Short answer
DAMSelection accepts no payment for placement, scores or reviews of the 30 DAM vendors it tracks. The vendor data model has no sponsorship field, the site carries no affiliate links, and every commercial relationship between PIMvendors and a DAM vendor is disclosed on that vendor's profile and in the DAMSelection disclosure register.
Five rules
DAMSelection runs on five neutrality rules that apply to every page, dataset and advisory engagement.
- No sponsorship, partner-tier or payment field exists in the vendor data model.
- No affiliate links, paid placements or lead-sharing deals appear anywhere on DAMSelection.
- Every commercial relationship between PIMvendors and a DAM vendor is disclosed.
- Vendors may correct facts. Scores change only through the scoring model.
- Every vendor profile publishes three strengths and three watch-outs with equal depth.
The rules sit in the architecture of the site as well as in this policy. A rule that the data model cannot break needs no trust in the editor.
How the data model enforces neutrality
The DAMSelection vendor record has no field that can hold a sponsorship, a partner tier or a payment, so no template can rank vendors by money.
| Page element | What decides the order | What cannot affect it |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor directory | Segment, then alphabetical | Commercial relationships |
| Shortlists and comparisons | Alphabetical until scores publish, then scenario score | Vendor requests |
| DAM Shortlist Engine | The buyer's own requirement answers | Any vendor attribute outside the requirements |
| Strengths and watch-outs | Documented facts, three of each | Vendor approval |
The Shortlist Engine filters on the buyer's requirements only. The same code path runs for every vendor, so a vendor cannot appear in a result it does not qualify for.
What counts as a commercial relationship
DAMSelection treats any exchange of money or referral value between PIMvendors and a DAM vendor as a commercial relationship.
- Implementation, reseller or technology partnerships
- Paid speaking, webinars or sponsored content
- Sponsorship of events that PIMvendors organises
- Consulting work for a vendor
- Relationships with PIM vendors that also sell a DAM product
Referral fees and lead-sharing deals are banned outright, so they never reach the register. Several tracked DAM vendors also sell PIM software, and PIMvendors works with PIM platforms in every project. Those relationships are disclosed under the same rule.
Disclosed relationships
DAMSelection discloses each commercial relationship in two places: the register on this page and the profile of the vendor concerned.
| Register field | What it records |
|---|---|
| Vendor | The vendor name as the vendor writes it |
| Relationship type | One of the types listed in the previous section |
| Start and end date | The period of the relationship |
| Scope | Whether the relationship touches the vendor's DAM product |
| Last reviewed | The date of the latest quarterly review |
PIMvendors maintains the register and reviews it every quarter. A vendor with no register entry has no commercial relationship with PIMvendors to disclose. A new relationship enters the register before any related work starts.
How advisory work stays neutral
PIMvendors advisory engagements follow the same five rules as DAMSelection, because the buyer pays and no vendor does.
- The buying organisation pays for the selection advisory. No vendor pays PIMvendors for a shortlist slot or a recommendation.
- Consultants declare any vendor relationship at the start of an engagement.
- The longlist comes from the buyer's requirements and the shortlisting method.
- Every vendor receives the same script, the same assets and the same time box.
Why neutrality matters for buyers
A DAM comparison that vendors can pay into ranks vendors by budget, and a buyer cannot tell which rankings were bought.
Buyers can check any DAM comparison site, including this one, with five tests.
- Look for sponsor labels, "featured" slots or partner badges next to vendor names.
- Hover over vendor links and check for affiliate or tracking parameters.
- Compare the depth of strengths and watch-outs across vendors.
- Find the published scoring method and the evidence behind each score.
- Look for a correction process and a public log.
DAMSelection assessment: a source that fails two or more tests is marketing. Treat its rankings as vendor claims. The demo red flags guide applies the same scepticism to vendor demos.
Frequently asked
Is DAMSelection sponsored by DAM vendors?
DAMSelection has no vendor sponsors. The vendor data model holds no sponsorship or payment field, the site carries no affiliate links, and no vendor can buy placement, scores or reviews. Any commercial relationship between PIMvendors and a DAM vendor appears in the disclosure register and on the vendor's profile.
How does PIMvendors make money?
PIMvendors earns its revenue from selection and advisory work paid by buying organisations. Any income from a DAM vendor, such as event sponsorship, appears in the disclosure register on the neutrality page and on that vendor's profile. Referral fees and lead-sharing deals are banned under the neutrality rules.
Can a DAM vendor pay to be added to DAMSelection?
No DAM vendor can pay to be added to DAMSelection. Inclusion depends on a documented DAM product, buyer demand in European mid-market and enterprise selections, and fit with one of the five segments. Vendors can send facts with primary sources through the corrections process for review.
How can I check whether a DAM comparison site is neutral?
Check five things: sponsor or partner labels, affiliate parameters in vendor links, equal depth of strengths and watch-outs, a published scoring method with evidence, and a public correction log. A site that fails two or more of these tests treats rankings as advertising, and its scores should count as vendor claims.
What happens if PIMvendors partners with a DAM vendor?
The relationship enters the disclosure register before any related work starts, and the vendor's profile shows the disclosure. The vendor's facts, scores and watch-outs stay under the same verification and evidence rules as every other vendor. A partnership never changes the order of any list on DAMSelection.