailed control over product attributes. This software supports establishing parent-child product relationships critical for managing bundles, accessories, or configurable products.

PIMs designed for complex hierarchies should also easily integrate with e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and ERP systems to handle structured data for diverse sales channels and be customizable enough to accommodate your unique product relationship needs. Here are some PIM systems that meet those high standards of product hierarchy management:

AtroPIM

A free, open-source PIM system AtroPIM is perfectly suited for handling intricate product structures, allowing companies to arrange products into hierarchies with parent-child relations across various levels. For example, a 'Coat' family may include child families of 'Winter Coats', 'Rain Coats', or 'Trench Coats', with each inheriting characteristics from the parent family but also allowing for customization within each branch.

AtroPIM supports product bundles, where several products can be combined and marketed as one unit, while each product has its unique characteristics, pricing, and quantities. All of that is possible with AtroPIM's additional modules Advanced Classification and Product Bundles. AtroPIM is a module-based PIM that gives its clients the freedom to choose and pay only for the functionality they need and use.

Akeneo

Akeneo uses families, categories, and product models instead of a strict parent-child hierarchy. This gives businesses more flexibility in managing product variants. With product models, businesses can create and manage variants, each with unique attributes. Users can define categories, subcategories, and product families, with attributes inherited through the system. The platform also allows customizable attributes for specific variants, reducing manual updates. For example, a business selling clothing might create a Product Family called "T-shirts" within Akeneo. This family groups all products that belong to the "T-shirt" category and share common attributes such as "Material," "Brand," and "Color."

Informatica PIM

Informatica PIM is a great solution for handling complex, enterprise-scale product hierarchies. There users can structure products across multiple levels and manage relationships between different categories. Changes made at one level of the hierarchy will automatically apply to related products. Informatica PIM can handle large product catalogs and customize attributes at each level. The software also supports dynamic data mapping for global operations (the product information is accurately mapped and translated for different regions and markets, with local variations in attributes, categories, and languages). Additionally, it integrates with other enterprise systems like ERP, CRM, eCommerce platforms, etc. Yet, the potential challenges businesses might face with Informatica PIM include its complexity and high cost. These two factors make Informatica less attractive for small businesses and/or those with limited budgets.

Stibo PIM

Stibo Systems is a strong Master Data Management (MDM) solution with excellent PIM capabilities for managing intricate product data and hierarchies. Stibo is a great fit for businesses in retail, manufacturing, and distribution since it can handle various product attributes and categorizations at different levels.

Key Takeaways

Hierarchies are a must for managing complex product data. They help organize products into categories and subcategories and handle large product catalogs. Complex product structures help organize items into categories and variants, while multi-level hierarchies allow for further subdivisions. Together they create a clear product classification system.

Most modern PIM systems support parent-child relationships between products and allow attributes to be inherited and modified at different levels of the hierarchy. PIMs also support the management of product variants like size and color, with customizable attribute inheritance.

When choosing a PIM, consider the ones that support multi-level hierarchies and integrate with external systems. The reputable solutions that allow the effective management of complex product hierarchies and structures are AtroPIM, Akeneo, Stibo, and Informatica PIM.