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Advanced Product Inventory Management in 2025 and Beyond

don’t let inventory issues leave a bad taste

Keep better track of product inventory online, in-store, and everywhere with the right data strategy in place—and the right software solution.

Efficiency equals growth. Yet growth often introduces challenges that bottleneck efficiency: expansion into new product lines, channels, and markets, to name a few. 

But no matter how large your business scales, customer expectations remain unchanged. It’s up to brands, manufacturers, and retailers to optimize back-end logistics, even during periods of growth, to deliver always-exceptional customer experiences.

Product inventory management aims to do exactly that. However, the right PIM software—that is, Product Information Management—lays an essential foundation. Here are seven strategies to organize and automate inventory tracking and management with PIM, meeting growth without sacrificing efficiency:

inriver x Coop

Read the success story of the Swedish supermarket chain.

1. Automate reorder points (ROPs)

Take a minute to think about the staggering amount of product data packed into an online product catalog. A single By 2027, nearly a quarter of all retail sales will be conducted online. That means repeat customers seek streamlined, intuitive reorder processes. AI-powered, automated reorder points may allow for:

Easy reorders make for thrilled customers, and automating as much of the process as possible can reduce hassles and hiccups. Learn more about how automation is key to effective product information management.

fruit supermarket in Sweden

2. Leverage Digital Shelf Analytics

Advanced PIM systems use built-in syndication and digital shelf analytics (DSA) to grow your business, collecting valuable inventory data from every touchpoint. This could include digital, at-a-glance inventory levels, product performance tracking, and customer purchase habits.

Gather the information you need from customer interactions to power data-driven guidance and provide the ideal customer experience.

3. Implement advanced technologies

Make use of multiple advanced technologies, ensuring that they work together to create the types of personalized experiences that build buyer loyalty. Among potential implementations, consider prioritizing.

Think of the inriver PIM system as a central hub, integrating each business-critical system or tool that your business needs to run smoothly and keep your customers happy. Learn more about the PIM integration process before getting started. 

Young woman buying vegetables while grocery shopping.

4. Apply vendor-managed inventory (VMI) enhancement

Modern consumers can buy from any number of channels using any number of commerce methods. However, when customers purchase from their third-party partners, most businesses lose the data and insight gained from making the sale themselves.

Instead, consider technologies that facilitate:

VMI enhancement makes it possible for you to adapt to your marketplace and your customer base in real-time, so you’re never caught flat-footed with an inventory issue.

5. Improve order management processes

The customer experience doesn’t end when they click “buy.” Your PIM solution will need to ensure that order management and fulfillment are every bit as streamlined as product selection. This involves:

PIM software tools make it simpler to fulfill orders quickly, accurately, and without hassle.

6. Augmented reality for stock picking

Managing inventory is only as efficient as warehouse logistics. Augmented reality (AR) tools, such as AR ‘smart glasses’ for warehouse workers, can ensure your products are en route to customers that much faster. New efficiencies can be achieved via:

Effective inventory forecasting is essential for meeting customer demand without overstocking or running out of products. 

To enhance inventory planning, businesses should adopt two key strategies:

Improving both inventory forecasting and inventory planning ensures a more responsive and efficient product flow, reducing inefficiencies and elevating the overall customer experience.

A variety of cheese for sale at the deli counter in a supermarket

7. Sustainability metrics

In the year 2025, no brand, manufacturer, or retailer can afford to discount sustainability as a guiding value—or as a core metric. A good inventory management system will keep an eye on the bigger picture: a product’s circular life cycle.

Often for reporting reasons, implemented platforms must facilitate:

Sustainability isn’t a buzzword or an afterthought—it’s now a customer and regulatory expectation. Therefore, advanced PIM solutions should natively incorporate it into inventory management. Inventory turnover rates and sustainability go hand in hand, as better inventory processes contribute to overall efficiency and reduced waste.

How the inriver PIM powers every step

Inriver’s PIM software is the ideal, all-in-one platform to meet the inventory management needs of growing brands, manufacturers, and retailers. Consider just a few of the features that set it apart: 

Implementing the seven strategies we’ve discussed is much easier when you have a single, closed-loop platform to operate in. And that’s exactly what inriver delivers.

Mastering Product Inventory Management for Business Success

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how fantastic your inventory is or how loyal your customers are if your product inventory management is ineffective. Implementing these inventory optimization strategies for your product inventory management lays down a path to happier customers, more efficient operations, and business success.

The inriver PIM software offers brands and manufacturers a fully flexible digital solution for selling products efficiently and effectively. With built-in API-based syndication, digital shelf analytics, and a fully adaptable data model that reacts and responds to your data requirements, the inriver PIM platform gives you all the tools you need to sell more products in more places and deliver sustained success across every channel.

want to see the inriver PIM in action?

Schedule a personalized, guided demo with an inriver expert today to see how the inriver PIM can get more value from your product information.

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frequently asked questions

what are the signs that your company needs product inventory management?

Any business that manages sales across multiple channels and/or with multiple third-party partners benefits from product inventory management. And in today’s business environment, that’s most brands, manufacturers, and retailers.

how do inventory management systems integrate with other business tools?

Integrating other systems with a product inventory management platform generally involves APIs or custom-built connectors, which facilitate data transfer to help ensure uniform reporting on stock and real-time insights across your entire IT environment.

is product inventory management the same as inventory control?

Not exactly. “Inventory management” involves the overarching strategies, forecasting, roles, and responsibilities involved with overseeing stock, whereas “inventory control” refers more to the day-to-day activities involved with those areas.

what is the difference between PIM and ERP systems?

Product Information Management (PIM) systems differ from enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in both scope and function. Whereas a PIM system focuses on products and physical inventory, an ERP system generally includes native functionality related to all business operations—including departments like accounting and human resources (HR). However, the additional business operations an ERP system helps manage also increases their costs.

how does Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) benefit from integrating with a PIM system?

While VMI helps optimize inventory availability, achieving full efficiency also depends on having complete inventory visibility. Integrating inventory visibility solutions with a powerful PIM system allows businesses to gather real-time data on product performance and availability across all sales channels. This ensures that all product information is accurate and up to date, improving operational decision-making and customer satisfaction.

  • Inventory visibility: A PIM system ensures that accurate and timely data is available across all platforms, providing better insights into stock levels and product performance. 
  • Inventory planning: With reliable, real-time data provided by the inriver PIM, businesses can implement smarter inventory management methods. This allows for more strategic inventory planning and forecasting, reducing the risks of overstocking or stockouts and aligning inventory levels with actual customer demand.

By enhancing inventory visibility and leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can streamline their supply chain management, reduce inefficiencies, and provide customers with a seamless experience.