Implementing a Product Information Management (PIM) system is a pivotal step for centralizing, structuring, and efficiently managing product information. Before embarking on a PIM project, it’s essential to establish a solid foundation to ensure smooth execution and a successful implementation. 

During our collaboration with Groupe CH and its subsidiary Evenko — an industry leader in producing musical, family, and sports events — we observed that their preparatory efforts significantly contributed to the project’s success. Below, we’ve outlined five key practices to master before starting a PIM project, illustrated with insights from Evenko (for more details, see the full case study).

1. Understand Your Product Data

The first critical step is gaining a comprehensive understanding of your product data. While this may seem straightforward, it is often underestimated. Managing large volumes of data requires answers to the following questions:

• Where is your product data stored (ERP, Excel files, cloud storage, etc.)?
• What is the quality of your data: is it up-to-date, or does it include outdated or erroneous information?
• How many products do you manage, and what volume of associated multimedia files (images, videos, PDFs) exists?
• Can you compile a clear and exhaustive inventory of data to integrate into the PIM?

From the start of their project, Evenko had a solid grasp of their data inventory. Using Akeneo, they centralized event and artist information to achieve strategic objectives such as:

• Creating a centralized database
• Simplifying and streamlining the Groupe CH’s digital ecosystem by:
  • Reducing risks: Automating processes like publishing events and artist announcements to prevent information leaks.
  • Enhancing efficiency: Implementing business rules and automation to minimize manual tasks.

2. Master the Product Lifecycle

A thorough understanding of your products’ lifecycle — from creation to market removal — is essential. This involves mapping each step: creation, enrichment, publication, modification, or archiving. Evaluate whether your current cycle meets your needs or requires adjustments.

At Evenko, each step was subject to specific constraints. For example, announcement and pre-sale dates were tied to agreements with artists and partners. These business rules directly impacted event display and were integrated into Akeneo.

By documenting all necessary rules and determining which system would host them, the team optimized online event management and streamlined the sales process, ensuring products were available at the right time and under the right conditions.

Picture this: It’s Christmas morning, and your family gathers around the tree. Gifts are unwrapped, coffees are in hands, and the excitement fills the room. Some presents are perfect — the exact item someone hinted at months ago. Others, well, might find their way back to the store before New Year’s Eve. 

This scene plays out in millions of homes across the globe every holiday season, but behind the magic of gift-giving lies months of preparation by brands and retailers striving to meet and exceed customer expectations.

The 2024 holiday season saw shoppers spending nearly $242 billion, an 8.7% increase from last year. Other than record spending, this growth reveals how consumer habits are evolving and how brands are responding. From hunting down deals to embracing the latest tech, this year revealed some major shifts in consumer behavior and retail trends. For brands, these insights offer a golden opportunity to refine their strategies and get ahead for the year ahead. So, let’s unwrap the biggest takeaways from the season and see how they can help you shine brighter in 2025!

1. Promotions & discounts are crucial

Promotions remained a major driver of holiday spending, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday once again dominating the shopping calendar. This year, spending on these two key days soared to $24 billion, up from $22 billion in 2023.

Shoppers continue to hunt for deals, and brands that leaned into strategic promotions reaped the rewards. The most successful retailers didn’t just offer blanket discounts; they used targeted promotions to capture their audience’s attention. Data-driven strategies allowed them to personalize offers based on past purchases, preferences, and shopping behaviors.

For 2025, brands should focus on creating tailored promotional campaigns that speak directly to their customers’ needs. Integrating AI-driven insights into these strategies can help pinpoint what resonates most with shoppers, ensuring every discount maximizes ROI.

2. Mobile shopping continues to grow

Mobile shopping reached new heights in 2024, solidifying its place as the preferred channel for many consumers. This season, mobile accounted for a record 54.5% of online shopping revenue, with its peak on Christmas Day, when 65% of online sales came from mobile devices.

What’s driving this surge? The seamless experience provided by optimized mobile apps and websites. Retailers that invested in mobile-first design, fast loading times, and user-friendly interfaces were better positioned to capitalize on this trend. Social commerce also continues to play a significant role, with platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram contributing to 20% of global holiday sales.

In 2025 and beyond, prioritizing mobile as part of your omnichannel strategy by refining mobile checkout processes, leveraging in-app shopping experiences, and utilizing social media platforms can drive engagement and conversions.

The future of Product Information Management (PIM) is set for an exciting transformation, fueled by technological advancements and shifting market dynamics. In this fast and dynamic digital world, it becomes essential for any platform to anticipate what is coming next, and constant improvement is crucial: adapting to market trends, enhancing customer experience, streamlining operations, supporting omnichannel strategies, facilitating global reach, leveraging data for insight, boosting personalization efforts, maintaining compliance and global awareness, driving innovation… many reasons to improve the PIM as fast as the market growths!

The future of PIM, particularly with Akeneo, is closely tied to the MACH Alliance – Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless principles. This approach allows for greater flexibility, scalability, and integration seamlessly with other systems. 

For Akeneo, this means focusing on modular, flexible architectures that can rapidly adapt to changes in the commerce landscape, especially as the shift to unified commerce continues to gain momentum. Akeneo is preparing for the future by offering new functionalities for ever more efficient and personalized product information management. 

Let’s delve into some of the key trends shaping the future of Akeneo PIM.

1. Unified commerce experiences

Unified commerce is increasingly becoming a top focus for numerous retailers and brands. PIM assumes a crucial role in guaranteeing a uniform customer experience across various points of interaction by enhancing functionalities that integrate online and offline channels and ensuring seamless product information flow across eCommerce platforms, marketplaces, physical stores, and mobile apps. The advancement of Akeneo Activation, coupled with enhanced management of marketplaces/templates and improved mapping flexibility, will be essential in swiftly establishing connections with new channels and seizing business opportunities.

2. Extensive network of apps

As brands strive to deliver more personalized experiences, Akeneo’s roadmap points towards further investments in offering innovative solutions to customers through Akeneo’s App Store.

Akeneo’s app ecosystem allows for creating highly customized product experiences and customer journeys depending on the customer or market, driven by more advanced data segmentation and dynamic content serving. This enables joint customers to leverage product information across marketing, sales, and customer service channels, onboard new data sources, enhance product experiences using AI, and tailor the Akeneo Product Cloud to meet their specific business needs.

Akeneo is also always bringing in new partners who can address emerging use cases and industry-specific needs by integrating with existing tech stacks and helping customers discover new technologies that elevate the product experience.

This program is designed with mutual growth in mind – by driving customer success, pipeline impact, and innovation together with our partners, they will advance through our new partner tiers and unlock greater benefits along the way.

3. AI and automated data enrichment

Artificial Intelligence, particularly Generative AI (Gen AI), will be instrumental in the future of Akeneo, particularly when it comes to automating data enrichment and content generation. AI tools can help generate product descriptions, categorize products, and enrich product attributes faster and with fewer errors. 

Akeneo’s future developments will likely enhance its machine learning capabilities to reduce manual work in product catalog management, providing tools for smart content suggestions, image recognition, and automated attribute extraction. We can imagine that the AI can extract information from various sources such as PDF (ie, notices/datasheets/leaflets), images, or videos from the Asset Manager and automatically enrich product attributes.

To go even further, AI can support automating distinctive content according to the channel. As it stands, Akeneo can already distinguish between information and channels. AI would, therefore, support automating distinctive content according to the channel. 

The ability to serve custom content depending on the channel (eCommerce, marketplace, or social media) is critical for brands managing multi-channel strategies. Akeneo is expected to develop more refined solutions to manage channel-specific product information, ensuring that the right content is delivered to the right channel, including optimizing descriptions, images, and attributes to align with the unique requirements of each platform, such as Amazon, Instagram, or Shopify. AI will make it possible to create personalized product content for different market segments, based on their characteristics and needs (ie: generate an A+ Content description for the Amazon marketplace based on product sheet and assets).

4. Environmental information and traceability (AGEC Compliance)

Sustainability is no longer a trend but a critical requirement. In line with increasing environmental regulations, such as France’s AGEC law, and increased demand from consumers to provide detailed information on the environmental impact of their products, there is a growing need for product transparency and the traceability of materials. Akeneo’s roadmap will include more robust tools to manage environmental information like carbon footprint data, recyclable materials, and ethical sourcing. The ability to track and showcase the journey of products from raw material to final sale will meet regulatory demands and strengthen consumer trust.

One of the significant initiatives being rolled out across Europe, and soon to be integrated into Akeneo’s platform, is the Digital Product Passport, a key tool for compliance. This concept is part of the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan, and it aims to provide detailed, product-specific information throughout a product’s lifecycle. The Digital Product Passport will contain data on materials, sustainability credentials, repairability, and disposal options, making it easier for consumers and regulators to assess the environmental impact of a product.

Akeneo is currently implementing support for the Digital Product Passport in Europe, a move that will help companies comply with not only AGEC regulations but also upcoming EU-wide sustainability requirements. This will be especially beneficial for industries like electronics and fashion, where lifecycle transparency and circularity are high priorities. It will allow businesses to build stronger relationships with consumers by showcasing the traceability of their products and commitment to reducing environmental impact.

By staying ahead of these regulatory requirements and offering comprehensive tools and features to manage environmental information and traceability, PIM tools, and PXM will need to position themselves for businesses aiming to not only meet compliance obligations but also drive long-term consumer trust through sustainability leadership.

Whether it’s a cherished family heirloom or a brand-new pair of boots, we all have possessions that would leave us sobbing like the finale of a good tearjerker if they vanished. This is why they’re handled with care and stored somewhere safe to maintain their value — an approach businesses take with their data as well.

Sure, a business needs customers and quality products to thrive, but real success comes from handling critical data correctly. Collecting a great deal of it is great — but managing, analyzing, and utilizing it well is what really makes the difference. By doing so, companies can grow, leading them to success. However, if mishandled, major problems can occur such as duplicate customer information, inconsistent product data, and more.

Typically, businesses have critical data coming in from various sources and have them stored by different departments in different systems. When this is the case, even the simplest of questions about your customers or products become tricky to answer accurately.

That’s where Master Data Management (MDM) steps in. MDM tools are crucial for brands across all industries as they solve common product and customer data challenges while driving business growth. 

What is Master Data Management (MDM)?

Master Data Management (MDM) creates and manages a single, consistent, and accurate source of master data across an organization, ensuring accuracy and uniformity. MDM is the technology, tools, and processes that centralize and standardize different data types, processing them from multiple systems within an enterprise to build a “master record”. This master data is the essential information that is shared and reused across different systems and applications, including PIM tools.

Master data can be divided into four main data domains: 

• • Customer: Contains data related to customers, such as their names, contact information, purchase history, and demographic information. Keeping this data accurate and up-to-date means more effective communication with consumers, stronger marketing, and better customer service.
  • Product: Includes data like product descriptions, features, prices, and inventory levels. Product domain data helps businesses manage their product catalogs and streamline supply chain operations.
  • Locations: Contains data such as store addresses, warehouse locations, and shipping routes. It helps businesses optimize their logistics operations and ensure timely and efficient deliveries. 
  • Other: Make no mistake, “other” doesn’t mean “unimportant.” This contains data related to license, warranty, contract, employees, and other critical business information.

What Does an MDM Software Do?

Think of MDM software like a big, universal filing cabinet for all your company’s info, from customer names and addresses to product descriptions and inventory levels. The software usually includes data integration, data quality, and data governance capabilities, and provides tools for managing the lifecycle of master data, from creation to retirement, ensuring data is up-to-date and relevant.

MDM platforms are IT-driven solutions that bring harmony to chaotic technology systems. Simply put, they provide a “golden record” (a.k.a. master record).

But what’s a master record? 

Don’t let its various names confuse you, they all mean the same thing!

A master record is a single version of essential business data that eliminates the potential for redundancy, duplication, and mistakes by synchronizing and standardizing data across the entire ecosystem, making MDM a valuable tool for establishing data policies and guidelines, regulatory compliance, and boosting efficiency in operations. A master record  contains critical data businesses need to know, like customer, product, location, and business data, and organizations are dependent on them to execute necessary tasks more effectively, like marketing campaigns, service calls, or sales conversations. 

MDM vs. PIM

A tool for centralizing data and making your teams’ lives easier… sound familiar? That’s because MDM and PIM (Product Information Management) are both software solutions that help organizations manage and organize their data into a universal source of truth. Both MDM and PIM make it easier for everyone in the company to make important business decisions based on accurate and consistent information.

But while there are similarities between the two, don’t assume they’re interchangeable. 

MDM tosses a wider data net, providing a single information source for all types of data. PIM, on the other hand, is technically a subset of MDM that specifically focuses on managing high-quality product information. PIM is typically used by marketing and sales teams to support their efforts in merchandising and advertising products.

I know what you’re thinking – if MDM stores all data, and PIM stores only product data, why not forgo PIM for the “all-in-one” solution that MDM platforms appear to offer? 

Resist the temptation! 

MDM and PIM complement each other to create an incredibly efficient system for marketing and sales teams, and ultimately, an enhanced product experience. 

MDM platforms can aggregate product information from across the ecosystem into a single PIM system. This information is then enhanced by marketers and combined with assets within the PIM before being distributed across all of a company’s sales channels.

As 2024 draws to a close, we’re reflecting on an incredible year of thought leadership and insights from the Akeneo team. For the 12th and final day of our 12 Days of PXMas, we’re highlighting 12 of our most impactful bylines published in leading industry outlets. These articles tackle critical topics such as AI, ESG, retail strategies, and more, offering actionable advice and innovative perspectives. Each piece reflects Akeneo’s commitment to driving better product experiences and empowering businesses to thrive in a dynamic marketplace.

From navigating holiday challenges to leveraging AI for conversational commerce, this list showcases the breadth of our expertise and dedication to shaping the future of retail and eCommerce. Let’s dive into the highlights from an exceptional year of thought leadership.

1. What a Shortened Holiday Season Means for Retail

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in My Total Retail

In the condensed 2024 holiday season, with only 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, retailers face intensified pressure to optimize their omnichannel strategies. This article delves into actionable tactics such as initiating campaigns early, extending promotional periods, and ensuring consistent, detailed product information across all channels to enhance customer experience. By implementing these approaches, brands can effectively navigate the shortened timeframe and maximize revenue opportunities during this critical shopping period.

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2. Betting on ESG: The Smart Move for Now and the Future

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in Industry Today

In an era where consumers increasingly favor sustainably sourced products and governments enforce stringent environmental regulations, integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles has become essential for businesses aiming to thrive. This article explores how proactive ESG initiatives not only enhance brand reputation but also open doors to new markets, aligning corporate strategies with evolving consumer expectations and legal mandates. By delving into global sustainability regulations and offering practical steps for implementation, it provides a roadmap for companies to navigate the complexities of ESG integration, ensuring long-term success in a rapidly changing landscape

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3. How Enterprise SaaS Companies Can Thrive in an AI-Driven World

Author: Jesse Creange | Published in Unite.ai
AI is reshaping the SaaS landscape, offering both opportunities and challenges. This article explores how these companies can leverage their existing strengths while enhancing their offerings with AI capabilities, providing clients with superior solutions. It examines the potential threats AI poses to traditional SaaS models and offers strategies for adaptation and growth in this evolving landscape.

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4. How AI and LLMs Are Ushering in a New Era of Conversational Commerce

Author: Jesse Creange | Published in Retail TouchPoints
Discover how artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) are revolutionizing the retail landscape by transforming conversational commerce into a dynamic, personalized experience. This article explores the cutting-edge ways retailers are leveraging AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants to engage customers, streamline the shopping journey, and boost conversion rates. With insights into how these technologies enhance customer interactions and deliver real-time solutions, this must-read piece outlines the future of shopping in an AI-powered world. Don’t miss the opportunity to uncover actionable strategies for staying ahead in the evolving world of conversational commerce.

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5. The Key Role of Product Taxonomy in AI-Driven Retail Strategies

Author: Sarah Assous | Published in Chain Store Age
Unlock the power of product taxonomy in the age of AI-driven retail strategies. This article dives into how a well-structured product taxonomy serves as the backbone of seamless customer experiences, enabling precise search results, personalized recommendations, and efficient inventory management. By exploring the intersection of AI and taxonomy, it highlights actionable insights for retailers looking to enhance decision-making, drive conversions, and remain competitive in a fast-paced, digital-first landscape. Discover why mastering your product taxonomy is key to thriving in the future of retail.

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6. Demystifying Mergers & Acquisitions To Make The Most Of A Transformative Process

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in Forbes Business Development Council
Explore the transformative world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in this insightful article that breaks down the complexities of the process and reveals how to turn challenges into opportunities for growth. Whether you’re navigating cultural integration, aligning strategic goals, or maximizing financial outcomes, this piece offers expert advice and actionable strategies to ensure a successful M&A journey. Perfect for business leaders and decision-makers, it demystifies the intricacies of M&A, empowering companies to leverage this powerful tool for innovation and competitive advantage. Don’t miss this roadmap to mastering one of the most impactful business strategies.

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7. In Her Own Words: In the World of Tech, Kristin Naragon Finds Comfort in Discomfort

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in BizJournal
Dive into the inspiring journey of Kristin Napier, a trailblazer in the tech industry, as she shares her insights on navigating the ever-evolving world of technology. In this compelling profile, Kristin opens up about her leadership philosophy, strategies for fostering innovation, and the importance of creating inclusive environments that empower women in tech. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, this article offers valuable lessons and a fresh perspective on thriving in a dynamic and competitive field. Don’t miss this candid look into Kristin’s world and the wisdom she brings to the forefront of technology and leadership.

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8. 5 Key Ways AI and ML Can Transform Retail Business Operations

Author: Jesse Creange | Published in InformationWeek
Discover the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in revolutionizing retail business operations. This article uncovers five critical ways these technologies are reshaping the industry, from enhancing supply chain efficiency and optimizing inventory management to personalizing customer experiences and driving data-driven decision-making. Packed with actionable insights, it highlights how retailers can leverage AI and ML to stay competitive, improve profitability, and meet evolving consumer demands. Dive in to explore the future of retail and the cutting-edge tools that are setting new standards for innovation and efficiency.

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9. Omnichannel for Retailers: Product Data Consistency Is the Key

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in Spiceworks
In today’s retail landscape, delivering seamless omnichannel product experiences is no longer optional—it’s a competitive necessity. This article explores how retailers can harness the power of unified product data to create consistent, personalized shopping experiences across every touchpoint, from in-store to online. Learn how investing in robust data management systems and aligning product information strategies can boost customer satisfaction, drive loyalty, and increase revenue. Packed with expert insights and practical tips, this must-read piece is your guide to thriving in a retail world defined by interconnected, customer-first experiences.

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10. The Retail Tech Revolution Is Here: Are You Prepared?

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in My Total Retail
The retail tech revolution is transforming the way businesses operate, compete, and connect with customers. This article dives into the cutting-edge technologies reshaping the industry, from AI-powered personalization and advanced data analytics to seamless omnichannel integrations. It offers actionable insights on how retailers can embrace innovation to streamline operations, enhance the customer experience, and future-proof their business strategies. Whether you’re a seasoned retailer or just starting your digital transformation journey, this piece provides the guidance you need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. Don’t miss the chance to prepare for the future of retail today!

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11. Optimize Your Amazon Presence for Maximum Sales Success

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in eCommerce Times
Unlock the secrets to maximizing sales success on Amazon with this insightful guide to optimizing your presence on the world’s largest eCommerce platform. This article covers essential strategies, from refining your product listings and leveraging Amazon’s advertising tools to harnessing customer reviews and analytics for continuous improvement. Whether you’re a new seller or an established brand, you’ll find actionable tips to boost visibility, drive conversions, and stay ahead in Amazon’s competitive marketplace. Dive in to discover how to turn your Amazon storefront into a powerhouse for growth and profitability!

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12. Why Return Season Is a Golden Opportunity for Retailers

Author: Kristin Naragon | Published in My Total Retail
Discover why the post-holiday return season is more than just a logistical challenge—it’s a golden opportunity for retailers to strengthen customer relationships and boost future sales. This article explores how savvy retailers can turn returns into a competitive advantage through seamless processes, personalized offers, and enhanced customer experiences. Packed with actionable insights, it highlights strategies to retain loyalty, reduce costs, and even drive additional revenue during one of the busiest times of the year. Don’t miss this must-read guide to making return season work for your business!

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12 Days of PXMas

As we wrap up our 12 Days of PXMas celebration, it’s clear that 2024 was a year of significant innovation, thought leadership, and impactful insights from the Akeneo team. Each of these 12 articles highlights the critical topics shaping the future of retail, eCommerce, and product experiences, from AI advancements and ESG initiatives to omnichannel strategies and the evolving role of data. 

We’re proud to have shared actionable advice and forward-thinking perspectives that empower businesses to navigate a rapidly changing marketplace. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and here’s to continuing to drive exceptional product experiences together in the year ahead!

On the 11th day of PXMas, Akeneo brings to you… 11 powerful channels to activate your product experiences! 

As we near the end of our 12 Days of PXMas campaign, we’re spotlighting the incredible potential of Akeneo Activation to help you connect your enriched product data to the world’s leading eCommerce platforms. Whether you’re selling chic boots on Zappos, high-end handbags on Nordstrom, or industrial tools on Grainger, the right product information can make all the difference.

Akeneo Activation empowers brands to scale their product experiences seamlessly, meeting the unique requirements of each channel and delivering the accurate, complete information customers expect. In today’s competitive market, driving conversions and building loyalty starts with optimized, engaging product content – and we’re here to help you make it happen.

From luxury retailers to global marketplaces, here are 11 standout eCommerce channels Akeneo Activation supports and how it can help you shine this holiday season and beyond.

11 Activation Channels

1. Amazon

Amazon dominates the eCommerce world, attracting millions of shoppers daily, and hosting an incredibly diverse audience. It has positioned itself as the leader of online shopping for over a decade now, with millions of customers turning to the platform every day for everything from household staples to luxury goods. Its audience is as diverse as its product offerings, including budget-conscious buyers, tech-savvy professionals, and premium shoppers seeking high-quality products. With 74% of shoppers using the platform to discover new brands and 7,400 products sold every minute in the US, it’s clear why brands need to optimize their presence on Amazon. 

Selling on Amazon opens the door to this massive audience, but brands need to choose the right approach: Amazon Vendor Central (1P) or Amazon Seller Central (3P). Vendors sell wholesale to Amazon, benefiting from its reputation and logistics but giving up control over pricing and margins. Sellers sell directly to customers, maintaining greater control over pricing and branding but with more operational responsibilities. A hybrid model, combining Vendor and Seller approaches, can help brands strike a balance, leveraging the scale of Vendor Central for high-volume products while using Seller Central to manage niche or long-tail items. Regardless of the approach, optimizing your product listings is essential to standing out in Amazon’s crowded marketplace. This is where Akeneo comes in. 

With Akeneo PIM and Activation for Amazon, brands can easily manage and optimize their Amazon presence. Akeneo ensures your product data is accurate and compelling, helping you stand out in the marketplace. Whether you’re engaging Amazon as a Vendor, a Seller, or both, Akeneo empowers you to deliver superior product experiences to meet the expectations of Amazon’s vast and varied customer base. 

2. Walmart Marketplace

Walmart Marketplace is a thriving eCommerce platform that allows third-party sellers to list their products alongside Walmart’s own offerings on Walmart.com. With 120 million monthly visitors, the platform caters to a vast and diverse audience. Walmart’s shoppers range from budget-conscious families looking for everyday essentials to value-focused consumers seeking quality products across multiple categories like groceries, home goods, and electronics. Known for its trusted reputation and competitive pricing, Walmart’s customer base is loyal and expansive, making it a critical channel for brands aiming to grow their presence. 

However, selling on Walmart Marketplace has been a daunting task. Vendors and sellers faced time-consuming processes, often relying on spreadsheets and multiple data sources to meet Walmart’s strict product requirements. These manual workflows led to delays, errors, and incomplete product records, negatively impacting performance on the platform. 

Akeneo simplifies this complexity with its seamless integration with Walmart Marketplace. Using Akeneo Activation, brands can quickly set up the channel, map product attributes to Walmart’s requirements, and automatically syndicate enriched product information and digital assets directly from Akeneo PIM. This ensures accurate, compliant product listings, reduces time-to-market, and improves performance on the platform. 

With Akeneo’s direct API integration, brands no longer need to waste time on managing data manually. Instead, they can focus on reaching Walmart’s audience with optimized product experiences, driving sales and growth. 

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3. eBay Marketplace

eBay Marketplace is a global eCommerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers across 190 markets. Known for its wide variety of product categories, eBay caters to diverse audiences, from bargain hunters seeking deals to niche collectors and professional shoppers looking for premium items. Sellers range from small entrepreneurs to major brands, all leveraging eBay’s robust platform to reach a vast and engaged global customer base. Buyers are drawn to eBay for its competitive pricing, expansive selection, and secure purchasing environment, making it a key marketplace for businesses looking to scale their operations. 

However, establishing a presence on eBay Marketplace has been a challenge. Sellers faced tedious manual processes – managing spreadsheets, inputting hundreds of product attributes, and consolidating data from various sources. These inefficiencies delayed time-to-market, introduced errors, and hindered performance on a competitive platform. 

With Akeneo’s integration for eBay Marketplace, brands and distributors can now overcome these obstacles. Akeneo Activation streamlines the entire process, enabling businesses to automatically map eBay’s product requirements, transform enriched data from Akeneo PIM, and syndicate accurate, compliant product listings directly to eBay. This seamless workflow eliminates the need for manual tasks, ensuring faster time-to-market and error-free listings that meet eBay’s standards. By leveraging Akeneo Activation, businesses can optimize their presence on eBay Marketplace, connecting with a global audience and driving growth like never before. 

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4. Wayfair

Wayfair is a leading online retailer for home goods, offering a range of furniture, décor, and appliances tailored to diverse styles and budgets. Known for its user-friendly platform and seamless delivery, Wayfair caters to everyone, from young professionals furnishing their first homes to families and design enthusiasts seeking stylish solutions. Its ability to provide a personalized shopping experience depends heavily on managing extensive product data efficiently. 

Akeneo Activation ensures enriched product data from Akeneo PIM aligns perfectly with Wayfair’s specifications. By connecting directly to Wayfair, you can upload accurate, detailed product descriptions, images, and dimensions optimized for the platform’s search and filtering features, leading to better product discoverability and higher conversion rates.

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5. Zappos

Zappos is a leading online retailer known for its extensive range of shoes, clothing, and accessories, together with its dedication to exceptional customer service. Whether you’re searching for the latest fashion trends, athletic gear, or everyday essentials, Zappos offers something for everyone. 

Akeneo Activation helps you meet Zappos’ specific content requirements, such as detailed material descriptions, fit and sizing guides, and high-quality images. By seamlessly connecting your product data, you can provide the compelling, complete information that Zappos shoppers expect, ensuring a seamless and satisfying customer experience.

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6. Grainger

Grainger is a trusted leader in the industrial supply industry, offering a catalog of products to support businesses of all sizes. From safety equipment to tools and facility maintenance supplies, Grainger serves a wide range of industries with reliable, high-quality solutions.

Akeneo Activation enables brands to deliver complete, accurate, and compliant product data tailored to Grainger’s channel requirements. With streamlined updates and enriched content, your products will stand out and provide the essential technical details needed to drive B2B purchasing decisions.

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Accurate product data is the backbone of effective operations, customer satisfaction, and business growth, and yet in today’s data-driven world, maintaining product data accuracy is more challenging than ever before. From powering seamless omnichannel experiences to meeting the expectations of global markets, businesses must ensure their product information is reliable, up-to-date, and consistent. But how can companies achieve this, especially when most are drowning in unorganized, scattered data?

Lucky for you, we’ve put together a list of ten actionable tips to improve product data accuracy. From creating a centralized source of truth and leveraging AI to collaborating across the value chain and focusing on omnichannel consistency, these strategies will help you build a foundation for precise, trustworthy product information.

10 Tips For Better Product Data Accuracy

1. Create a single centralized source of truth for product data

Creating a centralized record for product data significantly improves accuracy by addressing common challenges associated with decentralized systems. By eliminating duplicate and conflicting data and serving as the single source of truth for all stakeholders, this centralization streamlines data entry and maintenance and reduces the risk of manual errors caused by repetitive handling across multiple systems. Additionally, a centralized record supports data validation and governance by incorporating automated rules and workflows, which catch errors or incomplete data before it is published.

A centralized record also speeds up error resolution, as inaccuracies can be quickly located and corrected, minimizing disruptions to customers and operations. By centralizing product data, businesses not only improve accuracy but also enhance efficiency, enable better decision-making, and create a superior customer experience.

2. Regularly audit and cleanse data

Even with a centralized system, product data can become outdated, incomplete, or inconsistent over time. Regular data audits are essential to identify and address inaccuracies. By periodically reviewing your product information, you can:

• Detect missing or incomplete fields
• Correct outdated specifications
• Remove duplicate entries
• Regularly check for brand consistency

Automating parts of this process can further streamline efforts, allowing you to maintain high data quality without a constant manual workload.

3. Leverage AI to monitor gaps and inconsistences

Machine learning algorithms and natural language processing (NLP) enable businesses to analyze, detect, and address data quality issues at scale by quickly scanning large volumes of product data and identifying missing attributes, such as incomplete descriptions, absent specifications, or inconsistent formatting. Advanced AI systems can compare data entries against predefined standards or templates and flag discrepancies, ensuring that product information adheres to brand and regulatory requirements. 

AI solutions can also cross-reference data across multiple systems or external sources to detect conflicts, such as mismatched pricing, inconsistent units of measurement, or outdated product details. Predictive analytics powered by AI can anticipate future gaps by identifying trends or patterns in incomplete data, enabling businesses to take proactive measures to enhance data accuracy.

By integrating AI into their data monitoring processes, businesses can maintain high-quality product information, reduce manual workloads, and improve overall operational efficiency and customer trust.

Behind every great product experience is a story of transformation. At Akeneo, we’re unwrapping inspiring tales of success from businesses across industries who have partnered with us to tackle their product data challenges. From retailers scaling their data strategies to boost engagement to B2B manufacturers ensuring complete and consistent product data, these stories highlight the real-world results customers achieve with Akeneo Product Cloud.

In honor of the ninth day of PXMas, we’re showcasing nine incredible journeys where Akeneo played a pivotal role in driving success for global brands, manufacturers, and retailers. Whether you’re looking to enhance your product data strategy or solve complex challenges, these stories demonstrate how Akeneo empowers businesses to innovate, differentiate, and delight their customers. Let’s transform your product experiences—together!

9 Stories of Customer Success with Akeneo

1. Drawer

Drawer, a brand known for its stylish and high-quality furniture and home décor, curates collections that seamlessly blend design and functionality. 

However, as their catalog grew, manual processes for managing product data created inefficiencies and delays, hampering their ability to deliver a seamless customer experience. 

Akeneo Product Cloud provided the solution by streamlining workflows and centralizing data management. This transformation not only simplified supplier collaboration but also ensured that Drawer could deliver enriched, accurate product information across all channels. 

The results? Faster product launches and an enhanced customer experience, powered by engaging and reliable product data. 

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2. Bensons for Beds

Bensons for Beds, the UK’s leading retailer of beds and mattresses, offers dreamy options both in-store and online. 

However, outdated systems created inefficiencies and inconsistencies, delaying product launches and impacting customer satisfaction. 

Akeneo Product Cloud stepped in to centralize their data, streamline workflows, and enable consistent, engaging shopping experiences across all channels. 

The results were transformative: a 20% faster time-to-market for new products, improved product data consistency, enhanced customer engagement, and greater operational efficiency. 

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3. Peavey Industries

Peavey Industries, a Canadian retailer specializing in agricultural, hardware, and home improvement products, faced significant challenges managing their growing catalog. Manual processes caused delays and led to inconsistent product data. 

Akeneo provided the solution by centralizing their data and automating workflows, ensuring accurate and consistent information across all channels. According to Shaun Guthrie, Head of Technology & eCommerce at Peavey, the changes had a transformative impact on productivity and business results. 

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If you thought the circular economy only involved retailers and consumers, you thought wrong. 

Before a product grazes against a customer’s fingers or lays on a shop’s shelf, it’s first given the touch of life by a manufacturer. And at this critical conception point long before the product even enters the marketplace, more than 80% of its environmental impact is determined.

The manufacturing sector is the second-largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the EU, following only behind the energy sector. Besides GHG emissions, the manufacturing sector is also accountable for being one of the primary consumers of energy from fossil fuels. 

While manufacturers aren’t solely responsible for a product’s lifecycle, they play a leading role in shaping its sustainability. As such, they are uniquely positioned to drive change. Instead of perpetuating a harmful cycle, manufacturers can break the mold, adopt greener practices, and lead the fight against environmental harm.

Here are seven ways manufacturers can embrace the circular economy and transform their impact:

7 Ways Manufacturers Can Embrace the Circular Economy

1. Reduce consumption of finite resources

This is perhaps the easiest step towards a sustainable path — avoiding unnecessary purchases and investments. You see, the greenest resource is one that’s never been consumed. This is simply executed by manufacturers refusing to buy items they have no use for, saving money for other important aspects of the company. They can also rethink ownership and usage of machines to maximize their productivity, and redesign products to consume fewer — and greener — resources during their manufacture and use. 

Optimizing global supply networks helps manufacturers integrate sustainability into their workflows, enhancing operational efficiency. Raw material extractions are responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions related to EU consumption. Manufacturers can significantly reduce carbon output and minimize ecological harm by considering the source of raw materials, the processes involved in their extraction, and the environmental impact of transporting them.

Another way to cut back on finite resource usage is by electrifying industrial operations. Investing in innovative technologies enhances efficiency, and where feasible, switching to renewable energy sources is cost-effective and lowers greenhouse emissions!

2. Adopt reverse logistics systems

Manufacturers can create efficient systems to retrieve used products for refurbishment, remanufacturing, or recycling. Creating a reverse logistics system helps manufacturers execute this as it transfers products from the end consumer to the manufacturer who initially supplied them, reducing production costs and increasing sales. According to Gartner’s report, businesses that effectively manage reverse logistics in their supply chain can cut costs by up to 50%.

Partnering with logistics providers or setting up in-house collection programs can ensure end-of-life products return to the manufacturer. Third-party logistics providers specialize in reverse logistics, putting them in charge of the flow of products from consumers back to manufacturers. With in-house collection programs, manufacturers can also directly manage the return of end-of-life products, ensuring effective retrieval and processing. 

3. Reuse manufactured goods again and again. 

Manufacturers should highly focus on the process of a product’s conception, as smarter designs encourage longer-term use and reuse, helping reduce consumption. A decision of a product during its design critically determines its environmental impact, making the development stage heavily important.  

Manufacturers can try shifting to an equipment-as-a-service (EaaS) business model, which involves businesses renting equipment through a subscription service instead of purchasing brand-new equipment to maximize the utilization of high-demand machinery.

4. Repair broken products instead of replacing them. 

One way manufacturers can embrace the circular economy is by designing products that are easy to repair, with user-serviceable components and readily available spare parts. By letting customers fix their products, a second life is given to them, keeping products and materials in use longer and spending less time in landfills.

Manufacturers can also support “right to repair” legislation, which requires spare parts and refurbishment information be available for every product, in key markets in which they operate, or can explore the chance of connecting with programs like Repair Circle, which provides training and material support for repairing goods in local communities. 

In today’s world, you can’t hear the word “Amazon” without bringing to mind the eCommerce giant rather than the rainforest. Appearing in over 50 countries, Amazon is clearly in demand —  74% of Amazon consumers use the online site to find new products, and US customers are buying 8,600 items per minute. 

And why wouldn’t it be? The notorious marketplace displays brands with visually appealing content, attracting customers to browse through hundreds of goods before selecting which one they want to show up on their doorstep in 48 hours. Plus, by offering incentives like a premium subscription and seamless returns, people are more than enticed to shop through the enterprise’s jungle of sellers.  

While Amazon is undeniably great for increasing sales and entering international markets, it’s not a journey you can easily take without a map. When selling your products on Amazon, there are two primary business models to choose from which will help guide your way: Amazon Seller and Amazon Vendor.

What does it mean to be an Amazon Vendor (1P)?

Being an Amazon Vendor essentially means that you are a wholesale supplier, selling your products to Amazon. This means that you receive a purchase order from Amazon, fulfill the purchase order, and sell your products directly to Amazon. In rare cases, direct fulfillment is an option even as a vendor, however it requires robust warehousing and fulfillment capabilities. It’s important to note that you must be invited by Amazon to be a Vendor.

Most often first-party vendors are brands that may sell D2C on other channels, but in this instance Amazon is now the retailer that is selling your product. This means that you set the list price, but the selling price is determined by the market. Each year when you negotiate your contract with Amazon you negotiate your margins directly.

Although Amazon is now the owner and seller of the products, you are still responsible for setting up the item and for providing some of the product content. Amazon will make some optimizations on the product detail page for you, but you must also make efforts to ensure that your product record is complete and accurate, to ensure that your products sell and Amazon wants to place more purchase orders with you. You also still have the ability to advertise and run promotions for your products so they sell faster and Amazon continues to buy more from you.

Vendor Central

First-party Amazon vendors manage their relationship with Amazon through Vendor Central. That’s where you can make updates to product listings, view purchase orders, and access available reporting.

What are the benefits of being a first-party Amazon vendor?

Selling as a first-party vendor on Amazon tends to be easier than third-party selling. This is because it works like a wholesaling model. By fulfilling Amazon’s purchase order, you can take advantage of a much more hands-off approach, while still taking advantage of the volume of consumers shopping on Amazon.

Furthermore, you can take advantage of the trust that comes with being an Amazon Vendor. This allows you to take advantage of Amazon’s reputation for fast shipping and easy returns. When potential customers see ‘Sold By Amazon’ you get the added value of perceived trust from consumers.

What are some of the downsides of being an Amazon Vendor?

When you sell your products directly to Amazon you no longer have control over your products. One aspect of that includes pricing. Since Amazon determines the price of your product depending on the market, and you are acting as a wholesale supplier for Amazon, you may have lower profit margins. Typically, on an annual basis, you negotiate your margins directly with Amazon. This can mean there is less predictability than a 3P Seller that pays a flat percentage fee.

While Amazon Vendors have access to more marketing and advertising options which can be a bonus, they are still responsible for any additional costs associated with them. For example, in order to move product quickly, an Amazon Vendor may wish to run Sponsored Product Advertisements on Amazon which they pay for on a cost-per-click basis. The Vendor is responsible for all fees and managing all campaigns to market and advertise the products.