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Halfords integrates product data

By Retail Technology | Monday December 2 2013

Car maintenance and cycling retailer drives sales with new product information management integration as part of its strategic overhaul of its online customer experience

Halfords has worked with retail IT consultancy Javelin Group to integrate a product information management (PIM) system into its e-commerce platform to manage product data on its extensive product inventory and to help its customers make informed, confident choices about products.

Having identified a requirement for PIM, Javelin Group selected Heiler PIM software and integrated it into Halfords’ existing e-commerce platform and search system, used to recently relaunch the retailer’s digital presence online.

Reducing product time to market

The new software provides Halfords with a consistent, centralised tool for storing and distributing all key customer-facing product data, and also means new products can added to the website more quickly, reducing the time to market. It contains information on 30,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs), which span a broad range of categories including bikes, bike parts and accessories, cycle clothing, car maintenance, camping, and travel and touring.

With product attributes now linked to the search functionality, customers can also navigate the site more easily and quickly. Once they have found the required products, customers are offered the richer and more detailed product information.

The PIM replaces a de-centralised, legacy spreadsheet-based system, which was challenged by a large product range from many different suppliers and across many categories, as well as a constant stream of new products coming online.

Enhancing the customer experience

Clive West, digital director at Halfords, said: “We are delighted with our new PIM solution and the enhanced customer experience it provides across our web, mobile and tablet sites. Javelin Group has been central to the delivery of this project, from their expertise in technology strategy to experience in development. It has been a pleasure to work with the Javelin Group team on this project.”

In the longer term, the retailer plans to develop an integrated supplier portal to allow suppliers to maintain their own product data, and ensure accuracy and consistency. 

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