Have you checked out the new function in the PSI Product Finder?

There is an exciting new feature in the PSI Product Finder: the option to confirm product data up-to-dateness. In this interview, E-Business Manager Martina Lipp explains how suppliers can confirm that their products are up-to-date with just a few clicks. This helps keep entries up to date and maximises business opportunities. This update offers real added value for both retailers and suppliers and increases efficiency in day-to-day business.

Martina, you have introduced an important new feature in the Product Finder: the verification of product data up-to-dateness. Could you tell us what this function is all about and why it is so useful?

Martina Lipp: ‘The confirmation of product data up-to-dateness is a new function that we have specially developed. It ensures that all products listed in the PSI Product Finder are always up to date. Previously, our suppliers had to regularly update their product data manually in order to obtain a new timestamp. Unfortunately, this was often not done if the data was still up to date. This resulted in outdated timestamps being displayed – giving retailer members the impression that the product was no longer available. With our new function, suppliers can now quickly and easily confirm that their entries are up to date. This effectively solves the problem.’

What are the effects if this confirmation is not provided regularly?

Martina Lipp: ‘If the up-to-dateness of the product data is not confirmed, this can have considerable consequences. The system displays the date of the last update on the product detail page. If this date is out of date, it could give interested retailers the impression that the product is no longer up on the shelves. The result: instead of asking suppliers, they look for alternatives. This in turn leads to both retailers and suppliers losing business opportunities. In addition, products with an older date stamp appear further down in the search results when sorted by recency. This significantly reduces their visibility.’

How exactly does the confirmation function for suppliers work?

Martina Lipp: ‘The functionality is deliberately kept simple in order to minimise the effort for our members. As soon as a product entry is older than six months, the option to confirm that it is up to date appears automatically in the Product Finder backend. Suppliers can then check either the entire product catalogue or individual entries and confirm with just a few clicks that the data is still correct and the products remain available. This confirmation provides the entry with a current timestamp, which is displayed on the product detail page in the Product Finder. As a result, the products appear higher up when the search results are filtered by timeliness, and the trust of retailer members is strengthened.’

What advantages do you see for our members in the long term?

Martina Lipp: ‘In the long term, both retailers and suppliers will benefit from this function. For retailers, it means that they can rely on the products listed in the Product Finder being up-to-date and available. This saves them time, as they don’t have to search for alternatives because they mistakenly think that their favourite product is no longer available. For suppliers, the confirmation function is an effective way of presenting their products in the best possible way. This in turn increases the likelihood of being requested – for business success.’

One last point: What should our members pay particular attention to when using this new function?

Martina Lipp: ‘It is important that the confirmation of product data up-to-dateness is not just pro forma. Suppliers should have an interest in ensuring that the data provided is correct and that the products are still available. This is the only way to maintain the quality of the information and strengthen the trust of retailer members in the platform. Regular use of this function will help to ensure that the PSI Product Finder remains a reliable source of up-to-date product information in the long term.’