One central place for all your product data, always consistent on every channel
Add a product once and it goes live straight away on your webshop, Afosto POS and marketplaces. Change the price or title later and it syncs in real time to exactly the channels you choose. No double entry, no manual sync.
What is a PIM system?
A PIM system (Product Information Management) is a central database in which you store, manage and distribute all your product information to sales channels. Think of images, descriptions, prices, EAN codes, technical specifications and stock data.
Without a PIM system, most retailers work with a mix of loose spreadsheets, channel-specific back ends and manual copy actions. That creates three concrete problems:
- Wasted time: every change has to be made in several places
- Errors: inconsistent prices or outdated descriptions on one or more channels
- Delayed time to market: new products only go live once every channel has been updated separately
A PIM system solves this by creating a single source of truth. Afosto's PIM is not a standalone tool. It is built into the same platform as your order processing, point of sale and inventory. A change in the PIM is instantly visible in your webshop, on Bol.com and behind the counter, with no intermediate exports or manual steps.
What Afosto's PIM system does in practice
Central product catalogue
You manage all product data (images, descriptions, prices, variants, EAN codes and technical specs) in one place. No loose spreadsheets, no channel-specific back ends.
Multi-channel synchronisation
Publish to your webshop, Afosto POS, Bol.com and other marketplaces in a single action. Change a price or title and Afosto pushes it in real time to exactly the channels you choose. You keep stock and pricing under control per channel.
Faster time to market
Create a new product, upload photos, set the price and publish: the whole process sits in one screen. No waiting between systems, no double entry.
Consistent data, fewer return queries
Inconsistent product information is one of the main causes of returns. With a single source of truth, the customer sees the exact same, correct information on every channel.
SEO-optimised product data
Structured product descriptions and correct metadata improve indexing by search engines. Afosto supports canonical URLs, rich snippets and channel-tailored descriptions.
Integration with your existing stack
Connect through the API or a native integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, Exact and other systems. Afosto runs alongside your current platform or replaces it entirely.
How does Afosto's PIM system work in practice?
Afosto's PIM is part of an integrated commerce platform, not a standalone module. This is what day-to-day product management looks like:
Step 1: Create a product Enter product information through a structured form: name, description, images, prices per sales channel, EAN code and technical attributes. Import in bulk via CSV or API.
Step 2: Configure channels Set per channel which data is visible and in what format. Afosto automatically translates product data to the requirements of Bol.com, Google Shopping or your own webshop.
Step 3: Publish and sync One click publishes to all selected channels at once. Price changes, stock updates and new images sync in real time, including to your point of sale.
Step 4: Monitor and adjust See per channel which products are active, which data is missing and where synchronisation errors occur. All from a single dashboard.
Which retailers is this relevant for?
Afosto's PIM system is built for e-commerce retailers in the Netherlands and Belgium that:
- Manage several sales channels at once (webshop + point of sale + marketplace)
- Have more than a few dozen active SKUs
- Currently sync manually between separate systems
- Plan to grow into multiple locations or channels
The platform is available as a standalone PIM or as part of Afosto's full unified commerce suite, including order management, WMS and point of sale.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about PIM systems
Concrete answers to the most common questions, from definition to implementation.
What exactly is a PIM system?
A PIM system (Product Information Management) is software that lets you store all your product data centrally and distribute it to sales channels. It acts as a single source of truth for images, descriptions, prices, specifications and variants. Without a PIM, most retailers spread this data across separate back ends, spreadsheets and channel-specific interfaces, which leads to errors, inconsistency and wasted time.
How does Afosto's PIM differ from a standalone PIM system such as Akeneo or Plytix?
Standalone PIM systems such as Akeneo, Plytix or Sales Layer are separate tools: you connect them to your webshop, point of sale and ERP through individual integrations, and then keep that sync layer running yourself. Enterprise PIMs like Akeneo (Growth edition from around 45,000 euros per year) or Pimcore also require an implementation project of several months and technical people. Afosto's PIM sits inside the same platform as your order processing, inventory and point of sale. No sync delay between systems, no extra integration maintenance, and a product change appears instantly on every selected channel. For retailers with several channels and locations that means a noticeably lower management burden, and you are live within days instead of months.
What does Afosto's PIM system cost?
Afosto works with a subscription model in which the PIM is part of the broader platform. Exact rates depend on the number of channels, locations and users. Through a free account or a demo you get insight into the pricing structure that fits your situation.
Does the PIM system connect with Bol.com, Google Shopping and other marketplaces?
Yes. Afosto supports native connections with Bol.com and Google Shopping, and offers API access for other marketplaces and platforms. Product data is automatically translated to the required data structure per channel, including channel-specific prices, categories and attribute mapping.
Can I use Afosto's PIM alongside my current Shopify or WooCommerce webshop?
Yes. Afosto integrates through the API with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento. You can use Afosto's PIM as a central management point while your webshop keeps running on the existing platform. A full migration to Afosto's own webshop module is also possible, but not a requirement.
How long does it take to set up a PIM system?
The basic setup of Afosto's PIM (structuring the catalogue, importing the first products and connecting channels) is usually operational within a few days for an average catalogue. For larger catalogues (thousands of SKUs) or complex attribute structures, most customers count on one to three weeks for a full migration.
What company size is Afosto's PIM suited to?
Afosto focuses on e-commerce retailers with 1 to 50 locations in the Netherlands and Belgium. The platform scales from a retailer with one webshop and a handful of SKUs to an organisation with multiple locations, point of sale systems and marketplaces. Very large enterprise organisations (more than 50 locations) usually have more specific enterprise PIM needs for which other solutions are more suitable.
What happens to my current product data when I switch to Afosto?
Afosto supports bulk import via CSV and API. Existing product data from Shopify, WooCommerce or an ERP system can be loaded in a structured way. For complex migrations, Afosto offers onboarding guidance to prevent data loss and inconsistencies.
Spend less time on product data, more time on growth
Afosto's PIM system centralises your product information and syncs it to every channel automatically. Try it for free or book a demo to see how it works for your catalogue and sales channels.