Modern customers thoroughly browse for products, compare prices, delivery time, shipping charges and much more before making purchases. Thus, product catalogues become important for ecommerce sellers as they empower customers with the details required to make a purchase.

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If done correctly, ecommerce catalogue management can drive conversions, boost ecommerce sales and turn indifferent customers into interested ones by aiding them in making purchase decisions.

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The problem with effective catalogue management is that it can be time-consuming, exhausting, and, if done manually- prone to errors. Moreover, ecommerce sellers have to ensure that product details remain consistent across all sales channels.

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If you are an ecommerce seller facing difficulties in catalogue management, you have found yourself at the perfect place.

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In this blog, you will understand what ecommerce catalogue management is, why it is important, what the challenges of catalogue management are, and tips for effective catalogue management.

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What is ecommerce catalogue management?

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Ecommerce catalogue management refers to ensuring that all your product information is structured, correct, up-to-date and organised across all online sales channels.

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By providing accurate product information such as size, colour options, fabric type, dimensions, price, warranty period and country of origin, you can help customers make purchases easily.

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Why is ecommerce catalogue management important?

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Ecommerce catalogue management provides detailed product information to customers, thus helping them make quicker purchase decisions.

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Inaccurate product information can lead to a high return rate, whereas not providing adequate product information can make customers hesitant and lead to shopping cart abandonment.

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What are the challenges of ecommerce catalogue management?

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Ecommerce sellers can face challenges while managing catalogues which hinder their effective usage; let’s understand them:

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• Different sales channels have their own requirements and specifications; consequently, selling on multiple sales channels can be difficult to keep track of.

• Ecommerce sellers can find it tough to build customer trust if their catalogues aren’t easily navigable or if complete product information isn’t provided.

• Inaccurate or incomplete descriptions make it difficult for customers to understand the product leading to high returns, which can be unprofitable for ecommerce sellers.

• Grouping products using tags helps customers find products quickly. If proper tags are not used, it can hamper Customer Experience (CX) by making browsing for products difficult.

• Product information is presented differently across B2B and D2C platforms. If catalogues aren’t managed effectively, you may end up not taking into account the needs of different audiences.

• Catalogue management helps manage inventory at the stock level. Inefficient SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) management can lead to stock-outs or overselling, which can impact your brand’s reputation and may lead to missed sales.

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Tips for efficient ecommerce catalogue management

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Catalogue management can seem daunting, but you can simplify the process using the right strategies. Here are some tips to effectively manage ecommerce catalogues:

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1. Synchronise data across all sales channels

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You can boost conversion rates by ensuring that all product information is correct, updated, and same across multiple sales channels. Ecommerce sellers can synchronise product information in catalogues by:

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• Manually putting in and checking information
• Using a spreadsheet application like Excel
• Utilising software like ERP or PIM

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You can choose any of the above methods based on your business needs, the number of sales channels your brand sells on, and your budget for using the software.

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2. Provide detailed descriptions

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Customers feel more comfortable making purchases when they see detail-rich product descriptions. Thus, you can reduce shopping cart abandonment through accurate descriptions. Ecommerce sellers can boost sales by-

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• Providing reliable information
• Detailed descriptions
• High-quality images of products

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3. Properly group products

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Ecommerce sellers can enhance a user’s browsing experience and make products easily findable by correctly grouping products using tags. Product tags allow customers to filter, sort and locate products quickly. You can group products based on colour, size, material, country of origin and more.

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For instance: an ecommerce seller selling backpacks can segregate products using tags like:

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• Price
• The colour of the backpack
• The material used (nylon, polyester, canvas)
• Number of compartments in the bag
• Dimensions of the bag and more

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4. Offer comparable and alternate products

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If customers aren’t sure about what they are looking for, showing comparable options can help them make better decisions. Moreover, you can raise your AOV (Average Order Value) by cross-selling and upselling related products.

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5. Regularly audit inventory

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Ecommerce sellers can benefit from regularly auditing their inventory to ensure that offered products are in stock and that all displayed information is accurate. Inventory audits can also help you locate slow-moving inventory, often a burden for ecommerce sellers.

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6. Use an Inventory management system

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You can use a robust IMS (Inventory Management System) to keep track of inventory levels across the supply chain. IMS has benefits like preventing overselling and stock-outs by giving inventory replenishment reminders and regularly updating inventory levels.

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Pro tip- Use the IMS (Inventory Management System) of 3PLs like Eshopbox to reap the most benefits.

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Bottom line

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Catalogue management is an integral part of an ecommerce business cycle but can be cumbersome as a lot of data is involved. Inefficiency in catalogue management can hinder sales opportunities and an ecommerce brand’s growth while ensuring efficiency can prove challenging. 3PLs like Eshopbox can save you stress by expertly handling catalogue management.