Akeneo – what can it do for your store?

The “B2C E-commerce Market Size & Share Report, 2021-2028” shows that the size of the global B2C e-commerce market was 3.67 trillion USD in 2020. It is expected that the average annual growth rate (CAGR) will remain at the level of 9.7% in the period of 2021-2028.

The dynamics of the data presented in the report proves that we are modern e-consumers who spend a lot of time confirming their purchasing decisions, skilfully using the information we find on the web. This is reflected in the attitude of e-stores, which are able to manage information more and more effectively, presenting their products in an exhaustive way in the available online channels.

However, the larger and more complex the product base, as well as the number of supported sales channels, the more challenging the optimal management of product information becomes. Additional complications may also be caused if the data are collected from many sources, are gathered in many excel files or other databases. Therefore, it is not without a reason that appropriate systems have been created to facilitate information management. PIM (Product Information Management) systems, such as Akeneo, translate into the effectiveness of stores, enabling them to use the potential of the information they have.

PIM – what is it?

The primary goal of PIM systems is to collect and store all data relating to the products offered by the e-shop in one place. The information is to concern the smallest details which to any extent make up the product description.

Therefore, this will not only include information such as name, size or weight, but also reviews, related products and multimedia files. Storing such data leads the e-merchant towards better, more efficient management. A kind of product command centre, which PIM is in fact, allows you to manage the database in a centralized, but also automated and orderly manner.

Regardless of whether the e-consumer searches for a product in the Google search engine, in social media or on price comparison websites, he will receive precise and consistent product data. As a result, the clarity of the presentation and its exhaustive form will translate into higher sales rates.

How does PIM work?

The PIM system is to bring the management and collection of products to one place. The potential of this solution is not limited to these two possibilities. PIM also allows you to expand all data regarding the offered products, as well as distribute information about the product range to various online channels.

Tools such as Akeneo allow you to organize data which will be in one central database. Which is extremely valuable, especially in the case of multi-thousand databases of e-shops offering various products, which have many attributes and function in several language versions.

Why will PIM help you develop your online store? Check out the possibilities of this solution

If it becomes apparent that your online store has a noticeable problem with managing the product base, it is worth considering implementing the PIM system. We should note that the nature of the problem may be different. Errors in descriptions, the problem of promoting products in online channels, inconsistent data, problematic data update, discrepancies in inventory, etc.

A modern PIM brings many benefits to e-stores, which will ultimately translate into a higher conversion rate. Gathering information in one place also saves a lot of time. On the other hand, data consistency leads to the elimination of errors in descriptions. The issue of control is also important, as it is much more effective thanks to data centralization. However, if the online store is also to function on foreign markets, the PIM system will greatly facilitate all translations. Akeneo allows you to open one language version next to the other, which significantly speeds up the translation itself.

Why is it worth it to rely on Akeneo? Discover the advantages of the system

Akeneo is one of the leading suppliers of PIM systems. The IDC MarketScape Report: Worldwide Product Information Management Applications for Commerce 2019–2020 Vendor Assessment report, where 14 product management solutions were assessed, awarded the title of a leader only to 5, including Akeneo.

What functionalities actually translated into such a high rating?

Akeneo is an extremely flexible system, capable of proper calibration for smaller or larger e-commerce, taking into account the product offer itself. In terms of everyday use, the intuitiveness of the Akeneo interface is extremely important. Entering descriptions, updating them or controlling data is quick and easy. One of the most popular PHP frameworks, known as Symfony, which forms the basis of Akeneo, facilitates the development of this tool in both the business and B2C sectors.

Akeneo is also distinguished by exceptionally efficient integration with other platforms, including Magento. It is also worth noting the efficient API, which includes all the functions which are available in the front-end of the tool. There is also no problem with using Akeneo in the cloud. This is a good alternative for companies which do not want to install applications on their own servers.

The PIM system from Akeneo is a modern solution which clearly marks its presence on the e-commerce market. A flexible and efficient tool which supports e-commerce and facilitates many processes conducted in the back-end of an online store.