Winning the Digital Shelf using eCommerce Product Catalog Push Syndication for CPG / State of the Industry | 2018 update to original 2015 publication
As brand suppliers embrace eCommerce, controlling of digital shelf merchandising through product display page content at the eRetail channel partner becomes not only foundational table-stakes but also a competitive imperative. Suppliers will improve digital shelf product content; eRetailers will embrace the best Suppliers able to consistently deliver product content and both Digital Supply and Digital Demand will evolve to automated push syndication as well as real-time product content update from supplier to eRetailer.
ebook | White Paper
Keywords: catalog, digital asset management, digital product content, ecommerce, ecommerce marketin content, ecommerce sales, econtent, eretail, global ecommerce, lee bogner, leebogner, pim, product content, retailer content management, supplier content management, syndication, data feeds, feed management, automated syndication, realtime syndication, digital PIM
originally published 2015-16
2. OBJECTIVES: “CPG firms” are
• Exploring “push” syndication of product content out to their online,
eCommerce seller-channel partners around the world
• Seeking to improve the way information is collected and distributed for
greater efficiency
• While at the same time enabling greater scale and market coverage,
spanning across consumer and industrial experiences, and related end-
to-end operations and channel partner value chains
• Would like to understand how in-sector, and out-of-sector, companies
are approaching these needs, based on relevant experiences – and with
similar aspirations
@LeeBogner (c) 2015
7. PATH TO AUTOMATED PUSH SYNDICATION
Not scalable
Out of date content
Improved scalability
And time-to-market
Highly scalable; Toward real-time
Supplier to Retailer PDP content update
Allows high Value-Add downstream
2nd Tier Suppliers AND Channels are:
Slow to adopt; looking to Top Tier Suppliers to solve
Top Suppliers AND Channels are:
• Harmonizing eCommerce content with digital PIMs, DAMs, Staging tools
• Integrating both directly to Channels, and using Syndication Engines
• Enforcing collaborative digital data governance
Content
Agency
Brand
Websites
SalesMaster
Data
Marketing
Digital/
MobileBrand Teams
Product
Imagery
DAM
Product
Content
Enriched
Copy
Product
Master
Data
SAP/MDM
Regulatory
PIM/PCM
PORTAL
Digital Product Catalog
CORE DATA ENRICHED
DATA
Digital
Product Content
Staging / Repository
PULL
PULL
Download
Syndication
Engine(s)
PUSH Staging
Content (Scheduled)
CHANNEL
SELLERS /
SALES TEAMS
PUSH
Syndicated
Feeds
C
e
n
t
r
a
l
S
o
u
r
c
e
s
Enriched Content
(prepared for syndication)
SELECT
SELLER WEBSITES
FOR PUSH PILOT
SELECT
SELLER CHANNELS
FOR PUSH PILOT
Product
Imagery
DAM
Product
Content
Enriched
Copy
Product
Master
Data
SAP/MDM
Regulatory
PIM/PCM
PORTAL
Digital Product Catalog
CORE DATA ENRICHED
DATA
Digital
Product Content
Staging / Repository
PULL
PULL
Download
Syndication
Engine(s)
PUSH Staging
Content (Scheduled)
CHANNEL
SELLERS /
SALES TEAMS
PUSH
Syndicated
Feeds
C
e
n
t
r
a
l
S
o
u
r
c
e
s
Enriched Content
(prepared for syndication)
GDSN
GDSN
(future)
GDSN
Seller
Web
Sites
At Scale
SELLER CHANNELS
At Scale
Internet
Marketplaces
MARKETPLACES
GS1/EU
1WorldSync
GS1/US
1WorldSync
GS1/ROTW
1WorldSync
GS1/CA
ECCnet/
ProSync
GS1 / GDSN Global Trade
Data Pools (current & legacy)
@LeeBogner (c) 2015
[1] Current State
(Disparate, unapproved
sources; mostly manual)
[2] Streamlined State
(move to centralize sources; new roles
semi-automated, reduced manual)
[3] Automated State
(mostly automated,
manual is the exception)
Evolution over Time
18. WHERE IT’S HEADING
Subsequent phases to extend
Push syndication reach to:
1. 2nd tier Sellers (retailers and distributors)
2. Global-ready standards (GS1/GDSN) for eCommerce
3. Internet Marketplaces
Global
Reach
GDSN
GDSN
(future)
GDSN
Seller
Web
Sites
At Scale
SELLER CHANNELS
At Scale
Internet
Marketplaces
MARKETPLACES
GS1/EU
1WorldSync
GS1/US
1WorldSync
GS1/ROTW
1WorldSync
GS1/CA
ECCnet/
ProSync
GS1 / GDSN Global Trade
Data Pools (current & legacy)
Product
Imagery
DAM
Product
Content
Enriched
Copy
Product
Master
Data
SAP/MDM
Regulatory
PIM/PCM
PORTAL
Digital Product Catalog
CORE DATA ENRICHED
DATA
Digital
Product Content
Staging / Repository
PULL
PULL
Download
Syndication
Engine(s)
PUSH Staging
Content (Scheduled)
CHANNEL
SELLERS /
SALES TEAMS
PUSH
Syndicated
Feeds
C
e
n
t
r
a
l
S
o
u
r
c
e
s
Enriched Content
(prepared for syndication)
@LeeBogner (c) 2015
WHERE IT’S HEADING
20. OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
PROCESS AND PEOPLE
Suppliers need to embrace manual and automated processes and empower downstream organizations - new and
existing - to enable plus reap competitive advantage from innovations in digital product catalog and push syndication.
• Product Catalog data/content creation
• Review and approval/ digital data governance
• Digital Account team workflows
• Product and Pricing Data Feed setup, maintenance
• PUSH syndication workflows
People
Processes
• Supplier Merchandising & channel content workflows
• Channel specific /market wide product assortments,
promotions.
• Channel facing content: micro sites, PDPs, LPs
• Analytics tagging, collection, review and action
Upstream
Downstream
B2B Raw
Materials
(Some in place)
VALUE-ADD
New B2C Extensions
20
DATA MANAGEMENT CHANNEL MANAGEMENT
Supplier
Merchandising
Digital Marketing
RETAILER TEAMS
Digital Sales Digital IT
Product Feed/
Syndication
Managers
(product, pricing)
(Retailer-Specific)
(GDSN)
Account Manager
/ Team
Account
Assortment &
Promotion
Managers
eCommerce
MERCHANDISERS
MARKETERS
NEW ITEM /
RETAIL PIM OPERATORS
Brand
Managers /
Channel
Marketers
DATA GOVERNANCE /
CHANEGE MANAGEMENT
Material / Regulatory /
Label Data Managers
Content Developers
Digital Imagery
Designers
CPG Client PRODUCT CATALOG and SYNDICATION OPERATIONS
ANALYTICS ROLES: Tagging / Reporting / Strategy Management
@LeeBogner (c) 2015
23. PLANNING AND EXECUTION
BEST PRACTICES
Approach to consider
across:
• Strategy
• People
• Process
• Data
• Technology
• Sales
Drive
Revenue
Push Syndication
Trusted
Governed
Data
Scale
Quality Content,
Instantly
React with
Agility
To Market Behavior
Target
Consumers
Directly
Control Outcomes
with Proactive Change
Leverage
Channel Analytics
Optimize
Channels
Increase
AOV
Modern
Efficient
Processes
@LeeBogner (c) 2015
24. RECOMMENDATION: USING GOOD PRACTICES
• Strategic Partner with Premier Content Syndication Engine (or engines as required)
• Benefits: reduce complexity & time to market - re-use their mapping and templating
• eCommerce display integrations; syndication management and analytics expertise
• 3rd Party Syndication Engine(s)
• Web Content Management Engine
Best Practice uses a Comprehensive Framework
• Identify / engage a cooperative subset of active
partners:
• retailers, products (assortments),
• integrations, workflows, users
• channel destinations (PIM/eCommerce systems)
• See Walmart’s work with Salsify “push” in CPG
• Build on early success
• Extend base: integrations, transformations
• 2nd tier channels; marketplaces
• GS1/GDSN
• Additional syndication engines and
integrations
• Integration
• ETL
• Business Processes / Workflows
• Data Governance Extensions
Initial State: Walk before Run = Early Success Future State: Incremental Scale
@LeeBogner (c) 2015
26. LEE BOGNER
Global eCommerce Business Lead | Professor of eCommerce
Lee Bogner is a Senior eCommerce Business Lead at
Global CPGs, Retailers, eCommerce Technology &
Consulting Services providers. Since 1996 Lee has
focused on eCommerce, helping found this industry. His
experience spans strategy, functional and technical
engagements in B2B, B2B2C, B2C, D2C and Online
Marketplace eCommerce, Content & Marketing Software
Development, Product Management; Enterprise and
Online Merchant Business Strategy and Operations.
Lee has experience as head of eCommerce, IT director,
CIO, CTO, GM, a systems programmer – delivering
eCommerce Growth at retail (web and in-store), CPG,
manufacturing, digital agency & tech firms -- including
J&J, Bed Bath & Beyond, Accenture, 3M, Chrysler, IBM.
Lee's experience in digital and enterprise spans in-
store, in-venue and back-office, mobile, social and
analytics systems and services.
• Global CPGs
• Mars: Global eCommerce focused on eCommerce PIM, B2B, D2C & Online Marketplace Sales Channels
• Accenture: Advisor for eCommerce Product Catalog Syndication at 3M, P&G, Unilever
• J&J Consumer: eCommerce Capability Lead eCommerce Product Catalog Solutions & Business Process
• Global Suppliers: Auto Sector
• Global eCommerce Lead for Digital Product Catalog at Fiat Chrysler MOPAR and Valvoline Motor Oil
• Global eCommerce Lead for for B2B and B2B2C eCommerce Sales at Valvoline Motor Oil
• Global Omni-channel Retail:
• Global eCommerce Lead for B2C Omni-channel eCommerce [Luxury Brand Jewelry Store Chain]
• GM/CIO for North American Retailer for buybuyBABY.com business unit at Bed Bath and Beyond)
o Head of eCommerce strategy, technology and Internet operations for baby-products division
• Global eCommerce Software and Enterprise Technology Solutions Providers
• VP/Director of Product Management (& Systems Programmer) at market leading software developers.
o End-to-end eCommerce solutions for retailers, distributors & manufacturers (platforms, catalog,
merchandising, site-search, web content, order management, analytics).
• Consulting:
• CIO/CTO NY Digital Ad Agency and Digital Media Firms
• VP Strategy at Data Analytics Firm
• CIO Strategy Researcher at The Research Board think-tank
• Demand-driven. Direct & Indirect
eCommerce Consumer Experience
• End-to-End eCommerce strategy,
technology, operations, solutions
• Digital Marketing and Media
• eCommerce Product Information, Merchandising, Site
and off-site Search, Content Management, Online
Pricing, Order Management, Payment, Fulfillment,
• Product, Customer & Consumer Data, Analytics
• Omni-channel: Web, Mobile, Cloud and Store Systems:
Point of Sale; mPOS, Digital Kiosk, Digital Signage;
Inventory, Warehouse, Pick, Pack, Ship
Professional Experience
Key Skills
Select Experience
Lee’s educational background includes an MBA in
Information Systems and Analytics from St. John’s
University, Tobin College of Business; and a BSc
degree from Le Moyne College; and as Professor of
eCommerce, IS and Analytics at Hofstra University.
Educational Experience
@LeeBogner (c) 2015
updated 2017