What a PIM holds
| Kind of data | Examples |
|---|---|
| Identifiers | SKU, article number, GTIN (the barcode number assigned under GS1 rules), supplier code |
| Descriptive content | Product name, short and long descriptions, selling points, SEO text |
| Technical attributes | Dimensions, weight, materials, colour, power, certifications |
| Structure | Categories, product families, variants (size, colour), bundles, related products |
| Commercial data | Prices, availability, launch and end-of-life dates, by market |
| Localised content | Translations and market-specific attributes |
| Links to media | References to the product's images, videos, datasheets and manuals |
GS1 assigns the GTIN used on barcodes and runs the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) for passing product data between manufacturers and retailers. Classification standards such as ETIM and ECLASS give each product type a fixed list of attributes.
PIM vs DAM vs CMS
The three systems are often confused. Each one is the master for a different thing.
| PIM | DAM | CMS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master for | Product data | Files: images, video, documents, design files | Web pages |
| Main unit | The product record (one SKU) | The asset (one file and its versions) | The page or content entry |
| Key questions | Is the record complete and correct for each channel? | Is this the approved file, and may we use it here? | Is the page published and up to date? |
| Media handling | Stores links to images, sometimes small copies | Stores originals, renditions, rights and versions | Displays images it receives |
A common split: the DAM holds the product photography with its versions and usage rights, the PIM holds the product record and points to the approved images by SKU, and the webshop displays both. Problems start when an image is copied into all three and corrected in only one.
How PIM shows up in marketing work
- Launches. The product team creates the record, the studio shoots the packshots, and someone attaches the right images to the right SKU before the webshop goes live.
- Distributor onboarding. A distributor asks for a product feed and images for 400 SKUs, and the images have to match the feed file for file.
- Audits. E-commerce wants to know which products have no lifestyle photo or no image on a white background.
Each case needs a reliable link between product identifier and file, usually the SKU or GTIN in the filename.
Common mistakes
- Using the PIM as an image archive. A PIM rarely keeps originals, versions, rights or crops for each channel.
- Product data typed into the DAM by hand. If attributes are edited in both systems, they drift apart. Import them from the PIM and treat them as read-only.
- Filenames nobody can parse. "IMG_4032_final2.jpg" cannot be matched to a product. Agree on a file naming convention first.
Product information management in Freedam
Freedam works alongside a PIM: it reads a catalogue exported from a PIM or ERP and links product images to it.
- A data source connects to a WebDAV server, an S3 bucket or Google Drive and reads an optional catalogue spreadsheet (CSV or XLSX) with one row per product. Freedam only reads from these systems and never writes back.
- Each file is matched to a catalogue row by a key column such as the SKU, read from the filename directly or with a pattern built by labelling the parts of a sample filename. A live preview shows where each file would land before the import runs.
- Matched files take the row's metadata and are placed in the catalogue's product hierarchy, optionally one collection per product. Filename tokens can sort files into sections such as main image and gallery, mark the primary image and set the image order.
- Files that match no catalogue row are listed by SKU. Export the missing SKUs as a CSV for the catalogue owner, then re-link the files once the rows exist.
- On the Business plan, sources refresh on a schedule and only download what has changed: new files are added and changed files become new versions.
- An administrator can mark a field such as the SKU as used for linking, so each asset page lists the other assets of the same class with the same value. Bulk paste search finds every asset for a pasted list of SKUs and exports the values that found nothing.
- The REST API returns signed image URLs for each asset, and publishing channels give websites image links that do not expire, within each image's usage rights.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PIM and DAM?
A PIM is the master for product data such as names, attributes and prices. A DAM is the master for files such as product photos and videos, with their versions and usage rights. Most companies selling physical products need both, linked by the SKU.
Do I need a PIM if I have a DAM?
Not always. A small range can live in a spreadsheet or the webshop, with images in the DAM. A PIM is worth its cost when many people edit product data, across several languages and channels, or when distributors need structured feeds.
What is PIM software used for in e-commerce?
To publish the same product data to the webshop, marketplaces and partner feeds in the format each requires, and to check each record is complete before launch.
Related terms
See product images linked by SKU
Nordi's demo library stores a SKU on each product photo and links images by it. Open a product shot and see the other images of the same product listed on its page.
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