In the last few years, SEMA Data has moved beyond its early mission of serving as a basic storehouse and distribution point for manufacturers’ standardized product data. It has evolved to help industry members with their changing needs.

SEMA Data now includes a full suite of services, including a data team that coaches and assists manufacturers with product data; a new software platform for product cataloging, made for collaboration and ease-of-use, that it garnered praise during the last Users Group Virtual Meetup; and export and reseller tools to streamline communication between a brand and its customers. Additionally, there are custom API’s and eCommerce plugins to speed up data imports and power online catalog search.

At the August 18 Users Group meeting, Gigi Ho, vice president of operations of SEMA Data, shared her own journey in the industry with product data, the standards, and emphasized that the industry needs to keep changing and growing to meet today and future data demands.

With advancement in technology, types of vehicles in operation, and ways consumers communicate and seek out products to modify those vehicles, product data is critical to power product searches and results. And though the ACES and PIES standards have been widely adopted at this point, variances in information provided from manufacturer to manufacturer mean hardship for resellers seeking to market products, and confusion for consumers wanting to purchase products.

Recognizing the importance quality product data has in powering commerce, from the factory to the garage, Ho shared the next evolutionary step toward enabling companies to tap into a cleaner source of product information, not only standardized, but also normalized, and ready made for search.

More will be shared at the in-person Users Group Meetup at the SEMA Show in November.

Until then, you can view the range of solutions available at www.semadata.org or contact us at info@semadata.org.