Why Owning Your Product Data Is a Grocer’s Biggest Competitive Advantage

Product data is one of the most valuable assets a grocer has. Yet too many hand it over to third parties when outsourcing ecommerce content and delivery services. While outsourcing may help get digital operations started, it often creates long-term risks: slower launches, inconsistent shopper experiences, and missed opportunities to innovate.  

By keeping product data in-house, grocers unlock the accuracy, agility, and trust needed to compete in an AI-driven marketplace. 

What Happens When Grocers Do Not Own Their Data? 

When product data lives with an outside provider, grocers lose visibility and control over the very foundation of their operations. Attributes, copy, and images sit outside their systems, which means they cannot move at the pace shoppers expect. 

• Accuracy suffers. Third-party systems introduce duplication, delays, and errors that ripple through ecommerce, in-store, and partner channels. According to Gartner, poor data quality costs organizations an average of $12.9 million annually. 

• Speed slows down. Each new product listing, update, or correction requires coordination with the partner. The result is lost time to shelf and weaker competitiveness. 

• Personalization is limited. Without direct ownership of product data, it is nearly impossible to tailor experiences across regions, shopper segments, or digital channels. 

• Innovation stalls. Third parties are not designed to fuel assortment planning, pricing optimization, or AI-driven personalization. Competitors who leverage their data to power growth will outpace them. 

The short-term convenience of outsourcing quickly becomes a long-term drag on performance. 

Outsourced vs. Owned Data: A Clear Comparison 

Grocers weighing the decision often ask, “What difference does it really make?” The answer is that the gap is widening every day as competitors invest in automation and AI. 

When you outsource, your data is managed for you, but never truly yours. When you own it, you control the foundation that powers every channel, every campaign, and every shopper touchpoint. 

Category	Outsourced Data	Owned Data
Accuracy	Dependent on partner updates, higher risk of errors	Clean, validated, and governed within your systems
Speed to shelf	Slowed by external processes	Direct control accelerates launches
Personalization	Limited and generic	Tailored experiences across markets and channels
Innovation	Constrained by partner’s tools	Extendable into assortment, pricing, and promotions
Cost efficiency	Ongoing partner fees and hidden inefficiencies	Long-term savings from automation and reuse

The contrast is stark. Data ownership is not simply about control. It is about enabling speed, personalization, and efficiency at scale. 

Why Data Ownership Is the Key to Competitive Advantage 

Owning product data is not just a defensive move against errors and delays. It creates a proactive foundation for growth. With a trusted, governed dataset, grocers can: 

• Accelerate assortment planning. New items can be onboarded faster and optimized for discoverability with enriched attributes. 

• Keep pricing sharp. Accurate product data allows pricing and promotions to be competitive and consistent across channels. 

• Improve the shopper experience. Customers trust content that is accurate, clear, and localized, whether they are browsing online or in-store. 

• Adapt quickly. When markets shift or compliance rules change, grocers who own their data can adjust immediately without waiting on a partner. 

The potential here is enormous. McKinsey estimates that generative AI alone could add $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion in annual value to the global economy. Grocers who control their data are positioned to capture a share of that value, while those who outsource risk being left behind. 

Proof Point: A Grocer’s Success With GenAI 

One leading grocer decided to take ownership of its product data by using Digital Wave Technology’s GenAI capabilities and saw rapid value: 

• 90 percent automation in product attribution 

• 95 percent accuracy in copy and attributes 

• Faster speed to shelf compared to previous processes 

• Positioned itself to expand digital channel revenue. 

The grocer still uses a third-party delivery provider, but by bringing content creation and attribution in-house, they gained control of their most valuable asset: their data. 

Why PIM and GenAI Matter 

Product Information Management (PIM) and Generative AI (GenAI) are the two pillars that make data ownership practical and scalable. 

• PIM provides a single source of truth for product data. It centralizes attributes, copy, images, and metadata, and ensures governance and consistency. 

• GenAI automates the creation and enrichment of that data, accelerating time-to-market while maintaining accuracy. 

Together, they allow grocers to own, manage, and activate their product data across every channel. The result is greater efficiency, stronger customer experiences, and a competitive edge in a rapidly changing marketplace. 

Data Control Is the New Competitive Edge 

Product data is too valuable to outsource. When grocers take ownership, they unlock speed, accuracy, personalization, and the ability to innovate at scale. The competitive edge goes to those who control their data, not those who rent it. 

Learn how Digital Wave Technology helps grocers own their product data and put it to work across the enterprise. 

FAQs: Data Ownership in Grocery 

Why should grocers stop outsourcing product data?

Because outsourcing limits speed, accuracy, and innovation. Owning product data enables agility, personalization, and cost efficiency. 

Can grocers still use third parties for delivery while owning data?

Yes. Many grocers continue to outsource delivery while keeping content and data creation in-house. This model preserves flexibility without giving away the most valuable asset. 

How does data ownership support compliance?

With in-house control, every attribute, description, and image is governed and audit-ready, reducing risk and ensuring consistency across regions. 

What role does AI play?

AI thrives on clean, structured data. With PIM and GenAI, grocers can automate data creation, ensure accuracy, and lay the groundwork for advanced AI applications like personalization and pricing optimization.