How to Manage Large Catalogs with Pimcore

Founded in 1957, Rocket Industrial is a leader in industrial packaging solutions in the US, specializing in packaging equipment, materials, and solutions. With a complex product data structure and an eye toward optimizing its product data management, Rocket Industrial sought the expertise of scandiweb.

This case study showcases how we are addressing the intricacies of the company’s data management challenges and providing a solution that will transform the way they work with their data.

Business needs and goals

This project presents a unique challenge due to Rocket Industrial’s complex product data structure. With over 31 attribute sets, each containing 100+ attributes, and an intricate category hierarchy, managing data efficiently was crucial.

Additionally, their existing B2B project uses a custom pricing middleware and PIM as a middleware, requiring careful integration with the new system.

In transforming their product data management, we are guided by the following objectives:

• Establish a single source of truth for product details, eliminating inconsistencies and streamlining updates
• Minimize time and errors associated with manual data entry, increasing efficiency
• Facilitate product filtering and searching by attributes to improve user experience for both customers and internal teams

Approach and solutions

We are leveraging Pimcore as the central product information management system, enabling efficient data storage and manipulation of the complex product structure. Pimcore maintains its role as a middleware, adeptly managing custom-specific pricing for particular products.

This strategic decision enables us to preserve the existing B2B project developments, ensuring seamless product synchronization between Sage ERP and Magento.

The most significant challenge we have faced involved the ongoing data cleanup process within Rocket Industrial. As the project progressed, the client continued to refine their product data, particularly attribute sets, categories, and their relationships with both Magento and the new PIM system. This demanded an agile approach, with ongoing adaptations and adjustments in response to the changing data environment.

Addressing unique attribute structures and data enrichment

Rocket Industrial’s product structure has presented unique challenges, with some attributes being unique to individual attribute sets while others were common across sets. Additionally, a significant portion of the attribute data uses a dropdown format, providing predefined selection options. To further complicate matters, there are data sources from both Magento (M2) and Sage ERP, as well as data that are not available anywhere. To address this complexity, we have leveraged the flexibility of Pimcore to allocate entirely new attributes and attribute options, enriching the data and establishing Pimcore as the comprehensive source of truth for Rocket Industrial’s product information.

Improving data accuracy and consistency

The approach we’ve taken eliminated errors and inconsistencies in product information, ensuring both customers and internal teams have access to the most accurate and up-to-date product details. 

Bridging category structure differences

Sage ERP supports only one level of category, whereas Magento has a hierarchical structure with main categories, subcategories, and potentially multiple levels of subcategories. To address this disparity, we will create a category tree within the PIM system. This involves establishing a mapping or relationship between the categories in Sage ERP and the corresponding categories in Magento. So, whenever there is an update to a product category in Sage ERP, the PIM system will recognize and identify which category in Magento it corresponds to, ensuring consistency and alignment between the two platforms.

Enhancing data management efficiency

The adoption of the PIM system has brought about a significant enhancement in data management efficiency. By reducing the reliance on manual data entry and updates, we are streamlining data management processes. 

This shift not only minimizes the potential for human error but also frees internal teams to focus on tasks that add greater value to the business. The efficiency gained through this transformation is a testament to the power of strategic digital integration in modernizing operational workflows.

Optimizing product searchability

Search and product filters have been added to enhance product discoverability.  The ability of customers and internal teams to effortlessly search and filter products based on a variety of attributes is meant to transform the overall online shopping experience.

Results

Through strategic planning, careful integration, and an agile approach, scandiweb aims to deliver a PIM system that addresses Rocket Industrial’s unique needs and empower them to do the following:

• Centralize their product data, creating a unified repository for product information that guarantees consistency across various platforms. This ensures that everyone—both internally and externally—has access to the same accurate and up-to-date product details.
• Minimize manual workloads by automating key data management tasks. This shift not frees up critical resources for other strategic activities and substantially reduces the possibility of errors, thereby enhancing operational efficiency.
• Improve product discoverability through efficient filtering and search functionalities. This improvement in the user interface has made it easier for customers to find the products they need, enhancing the shopping experience, which could lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction.

This project exemplifies scandiweb’s commitment to providing customized solutions that empower eCommerce businesses to achieve their growth objectives.

scandiweb is a Platinum Partner of Pimcore. We have a team of certified Pimcore experts who can take on any project that could benefit from Pimcore PIM. If you are facing challenges with product information management, get in touch today and we’ll be happy to help.

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