Magento eCommerce: Choosing The Right Catalog Management Software

You have finished developing your Magento eCommerce site and you are almost ready to launch it. In certain cases, some merchants that have already launched their site have found that the task of managing their Magento store’s product catalog is becoming tedious. In addition, their product data is inconsistent. If you are one of them, and experiencing similar problems, it is time to invest in catalog management software.

This way, you can ensure your product catalogs have clear, detailed descriptions with the correct product attributes. You will be able to group similar products together in easy to understand categories. Find out how to choose the right catalog management software for your Magento eCommerce needs:

Factors to Consider When Choosing Catalog Management Software

Need to choose a suitable catalog management software for your Magento eCommerce site? Here are three basic factors you need to consider:

• Software features – what it can help you achieve.
• Time needed for setup and installation – does it entail a steep learning curve?
• Expenses that come with using the software

Remember, some catalog management solutions involve a shorter time to implement. Others take a significant amount of time to implement. Hence, you need to choose a strategy that best fit your business’ needs.

Consider Whether You Benefit More from On-Site Installed Software or Cloud-Based Software

These days, catalog management solutions come in two forms. For instance, there are installed (on-site) software and cloud-based solutions. However, the catalog management niche is leaning toward cloud-based solutions as implementation and maintenance costs are lower and they require less eCommerce infrastructure on your end (as a merchant). What’s more, cloud-based solutions have more scalable features.

Know What PIM and ERP Solutions are

When you are looking for robust solutions that can help you manage your Magento product catalog, you will definitely come across Product Information Management and Enterprise Resource Planning software. Knowing what they are and what they can do is essential because the former allows you manage detailed product information while the latter is focused more on managing core business processes like production, shipping, and finance. Let’s say, you are looking for a solution that has robust catalog management features. In this case, the right software to go for is PIM software.

Common Magento Catalog Management Software

If you are an online retailer selling high volumes of products and need to manage multiple sellers in a marketplace, it is recommended that you invest in a catalog management solution. At this stage, it is no longer practical to keep track of all your product data in an Excel spreadsheet. Updating it and making sure all data tally with each other will be a huge chore. Here’s a quick look at some common Magento catalog management software that online merchants are using:

• SAP. A top provider of business solutions, including cloud-based and on-premise ERP software that can fit the needs of a wide array of business sizes.
• Pimcore. Known to offer an array of products for businesses, including an open-source PIM. Pimcore can be connected with an ERP or any third-party platform, Magento included.
• Oracle. A leading company that offers installed and cloud-based PIM and ERP solutions. Their solutions are designed to improve business strategy by combining procurement, project, products, and accounting management.