Implementation of product information management systems: Identifying the challenges of the scoping phase

In the digitalization era, companies are offering more products online to their customers, increasing the need to provide accurate product descriptions in the form of technical specifications, images, videos, etc. Such product information is offered via different channels, such as web pages, mobile phones, tablets, stores, and printed catalogs. Sometimes, different information technology (IT) systems are used to provide information for different sale channels, potentially leading to inconsistent information across these systems. To address this issue, many companies engage in the use of product information management systems (PIMSs), which are systems focused on centrally managing customer-oriented product information. Although companies are increasingly using such systems, the academic literature on the topic is sparse. Moreover, the challenges companies face when implementing PIMS have hardly been addressed. To contribute to this area, we explore the challenges that arise during the scoping phase of PIMS projects through a case study of a multinational company. Eighteen main challenges and their causes were identified.