You’ve spoken with potential PIM partners, seen demos, and received proposals. Yet choosing between them is still difficult. One wants to start configuring right away; another recommends an assessment first. The quotes differ too, without making it clear why.

To evaluate those proposals, you need to understand how each partner would help your organization. Does the team understand your product data? How will PIM connect to your existing systems? And what will the project require from your employees? Those answers help you identify the right approach.

In a demo, the images are ready and the product fields are complete. In your organization, the process might start with a supplier file containing inconsistent units, missing information, and products listed under different names.

Try sharing that file with a potential partner. Do they ask where the data comes from, who checks it, and how it is used? Do they involve the people who create and enrich product information? Their questions reveal how thoroughly they explore your processes.

That understanding shapes the data model. At Daily Fresh Food, for example, product information involves relationships between products, dishes, menus, and customer assortments. YellowGround helped structure those relationships more effectively in Centric PIM. The organization can now check that products, dishes, and menus are correctly linked before publishing a new menu cycle.

Ask about projects with similar challenges. A reference becomes useful when you understand the decisions the partner made and what they achieved. Discuss those projects with the consultants who would actually work with you. Their experience with your chosen platform matters alongside certifications and partner status.

If you haven’t chosen a PIM platform yet, a consultant can help define your requirements and compare solutions. That advice should start with your product structures, processes, and publishing channels. It should also consider what your team wants to manage internally.

Ask which platforms are being considered and which software vendors the consultant works with. A well-supported recommendation explains why a solution fits and where its limitations lie. Use your own product data during demos to test that recommendation.

Then look at the data flows. Your ERP might supply basic product details, while marketing enriches descriptions in PIM and images come from a DAM. If two systems update the same field, you need clear rules about which source takes precedence. If information fails to reach your online store, someone needs to trace the problem.

“Integration included” tells you little about those details. Ask the partner to explain how data will move between systems, what assumptions support the approach, and who will investigate issues. This gives you a firmer basis for evaluating their integration expertise.

What do the proposed price and timeline cover?

One proposal promises a quick launch; another allows more time for preparation. To compare them, you need to know what each partner means by a working first release.

Does it cover one product category or the entire catalog? Are all languages and integrations included? Who prepares the data for migration? A lower quote may leave more work with your team.

At Dille & Kamille, the project followed a phased approach. YellowGround first set up the central environment for product enrichment. Integrations with ERP, e-commerce, and BI followed, along with further automation. The configuration was developed collaboratively and tested by Dille & Kamille.

This approach requires clear priorities and employees who can make time for the project. Your team needs to review decisions, prepare data, and test the system. Discuss that commitment before approving the schedule. Also agree on how additional requirements will be evaluated and when extra work needs approval. These details make differences between proposals easier to understand.

Think beyond the initial launch

A few months after launch, you add a product category. Someone needs to change a validation rule, or a new market requires its own content. How will those changes happen?

During selection, discuss which changes your team can make internally and where they will need support. Ask how users will be trained, what documentation will be provided, and who will handle questions or incidents. This clarifies how day-to-day management will be handed over.

The practical side of the relationship matters too. For organizations in Belgium and the Netherlands, Dutch-speaking consultants, availability, and on-site workshops may be important. Agree on how you will work together, including with international teams.

A reference customer can help complete that picture. Ask how the partner handled changes during the project and how support works today. Their experience can help you evaluate what to expect from a longer-term relationship.

Making a choice you can justify

A suitable proposal gives you a clear view of the configuration, project team, responsibilities, and costs. You understand what the first phase will deliver and how you can build on it.

YellowGround supports organizations with analysis, PIM implementation, and optimization. We examine how product information is created and used, how teams collaborate, and how data moves between systems.