P2C Platforms: Consistent Product Data Without Detours

1. What is a Product to Consumer Platform (P2C)?
2. What does a Product to Consumer Platform contain?
3. Who is a Product to Consumer Platform Suitable for?
4. When should a Product to Consumer Platform be used?
5. What are the benefits of a Product to Consumer Platform?
6. What should be considered when using a Product to Consumer Platform?
7. Practical examples of a Product to Consumer Platform
8. Which tools are suitable?
9. P2C as a key role in omnichannel management

The time to upset your customers with inconsistent product information has expired. Product to Consumer platforms thwart the complexity of trading for different processes, sources, data and channels. In this article, we take a look at what is packed into a P2C platform and what problems it can solve. On top of that, there are tool recommendations based on OMR reviews.

What is a Product to Consumer Platform (P2C)?

A P2C platform resolves the complexity of omnichannel processes by centrally organizing product information along the value chain. To do this, product data and the entire digital flow of information between product providers and buyers are managed according to the 'One-For-All' principle. Typically, the technology includes marketplace integrations, social commerce, feed management, product content syndication and feedback mechanisms, as well as marketing tools and onboarding processes for sellers and suppliers. The result is holistic control and steering of product content journeys and thus a significantly easier access to new markets.

What does a Product to Consumer Platform contain?

The exact design of a P2C platform can vary depending on the industry, business model and target group. However, the main goal of the technology is clearly defined: it should support the entire commerce ecosystem of a company and provides it with consistent product data.

Here are some of the key elements that should be integrated into a robust P2C platform:

Product Data Management: P2C enables you to integrate, consolidate and expand your product data from any source. The product data of your suppliers can be validated and optimized to create error-free product catalogs.

Advertising Channels: With the help of P2C, you can distribute your product content across all advertising channels. Whether it is B2B or B2C, whether it is in an online shop, an app or on social media – the system links your product data, automates the associated processes and accelerates mass processing.

Marketplaces: You can provide particularly marketplaces and procurement platforms with your brand and product data consistency or adapt it to the respective target group.

Feed Management: This function enables you to enrich your product lists and catalogs and perfectly align them to specific advertising channels and the expectations of your clientele.

Performance Reports: With user-friendly real-time reports, you receive essential performance data to detect deviations and quickly respond to changes in the market.

Campaign and Performance Management: Based on the performance reports, it becomes easier to optimize your campaigns, increase the profitability of advertising spending and identify new revenue opportunities.

Collaboration: The system improves both communication and efficiency between you, your teams and suppliers. Workflows, dependencies and validations can be defined, tracked and optimized to facilitate location-independent cooperation.

Automation and AI: Workflows can be automated or simplified and improved using AI-driven functions. AI tools also assist in completing, as well as importing and exporting product content.

Who is a Product to Consumer Platform Suitable for?

A Product to Consumer Platform can be useful in various industries and company structures to make products known to consumers and to utilize all sales opportunities despite their individuality.

E-commerce companies, retailers and industrial manufacturers are just a few examples of those who can benefit from P2C. Their main feature is primarily to cover the need for extensive e-commerce and omnichannel processes and to ensure holistic product content.

When should a Product to Consumer Platform be used?

Setting up and operating an e-commerce system requires a multitude of processes for continuous control. Although individual challenges may possibly be tackled in conjunction with PIM and ERP platforms or marketing tools, there is usually a lack of a comprehensive approach to the central and synchronous management of the entire product lifecycle.

A P2C platform is particularly suitable when the following functions become necessary:

• Expansion of market presence
• Real-time syndication of product information
• Support for a variety of sales and trade channels
• Enrichment and personalization of product content
• Performance management and analysis throughout the entire trading ecosystem
• Master platform for product data or product catalog
• Collaboration with suppliers, retailers, advertisers and more.

What are the benefits of a Product to Consumer Platform?

A P2C solution offers many advantages. One of the most striking is the reduced manual maintenance effort and the generation of master product data, which can be distributed to all marketing and sales channels at the push of a button. This helps to serve new sales channels much faster and the e-commerce ecosystem can grow systematically.

Especially large companies or multinational corporations have the opportunity with P2C to ensure brand loyalty by providing their customers with uniform product content across all channels and touchpoints, thus creating a key foundation for an optimal customer experience. Visual extraction, for the identification and recording of visual elements and brand features and the recognition of language and industry standards in the context of data collection processes are additional components of the revolutionary technology solution.

Another advantage are performance reports, which are necessary for informed decisions. Particularly powerful dashboards are available for this purpose, which can be used independently of business intelligence and IT support. Even real-time data is available, provide live KPI insights and enable quick decisions or proactive adjustments of campaigns.

What should be considered when using a Product to Consumer Platform?

To start successfully with P2C, you need to know the quality of your product data and define the goals you want to work towards. This can best be achieved using suitable key figures that illustrate both quantitative and qualitative aspects and mark the progress of your initiatives.

The constant introduction of new distribution channels brings various requirements for the product data and data flow, which you need to adapt to. In addition, customers also want to scrutinize a product thoroughly before buying it. They want to see it and read information about it, which usually challenges regular strategies in product information management. P2C can meet these requirements excellently, but requires a certain openness of the company itself.

Practical examples of a Product to Consumer Platform

We would like to explain this to you using the example of Thule and its use of a Product-to-Consumer platform as a typical practical example. The Swedish company is considered a global brand for high-quality sports goods, which are sold online in 81 markets and 23 languages.

Thule's challenge was to deliver the right products to the right channels, publishers and retailers in a timely manner while at the same time reducing the high effort associated with this. With P2C, the company was able to achieve exactly that and achieve a high level of flexibility in the sales strategy. Processes were automated, systems and costs saved, and Thule can now focus much more on growth.

Also Hansgrohe, the world's leading manufacturer of sanitary fittings, found a solution with P2C to strengthen brand identity. Both distributors and resellers of Hansgrohe products should pass on the message of “high quality products and excellent service” to consumers.

Exactly this maintenance of the cross-channel and uniform brand identity was fulfilled by P2C. Product contents were syndicated and data quality ensured. At the same time, it was possible to consider the various requirements of a large number of different sales dealers.

Which tools are suitable?

Choosing the right P2C platform is critical to best support your business model and goals. This means you need to compare the different platforms and evaluate their features, pricing models and ease of use to make the best choice. To help you make this decision, we provide a shortcut.

OMR Reviews provides you with the most important information about proven software, including reviews from real users.

The best tools therefore include:

Productsup

Syndigo

Sales Layer

Quable

DynamicWeb

1WorldSync

Brandquad

Creative Force

P2C as a key role in omnichannel management

New channels and an ever-increasing number of marketplaces require a solution to manage the product data journey for product information successfully. These solutions go beyond the range of services offered by ERP, PIM, content and asset management systems. P2C platforms have the potential to fill the existing gap and counteract the complexity of omnichannel processes. They support the flow of information between product and consumer, optimize and automate standard processes and provide comprehensive control over product information and brand messages.