The Rising Importance of MDM in a Data-Driven World

Let’s face it: We’re living in the data age, where everything from your morning coffee order to your latest shopping spree is leaving behind a trail of data. As businesses, we’re swimming in it. But here’s the catch – if you can’t manage it properly, it’s like trying to make sense of a mountain of Lego bricks without the instruction manual. Enter Master Data Management (MDM) – it’s not just a nice-to-have, it’s vital.

MDM is more than keeping your data neat and tidy; it’s about empowering agility, ensuring compliance, and driving innovation. Let’s dive into why, now more than ever, MDM is your secret weapon to staying ahead.

1. The Explosion of Data across Multiple Channels

Let’s be honest – we’ve all got data coming at us from every direction. Between e-commerce platforms, social media, IoT devices, and good ol’ ERP/CRM systems, data is everywhere. It’s a bit like trying to keep track of your socks in a laundry basket – they’re scattered, sometimes mismatched, and often not where you want them.

Without a solid MDM strategy, your data will likely be fragmented, duplicated, and inconsistent. MDM, however, ensures all data is unified, accurate, and ready to roll across your departments and customer touchpoints. That’s a lot easier than digging through the sock drawer, right?

2. Regulatory Compliance and Data Governance

Remember those pesky data privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA? If you’re managing data in any capacity, you know they’re a bit of a headache. Get it wrong, and you’re looking at heavy fines and – let’s face it – a damaged reputation that’s harder to shake off than a bad haircut.

MDM helps businesses tick all the compliance boxes by ensuring that data security and audit trails are in place. A solid MDM strategy is like a safety net for your data, helping you meet all regulatory requirements without breaking a sweat.

3. AI, Automation, and Data Quality Depend on MDM

Artificial Intelligence and automation are revolutionising how businesses operate. But here’s the catch – for AI and automation to work properly, they need clean, structured data. If your data’s all over the place, even the latest AI will end up making dodgy predictions or automating the wrong processes. Yikes!

MDM helps you keep things neat and tidy, eliminating duplicates and standardising data across your systems. It’s the digital equivalent of Marie Kondo-ing your data , making sure everything sparks joy (and works as it should).

4. Personalisation and Customer Experience Rely on Clean Data

Gone are the days of generic, one-size-fits-all marketing. Today, customers expect tailored experiences – and businesses need to deliver. But here’s the thing: to offer those personalised experiences, you need clean, accurate customer data. And that’s where MDM comes in.

MDM ensures you’ve got a single customer view across all departments, making it easier to offer targeted marketing, seamless online experiences, and spot-on customer service. It’s like being able to remember every single one of your best mate’s favourite things – and using that knowledge to make them feel extra special.

5. Real-Time Data is the New Standard

Gone are the days of waiting for a quarterly report or checking last week’s stock levels. Real-time data is the name of the game now, and businesses need up-to-date information to make decisions, manage their supply chain, and keep customers happy.

MDM ensures that your data is synchronised in real time, so everything from product info and inventory levels, to pricing updates is always up to date. It’s like having your finger on the pulse at all times – and that’s the kind of superpower every business needs.

6. MDM Extends beyond Product Data

You might think MDM is just about product data, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. MDM plays a huge role in managing other crucial data domains, including:

Customer Data:

• Provides a single view of your customers.
• Prevents duplicate records (nobody likes that).
• Helps you stay on the right side of data protection laws.
• (Also see point #4 above.)

Location Data:

• Boosts supply chain efficiency (who knew data could help get your parcels to customers faster?).
• Powers geotargeted marketing for those spot-on campaigns.
• Assists in emergency response (because location data can literally save lives).

Supplier & Partner Data:

• Keeps your vendor records accurate.
• Fosters smoother collaboration with external partners.
• Helps prevent supply chain hiccups thanks to clean data.

The Role of Syndigo in Modern MDM

Now, you’re probably thinking, “This is all great, but what about platforms that tie it all together?” Well, that’s where Syndigo steps in.

Syndigo offers a unified MDM, PIM, and syndication platform, allowing businesses to manage, enrich, and distribute master data in real time. Not just focused on internal governance, Syndigo takes MDM and combines it with product content syndication. This means businesses can ensure accurate data for everything – product info, customer data, and supplier records – across all their sales channels.

Why Syndigo Stands Out:

• Real-time data synchronisation – Always up to date; no more waiting for updates.
• Built-in compliance – Helps meet industry standards without the headache.
• AI-powered enrichment – Ensures accuracy and consistency across your data.
• Multi-domain MDM capabilities – Not just product data, but customer, supplier, and location data too.
• Seamless integrations – With ERP, CRM, and e-commerce systems, data flows smoothly across your business ecosystem.

Conclusion: MDM is More Critical than Ever

Let’s be clear: Master Data Management isn’t just for the tech geeks anymore. It’s crucial for businesses that want to thrive in today’s data-driven world. Whether you’re dealing with product, customer, supplier, or location data, MDM gives you the power to make smarter decisions, stay compliant, and provide exceptional customer experiences.

So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to get your data in shape – because, as we all know, good data = good business. And who doesn’t want to be a data hero?

The post From Data to Delight:  Why Master Data Management is More Important than Ever appeared first on Syndigo.

Experts in e-commerce, PXM, Tech, Retail and CPG Marketing all converged to learn from their peers and industry experts on how to drive product experiences and consumer engagement in today’s constantly changing omnichannel universe.  

Here are a few key highlights and takeaways from Syndigo Connect 2025. 

Content & Commerce: The Drumbeat of Growth 

In today’s digital age, product content is the lifeblood of retail success. Whether in-store or online, from the moment a product is created, every information detail plays a key in driving growth. And it has to move at the speed of commerce. Complete and precise descriptive data, governed through Master Data Management (MDM), Product Information Management (PIM), syndication and analytics through PXM. Being composable and connected is required to scale for success. Brands and retailers that prioritize data integrity and consistency are better positioned to thrive in a competitive retail environment.

“Item not found” rates average 9%—leaving millions on the table.

Insight shared by Simbe

AI & Automation: No Longer “The Future” 

While Artificial Intelligence (AI), Large Language Models (LLM) and generative AI continue to dominate news cycles with new innovations, the reality is that automation is a driver for business success, and AI capabilities are now assumed…It’s no longer a luxury. While automation is now a core expectation, AI is becoming one, embedded throughout the entire product lifecycle to drive value. Partnering with leaders who are learning and leading with AI tools can help retailers and brands streamline processes, enhance the customer experience, and make data-driven decisions that lead to better outcomes. 

“Syndigo has the ability to orchestrate and push the right content to the right customer… creating that cohesive, beautiful experience for every customer touchpoint.”

Jim Bennette, Senior Director Channels

Retail Media: Organic Content Fuels Retail Media Strategy

Retailers, like other businesses, have expanded their capabilities for performance growth, across media, marketplaces and memberships. Retail media networks are becoming a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies, as they offer a unique blend of reach and relevance that is hard to match through traditional channels. Understanding the importance of retail media in your digital shelf strategy is critical to success. By leveraging these networks, brands too can benefit by reaching their customers with greater precision, ensuring that their messages resonate and drive conversions.

Retail & Consumer Shifts: Adapting to Change

The retail landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Marketplaces, memberships, and AI search bots like Rufus are reshaping the way consumers shop. From AI bots like Rufus to new marketplace and membership models, the way consumers shop is evolving fast. In-store experience still matters—and consistency across channels is key. Agile, customer-first strategies are winning. But even with the rise of digital platforms and AI agents, a great majority of purchases—70%—still happen on the shelf, highlighting the importance of consistent product experience online and in stores. Both brands and retailers must be adaptable, responsive, and collaborative to ensure that their strategies are aligned with continuing changes in technology and consumer behavior.

“I definitely feel closer to the Syndigo Team…I better understand the product offering and how it fits inside our martech stack.”

Brandon Phillips, Marketing Operations Manager

Execution & Innovation: The Path to Success

Within organizations, collaboration is also a driver of success through innovation. Partnerships between commercial and IT organizations have helped accelerate the capabilities within organizations, as well as the connectivity with solution partners. This cross-functional collaboration inside organizations and across partners is critical to driving product experience success. Product discoverability, syndication, and strong Product Detail Page (PDP) storytelling are essential for winning the digital shelf. Retail media and organic search optimization must be considered together, with continuous iteration and A/B testing becoming the new norm. The ability to deliver composable solutions for commerce, with flexible technology that reduces friction and scales loyalty, enables brands to stay ahead of the curve.

“Very useful, very user-friendly, everyone at Syndigo is very responsive and easy to work with.”

Erik Stapleton, Product Information Specialist

Evolving for the Future

Speed and adaptability were the themes that played throughout Syndigo Connect 2025. As the industry evolves, the organizations that embrace high-quality content and connected ecosystems will lead the way. The voices, lessons, and connections forged at this event will help attendees shape the future of product experiences—with confidence, creativity, and clarity.

The post Remixing the Future of Retail: Syndigo Connect 2025  appeared first on Syndigo.

PIM is an essential tool for commercializing your product information 

PIM is designed to centralize and manage product data for external use. It helps businesses enrich and syndicate product information to various channels, such as e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and digital catalogs.  

PIM solutions excel at ensuring that product information is consistent and accurate for customer-facing applications, improving the overall customer experience. They tend to focus on outward-facing content but may fall short when it comes to managing complex internal data needs. 

Product Domain MDM ensures a single source of truth 

MDM, specifically Product Domain MDM, provides a single trusted source of product data. It ensures that all product data is accurate, consistent, and up to date across all systems, both internal and external.  

What sets Product Domain MDM apart is its ability to connect and align data across the full product lifecycle. It integrates seamlessly with upstream systems like PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) — capturing data from the early design and development stages — and downstream systems like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) for manufacturing, inventory, and fulfilment. This means product data is synchronized from concept to shelf, creating a continuous and reliable data flow. 

This approach does more than just clean up data silos — it enhances governance, boosts data quality, and supports stronger compliance and reporting. But more importantly, it enables smarter, faster decision-making by giving teams across the business access to a consistent, accurate view of product information. 

How Product MDM complements PIM 

Even if you already have a PIM solution in place, adding Product MDM can unlock even greater value. When used together, they complement each other in powerful ways — here are a few ways how. 

1. Enhanced Data Accuracy and Consistency 

 PIM systems are great at managing and distributing product content across external channels like e-commerce sites and marketplaces. However, they’re not designed to ensure consistency and accuracy across internal systems. That’s where Product MDM comes in — serving as a single source of truth to keep product data accurate, aligned, and up to date across the entire organization.  

2. Comprehensive Data Governance 

Data governance is a critical aspect of any data management strategy. PIM solutions focus on managing and distributing product content, but they may not cater to the required business rules, governance process and automation features required for a comprehensive data management strategy. Product MDM systems provide robust data governance capabilities, including data quality rules, data stewardship, and compliance management. This ensures that your product data is not only accurate but also compliant with industry standards and regulations. 

3. Seamless Integration with Back-End Systems 

One of the key advantages of Product MDM is its ability to integrate bi-directionally with back-end systems such as ERP and PLM. While PIM solutions are excellent at integrating forward with e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and other external channels, they may not have the same level of integration with internal systems. Product MDM can bridge this gap, ensuring that all product data is synchronized across your entire organization from design and manufacturing to sales and marketing. 

4. Improved Data Quality and Integrity 

Data quality and integrity are paramount for making informed business decisions. PIM systems are designed to manage and enrich product data for external use, but they are not traditionally designed to have the advanced data quality tools and processes required to ensure data integrity across all systems. Product MDM provides advanced data quality tools, such as data validation, enrichment, and cleansing, ensuring that your product data is of the highest quality. 

5. Reduced Operational Costs 

Inefficient data management can lead to increased operational costs. Data silos, duplicate data, and inconsistent data can result in errors, delays, and wasted resources. Product MDM can reduce these costs by providing a single, centralized source of product data. This ensures that all teams are working with the same data, reducing the risk of errors and improving operational efficiency. 

6. Enhanced Customer Experience 

Delivering a consistent and accurate product experience is key to driving customer satisfaction and loyalty. While PIM platforms help ensure product information is reliable across digital channels, a Product MDM solution, particularly within a multidomain MDM strategy, adds greater business value. By integrating product, customer, and location data, it enables a more personalized and cohesive experience across every touchpoint, supporting better engagement, higher conversion rates, and long-term brand trust. 

Strengthen your PIM with Product MDM

A PIM solution is a powerful tool for managing and distributing product data, but on its own, it may not deliver the full picture when it comes to enterprise-wide data management. That’s where Product MDM comes in — it fills the gap by connecting with back-end systems like ERP and PLM, ensuring product data is accurate, consistent, and current across the board. By adding Product MDM, you strengthen data governance, elevate data quality, and set the foundation for better, more informed business decisions. Talk to us to learn more about how you can use a Product MDM as an essential component of your commercial endeavors. 

The post The Missing Link: Why Your PIM Needs  Product MDM for Holistic Data Management  appeared first on Syndigo.

The opportunity here is huge as delivery services evolve simply from a convenient way to get a burrito or iced coffee into a go-to option for everything from grocery staples to last-minute supplies, snacks to cover spontaneous cravings, or over-the-counter pharmaceuticals for a sick day at home. 

As shoppers flock to this new channel, they’re exposed to products in a completely new medium. Consumer brands need to be proactive to make sure their products are presented in the best possible light and maximize every sales opportunity in this fast-growing delivery app marketplace. 

An essential new shelf to conquer 

Delivery apps have exploded in recent years as infrastructure to support services and user bases have grown. Today, services like Doordash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Shipt, and more have enormous customer bases. In 2024 there were some 138 million online grocery delivery users in the US alone.  

Many of these solutions are making big investments in growing and deepening their user bases even further, laying the groundwork for even more adoption, from special promotions to high-profile Super Bowl ads. 

This new source of growth is a global phenomenon, with opportunities to captivate shoppers around the world across nearly all markets.   

How to get an edge on this new frontier 

The global online grocery delivery market is projected to reach $941 billion in revenue in 2025, and the general retail delivery space is not far behind at $729.83 billion. 

Despite the size and potential of these markets, the novelty of this channel and technology means the sophistication of the product experience on these apps and platforms has not fully matured compared to traditional e-commerce. 

That means consumer brands have a lot of ground to make up in the way their products are depicted across a fast-growing, fast-changing marketplace. It also represents an enormous opportunity for consumer brands to get out ahead of the competition and establish themselves as THE go-to brands on these platforms. 

Social networks and online review sites are full of complaints from disappointed or frustrated shoppers not getting the products they expect delivered. The causes of these issues are varied, but incomplete or inaccurate product listings are certainly a contributor. According to a finding in Syndigo’s “The State of Product Content” consumer experience survey, 43% of respondents were recently disappointed by a product they purchased that didn’t meet expectations set by online product content. 

Many product listings on delivery apps are based on content pulled from the sites of retailers they partner with and deliver from. But this content isn’t always optimized for the delivery app UI—images, information, and data submitted to a supermarket, convenience store or grocery chain might not translate to the product listings on Instacart or Uber Eats. 

That’s why it’s important for consumer brands to take control of their product experience on these channels. There are several immediate steps that can be taken to augment a brand’s presence on delivery storefronts and prompt sales growth: 

1. Upgrade your content delivery game 

Putting your product experience in the hands of whatever data a delivery app can pull from a retailer is a questionable choice.  

All the major delivery apps now offer the opportunity to directly manage item listings on their channels. The challenge is keeping up with all the different accounts, nuances requirements, platform nuances for your entire catalog. Uploading and updating item content for the entire delivery marketplace can quickly get unmanageable. 

The easy solution is content syndication through a reliable Product Experience Management platform that has direct connections to these apps and automatically delivers your assets and data from a single platform. 

2. Adapting content for mobile apps 

Every mobile app has its own UX and all the major delivery services are in tense competition to differentiate their shopping experiences not only from each other but from traditional e-commerce channels. That means different choices about how product information and images are displayed. Consider how similar products are depicted across different delivery channels; how might you adjust your content to make it more appealing above the fold for each one? 

A content syndication provider with custom data checks and validations for each delivery recipient can ensure your content is provided in the correct format.  

3. Monitor and optimize 

The retail and grocery delivery market is still young and maturing. New apps and services are likely to continue disrupting the market, and existing ones will shift and adapt to consumer behavior.  

That means you’ll need to closely monitor content performance, experiment to see what  works, and refine your product experience over time. Real-time analytics like content completion scores and Compare With Live can help you ensure your content is ready for performance in this new, fast-changing environment. 

The post How to master your product experience on the new frontier of commerce: Delivery apps  appeared first on Syndigo.

It feels like nutrition information on food items is available everywhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s always complete – or correct. With countless apps and databases crowd-sourcing nutrition data or relying on unproven sources of information, it’s easy for consumers (and businesses) to receive wrong information. That’s why a track record of proven accuracy, transparency, and trust is more important than ever.

One reason Syndigo’s Nutritionix Nutrition Database, a Syndigo Nutrition & Wellness solution, uniquely stands apart from alternatives is that it’s maintained and verified by an in-house team of Registered Dietitians who are focused on making sure that every data point meets the highest standards of precision.

Built-in Quality Assurance Management

Syndigo’s credentialed registered dietitians understand the science behind the numbers. They’re more than volunteers or crowd-sourced contributors that many other nutrition databases rely on—they’re trained professionals who understand nutrient profiles, food labeling regulations, and dietary patterns. This expertise ensures more accurate, real-time nutritional data.

Here’s how they do it!

Ongoing Audits of CPG and Restaurant Data

In Syndigo’s databases, information isn’t entered once and then forgotten. Our dietitians regularly audit and update the database to reflect changes in consumer packaged goods (CPGs) and restaurant menu items. CPG foods are captured, verified, and added to the database within 72 hours of entering the market, which means 10,000-15,000 additions and updates per month. Whether it’s new products being released or special menu items being added, the team is constantly reviewing to ensure users always have the most up-to-date information available.

Aligned with USDA and Regulatory Guidelines

Governmental food and nutrition policies are constantly evolving. Updates from the USDA, FDA, and other relevant regulatory bodies are closely monitored. From changes in Recommended Daily Values to emerging labeling laws, they proactively adapt the database to meet new standards so database users don’t have to worry about identifying outdated or inaccurate information.

Dual Coding for Accuracy

Each food entry goes through a dual coding process in which two coders carefully transcribe nutrition data. If there are any differences between the two entries, a specially trained coder reviews and finalizes the data. This process not only helps eliminate human error but also identifies errors that can be introduced by image-to-text software.

Not Crowd-Sourced. Always Verified.

Unlike many consumer-focused nutrition apps and databases, Syndigo doesn’t rely on user-generated nutritional content. This means you won’t find duplicate entries, typos, or wildly inaccurate listings. All data is meticulously sourced and verified, ensuring every gram, serving size, and calorie count is trustworthy.

Built-In Algorithms to Flag Nutritional Impossibilities.

Proprietary algorithms also help to flag data inconsistencies or nutritional impossibilities—like a food claiming to have zero calories but listing 10g of fat. These internal checks act as another layer of protection that helps catch and correct errors before they ever reach the user.

Nutrition Intelligence: Accurate Data When It Matters Most

Nutrition is a dynamic industry, and Syndigo’s Nutritionix Nutrition Database is always up to date to meet the latest regulatory requirements and nutrition information demands by organizations and users. Nutritional data isn’t just about numbers—it’s the foundation of how people eat, live, and make informed decisions. With experienced registered dietitians at the helm, continuous audits, regulatory alignment, and robust quality control systems, Syndigo delivers what others can’t: confidence in every calorie.

The post Data Accuracy of Syndigo Nutritionix Nutrition Database appeared first on Syndigo.

Seamless Integration

Our nutrition datasets are specifically designed to work within the Databricks environment, reducing configuration and compatibility issues that can delay data projects. This integration means that your team can shorten implementation time by easily tapping into the Nutritionix data table and incorporating it into your existing Databricks database.

Trusted Industry-Leading Nutrition Datasets

Unlock the power of comprehensive nutrition data that’s designed for immediate implementation across all digital platforms. Our dietitian-verified nutrition data spans across both retail grocery foods and restaurant menu items, providing unparalleled coverage and accuracy for organizations seeking reliable nutrition information for consumers.

Consumer Packaged Goods (Grocery)

Access the world’s largest dietitian-verified nutrition database that includes over 975,000+ grocery CPG foods, 192,000+ restaurant menu items, and 38,000+ generic food items with more than 92% coverage of all US and Canadian CPG products. The database powers food-tracking apps, weight loss programs, pharmaceutical clinical trials, hospitals, government agencies, food-as-medicine platforms, and more.

Benefits

• Scale: Access to over one million verified grocery products in the US and Canada.
• Barcode Lookup: Every product record includes the UPC information as the unique identifier to provide barcode scanning into mobile apps and digital platforms.
• Coverage: Includes private label brands, independent grocers, and national brand products to support all US and Canadian products.
• Uniformity: Standardized data capture process ensures uniformity throughout product entry for easier normalization of data.
• Frequently updated: 10,000 – 15,000 product updates or additions are made in the database every month.
• Taxonomy (Grocery Categorization): Group product assortments offer easier product comparison and recommendations.

Visit the Nutritionix Databricks Marketplace page for more details: Nutritionix Consumer Packaged Goods Datasets.

Restaurant Nutrition Data Management Platform

This dataset provides a comprehensive view of the nutrition information for all restaurants disclosing nutrition under the FDA’s menu labeling regulations. It’s unique since Syndigo partners with many restaurant chains to conduct the nutrition analysis of their menus to publish to the restaurants’ websites. This makes the dataset the most up-to-date and accurate nutrition data available.

Benefits

• Scale: Access to menu item nutrition information for every US restaurant displaying nutrition information.
• Verified source: Our team of registered dietitians curate the restaurant database for completion and coverage. Many major restaurant chains trust the Nutritionix database to conduct the nutrition analysis of their menus and in turn, Nutritionix is the most up to date restaurant database available.
• Uniformity: Standardized data capture process to ensure uniformity throughout product entry for easier normalization of data.
• Frequently updated: Since many restaurant chains use the Nutritionix interactive tools to publish nutrition information to their own website, the nutrition information is kept up to date via pushes from the restaurant.
• Menu sections: Menu level sections/category names are included for each menu item for easier sorting and display to end-users.

Visit the Nutritionix Databricks Marketplace page for more details: Nutritionix Restaurants Nutrition Datasets.

Unlock New Opportunities with Nutritionix Nutrition Datasets

The availability of Nutritionix datasets on the Databricks Marketplace represents a valuable opportunity for organizations seeking reliable and comprehensive nutrition information. By leveraging these industry-leading datasets, you can enhance your data projects with accurate and up-to-date nutrition data, streamline implementation processes, and support a wide range of applications from consumer apps to healthcare solutions. Review the Nutritionix datasets on the Databricks Marketplace today and unlock the potential of seamless integration and trusted nutrition data.

The post Databricks Marketplace: A New Way to Access Syndigo’s Nutritionix CPG and Restaurant Nutrition Datasets appeared first on Syndigo.

This presents a significant opportunity for brands to enhance their product experience and capture a larger share of the market. But as competition heats up in store and online, and consumers become increasingly discerning about purchases, they’ll have to work to stand out and engage shoppers.

Hurdling Obstacles in a High-Competition Industry

According to the latest Sporting Goods Industry Executive Pulse Check from the WFSGI (World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry), just 44% of industry executives are feeling optimistic about their growth opportunities this year.

Fast-changing markets and mercurial consumer preferences present a complex challenge for brands in these spaces. And stiff competition from both established brands as well as new disruptive newcomers is fragmenting the market. According to McKinsey research, for instance, the two largest incumbents in sportswear lost ground to new and existing challenging brands over the last five years.

Fortunately, there are reasons to be optimistic: both new and established brands have access to low-hanging fruit that can help them stand out to consumers. By establishing a strong product experience and cultivating it across the entire marketplace, businesses in athletic wear, outdoor, and sporting goods can get an edge and grow sales.

Scoring Big in a Competitive Market with Sporting Goods Content Syndication

Consumers consider products in athletic wear, outdoor and sporting good categories with different and often greater care than items in other verticals like CPG or fashion apparel.

Shoppers want to be confident their purchases will fulfill their needs in high-demand situations and be built to last in competitive sports or rugged outdoor environments. The stakes for every purchase could be very high, up to and including the comfort and safety of the shopper.

That expectation puts pressure on brands to supply an abundance of high-quality product content for every item, so a potential customer is never uncertain about what a product can do and whether it will fit their needs. That includes supplying everything from basic, fundamental information like a product’s weights and dimensions to comprehensive images showcasing it from every angle. Consumers are increasingly demanding even richer content: videos and imagery showcasing a product in use, comparison charts that help them pick out the right option from a product line, user guides and manuals, digital product tours, and more.

But despite the size and potential of the sporting goods and related markets, the sophistication of product experiences has not always fully matured compared to some other retail sectors. This represents an enormous opportunity for businesses to get a hot start off the block and establish themselves as the go-to brands in this space by taking a few key actions.

Level Up Your Content Syndication Game

Consistent, complete product depictions are essential for building consumer trust and standing out on competitive shelves. But keeping up appearances across channels can be a monumental challenge, especially in a space where a brand might get significant sales at big box supermarkets, regional and specialty retailers, and e-commerce platforms—all of which have their own unique content requirements and product environments.

The best way to ensure your products are featured accurately and in the best possible light at every consumer touchpoint is with automated product content syndication.

Syndication reduces the amount of manual effort required to upload new item information and updates to retail and e-commerce partners, making it possible to scale up your brand presence across channels and minimizing potential for errors.

The simplest solution is content syndication through a reliable Product Experience Management platform, preferably one that with a large recipient network that can connect your brand directly to all your most important retail partners from a single interface.

A content syndication provider with custom data checks and validations for each retail recipient can ensure your content is provided in the correct format, optimized for performance at every input.

Get Shoppers Over the Finish Line with Enhanced Content

Enhanced Content is transforming the way sporting goods brands engage with their customers online. By incorporating rich media elements such as high-quality images, videos, 360-degree views, and interactive features, brands can create a more immersive and engaging shopping experience on their product pages. This type of content not only captures the attention of potential buyers but also provides them with a deeper understanding of the product’s features and benefits.

Enhanced content can significantly improve conversion rates by addressing common customer questions and concerns right on the product page and helping them visualize the experience they’ll have using the product. For example, detailed product videos can demonstrate the functionality and durability of athletic gear, while 360-degree views allow customers to inspect every angle of outdoor equipment. It’s no wonder that product pages with Enhanced Content see an average 39% lift in add-to-cart rates!

Monitor and Optimize

The sporting goods market is still developing and maturing. New platforms and services are likely to continue disrupting the market, and existing ones will shift and adapt to consumer behavior. That means you’ll need to closely monitor content performance, experiment to see what works, and refine your product experience over time. Real-time analytics like content completion scores and Compare With Live can help you ensure your content is published and ready in this dynamic, fast-changing environment.

The post How to Win the Race for Shopper Attention in Sporting Goods, Athletic Wear and Outdoor appeared first on Syndigo.

Conflicting Confidence About Data Readiness 

So what do these data-savvy retailers say they’re getting right? They claim some impressive success with insights into product and supplier data, but these positive self-assessments warrant closer examination, as the data reveals a more complex reality beneath the surface. 

Despite all this confidence, things start looking less than perfect when you dig a little deeper. In fact, 98% of these same executives admit they face serious data readiness challenges.  

The biggest headaches? They’ve got data scattered everywhere, from information trapped in data silos and fragmented sources to inaccurate and incomplete data. 

Another area of weakness includes gathering actionable insights from product/supplier data, despite responding that they have confidence in this area—so there’s a disconnect. These problems could be due to data quality issues and insufficient analytical tools. 

Time Waste Is Real Without a Unified Data View 

The survey also reveals a significant operational inefficiency: every organization reports spending valuable time weekly searching for information or managing data across multiple platforms, which means that data silos and misalignment are a serious problem. Adding to this complexity is the fact that managing multiple systems is time-consuming and likely requires duplicate data entry.  

The Product Experience Contradiction 

While 93% of retailers rate their product experience delivery as “excellent” or “very good,” the data suggests room for improvement. A striking 99% of respondents identify ongoing challenges in: 

• Consumer engagement innovation 
• Brand imagery development 
• Meeting evolving customer demands 

This disparity between perceived performance and acknowledged challenges indicates an opportunity for strategic enhancement in product experience management. 

Enhanced Content & Rich Media are a Growing Priority 

Nearly half of respondents plan to enhance their product content and rich media. This could come in the form of: 

• Detailed descriptions that go beyond basic information 
• Better images and image galleries, with infographics or 360-degree views of products 
• Videos that feature product demos or tours, zooms, how-to guides, installation steps, or testimonials 
• Comparison charts that help customers quickly evaluate one product vs. another 

Take Action Now or Sacrifice Growth 

Retailers know the areas that need improvement to streamline commerce growth—it’s just a matter of having the right strategies and tools to achieve these goals. In terms of priority, more than half plan to improve their omnichannel experience, accelerate vendor onboarding, introduce new products, and invest in new technology.  

The Bottom Line: There’s a lot of Untapped Potential 

Retail executives might be a bit too optimistic about their current data game. The good news? They’re starting to admit there’s room for data management improvement for future success. Organizations that can bridge the gap between perceived capabilities and operational realities will be best positioned to thrive in an increasingly data-driven digital commerce marketplace. 

Accelerate Commerce with Syndigo Product Experience Cloud for Retail

Syndigo Product Experience Cloud for Retail is a comprehensive solution that can help tackle many of these data challenges. It’s the only complete and composable solution designed specifically for retailers to manage and deliver accurate and engaging product information that customers expect on the sites they visit. It includes an integrated PIM that allows for quick vendor product onboarding, vendor master data management, and analytics that monitor data quality scorecards in real time to effectively address retailers’ top data priorities.

The post Retailers Confident in Data Insights, But Here’s What’s Really Going On appeared first on Syndigo.

In today’s rapidly evolving e-commerce world, retailers face an increasing challenge in efficiently managing and optimizing their online storefronts. The digital landscape is highly competitive, and the need for a streamlined approach to digital merchandising has never been more critical. Two key findings from a Gartner report on e-commerce merchandising state that:

• Sixty percent of consumers who cannot accurately search for products on a retailer’s website will buy less or nothing at all.
• Incisive personalization of the online shopping experience is vital to garner loyal customers who feel valued by the retailer.

To address the need for better merchandising, Syndigo has launched a new offering called Merchandise Optimizer.

This innovative tool combines data analytics with visual product information in a unified graphical interface, providing a distinctive solution within the Master Data Management (MDM) space. This tool enhances sales and website performance by streamlining the online merchandising process and significantly reducing the time and resources needed by leading brands to design, update, and manage their online storefronts.

Key Features of Merchandise Optimizer

Merchandise Optimizer is designed to empower e-commerce merchandisers to make data-driven, real-time decisions while optimizing website layouts through visual cues and actionable insights.

Automated Merchandising with Advanced Business Rules

One of the most effective ways in which a Merchandiser can increase the impact of their products is by dynamically optimizing category pages. Using scheduled rules based on conversion, sales, and inventory data, Merchandise Optimizer ensures precise and efficient online merchandising, allowing you to stay ahead of the competition. For example, you can set rules to automatically promote products with high conversion rates or low inventory levels, ensuring that your category pages are always optimized for maximum performance.

Integrated Analytics Management

As Merchandisers look to improve the impact of their decisions, they need a single view of critical metrics such as page views, conversion rates, and sales directly from product images. Merchandise Optimizer offers immediate insights without the need to toggle between multiple dashboards, making it easier to make informed decisions on the fly. Retailers can quickly identify which products are performing well and which ones need attention, allowing for real-time adjustments to improve sales and customer engagement.

Seamless Product Management

Organizing your layouts has never been easier with Merchandise Optimizer’s drag-and-drop functionality. Add products to multiple categories with a single click, streamlining the process and saving you valuable time. This feature is particularly useful for large catalogs, where manual updates can be time-consuming and error-prone.

Inventory Visibility and Alerts

Stay on top of your inventory with real-time low-stock alerts and color-specific inventory insights. This feature helps you make timely adjustments to your storefront, ensuring a seamless and engaging shopping experience for your customers. For instance, if a particular color of a product is running low, you can quickly update the display to highlight alternative options or promote related products.

Customizable Color Management

Easily sequence color swatches with drag-and-drop functionality and set category-specific leading colors for tailored product displays. This customization ensures that your products stand out and meet the unique needs of your customers. Whether you’re running a seasonal promotion or highlighting a new product line, Merchandise Optimizer makes it simple to adjust your color schemes to match your marketing goals.

Visual Attribute Management

Manage product attributes with a visual interface, enabling quick updates, missing attribute alerts, and seamless online filtering and search optimization. This feature ensures that your product information is always accurate and up-to-date, enhancing the overall customer experience. For example, you can easily add or edit product descriptions, images, and tags, and receive alerts for missing attributes, ensuring that your products are fully optimized for search and discovery.

Synergies with Syndigo’s PXM Offerings

Merchandise Optimizer is not just a standalone tool; it is seamlessly integrated with Syndigo’s Product Experience Management (PXM) offerings – both for retail and for brands. This integration ensures that your product data is consistent and accurate across all channels, from your website to your mobile app and social media platforms. Syndigo’s end-to-end content management tools help you create a cohesive and engaging customer experience that drives sales and loyalty.

Leverage End-to-End Content Management

Syndigo’s PXM platform provides a comprehensive suite of tools for managing product content, including rich media, descriptions, and specifications. When combined with Merchandise Optimizer, these tools create a powerful ecosystem that ensures your product information is always up-to-date and optimized for conversion. For example, you can use PXM to create detailed product descriptions and high-quality images, and then use Merchandise Optimizer to place these assets in the most effective locations on your website.

Enhanced Data Accuracy and Consistency

By centralizing and standardizing customer and product data, Merchandise Optimizer ensures that your data is accurate, consistent, and up-to-date. This is crucial for maintaining a reliable customer experience and making informed business decisions. Syndigo’s PXM tools further enhance this by providing robust data validation and cleansing capabilities, ensuring that your product information is of the highest quality.

Improved Customer Insights

Merchandise Optimizer’s integrated analytics management provides a 360-degree view of your customers and products. With these insights, you can tailor your interactions and marketing strategies to drive higher engagement and loyalty. Syndigo’s PXM platform complements this by offering advanced segmentation and personalization tools, allowing you to create highly targeted and relevant content for your customers.

Streamlined Operations

Automate data management tasks and integrate with your existing systems to reduce manual effort and errors. This not only saves time but also ensures that your operations run smoothly and efficiently. Syndigo’s PXM platform supports seamless integration with a wide range of systems, including CRM, ERP, and marketing automation tools, creating a cohesive and efficient data ecosystem.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Provide a consistent and personalized experience across all touchpoints. Faster response times and a more intuitive user interface can significantly improve customer satisfaction and retention. Syndigo’s PXM tools help you create a seamless and engaging shopping experience by ensuring that your product information is accurate, up-to-date, and optimized for search and discovery.

Future-Proofing Your e-Commerce Strategy

Merchandise Optimizer is built on Syndigo’s future-proof platform, which is designed to adapt to the ever-changing e-commerce landscape. As new technologies and trends emerge, Syndigo’s platform will continue to evolve, ensuring that you always have access to the latest features and capabilities. This future-proof approach means that your investment in Merchandise Optimizer will continue to deliver value over the long term.

Unlock Scalability and Flexibility

Merchandise Optimizer is designed to grow with your business. Whether you’re a small retailer just starting out or a large enterprise with a complex product catalog, this tool can scale to meet your needs. Experience the power of data-driven, visual e-commerce merchandising and take your online storefront to the next level.

With its seamless integration with Syndigo’s PXM offerings, end-to-end content management tools, and future-proof platform, Merchandise Optimizer is the solution you need to succeed in the competitive e-commerce landscape. Contact us to learn more about how this offering can help you improve your commercial performance.

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