PIM Selection Benchmark 2027: research plan and how to take part
The PIM Selection Benchmark 2027 is a planned annual study by PIMvendors on how European organisations select a PIM. It will measure selection duration, longlist and shortlist size, cost ranges, causes of failure and AI adoption, using a buyer survey with a target of 150 respondents plus anonymised PIMvendors engagement data. No results are published yet.
What the benchmark will measure
The benchmark will measure five aspects of PIM selection that buyers ask about most. Each research question maps to a decision a buying committee has to make.
| Research area | Question | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Selection duration | How long does a selection take from kick-off to signed contract | Weeks |
| Longlist and shortlist size | How many vendors are considered at each stage | Number of vendors |
| Cost ranges | What do licence, implementation and internal effort cost in year one | EUR ranges |
| Causes of failure | Why do selections stall, restart or end in regret | Share of respondents per cause |
| AI adoption | Which AI features do buyers require, test and use | Share of respondents per feature |
The benchmark also records context for each response: company size, industry, country, number of products and channels, and whether the organisation had a PIM before. Those fields allow breakdowns by segment.
The causes-of-failure question tests the house thesis directly. PIMvendors holds that most PIM selections fail before the first demo, because buyers compare software before defining their data model. The guide to why PIM selections fail sets out that view.
Method
The benchmark combines a buyer survey with anonymised PIMvendors engagement data. Each source covers a gap in the other.
- Buyer survey. An online survey for organisations that have selected a PIM, are selecting one, or stopped a selection. The target is 150 respondents. That figure is a target and will be reported against the actual response count.
- Engagement data. Anonymised data from PIMvendors selection projects, covering duration, shortlist size and cost. Every identifying detail is removed before analysis.
- Reporting rules. Results are reported in aggregate only. A breakdown is shown only where a group holds at least 5 responses. Every figure states its sample size.
Vendors and implementation partners cannot respond as buyers. The research carries no vendor sponsorship, and the neutrality policy applies in full.
Definitions used in the survey
Every respondent answers against the same definitions, so results can be compared.
| Term | Definition in the benchmark |
|---|---|
| Selection start | The kick-off of requirements work, or the first vendor contact if earlier |
| Selection end | The signed contract, or the decision to stop |
| Longlist | Vendors considered after initial market research |
| Shortlist | Vendors invited to scenario or product demos |
| Year-one cost | Licence, implementation, integration and internal effort in the first 12 months |
| Failed selection | A selection stopped, restarted, or followed by regret about the choice within the period reported |
Known limitations
The benchmark has three known limitations, and the results will state them. Respondents select themselves, so organisations with strong views may be over-represented. The PIMvendors audience leans towards the Netherlands and Belgium, which may skew country breakdowns. Engagement data reflects PIMvendors clients, who chose to use an advisor.
How results will be published
Results will appear on this page, with the method, sample and limitations alongside them. The publication date will be announced here and recorded in the update log.
The cost data from the benchmark also feeds the Price Reality Index, which launches with the first benchmark results. Survey respondents receive the results before public release.
No results are available yet. This page will not show figures until the survey closes and the analysis is reviewed.
How to take part
Register your interest via the contact form on pimvendors.com. PIMvendors will send the survey link when fieldwork opens.
- Take part if your organisation has selected a PIM, is selecting one, or stopped a selection.
- One response per organisation, from a person involved in the selection.
- Answers are confidential and reported only in aggregate.
To discuss your own selection with PIMvendors, book an advisory call. Taking part in the benchmark does not require a call.
Every buyer asks how long a selection takes and what it costs. The benchmark will answer with data, and the method is public from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Who can take part in the PIM Selection Benchmark 2027?
Organisations that have selected a PIM, are selecting one now, or stopped a selection can take part in the PIM Selection Benchmark 2027. Respondents are usually product data managers, e-commerce leads, enterprise architects, procurement or compliance owners. Vendors and implementation partners cannot respond as buyers, so the results reflect the buyer's experience.
Are individual answers to the benchmark published?
Individual answers to the PIM Selection Benchmark 2027 are never published. Results are reported only in aggregate, and only where a group holds enough responses to protect anonymity. Company names are not collected in the published dataset. Respondents receive the results before public release.
When will the PIM Selection Benchmark 2027 results be published?
The publication date of the PIM Selection Benchmark 2027 results will be announced on this page and in the update log. Results are published together with the first edition of the Price Reality Index, which uses the same cost data. Until then, this page describes the method only.
Sources and method
How this page was made: drafted by the PIM Selection editors from the sources listed, checked against the PIMvendors selection method, and signed off by a named expert. Editorial policy.
Cite this page
PIM Selection (2026). PIM Selection Benchmark 2027: research plan and how to take part. PIMvendors.com. https://pimselection.com/research/pim-selection-benchmark-2027/ (version 2026-10-14).