Akeneo ERP for eCommerce Business: Smooth Integration with Magento 2

The article was initially published in WebMeridian blog.

The Akeneo Connector for Magento 2 is a powerful integration that allows eCommerce businesses to manage their product data more efficiently and effectively. But before we dive into the details of this integration, let’s take a closer look at Akeneo and its importance in the eCommerce world.

As online shopping grows in popularity, it’s becoming increasingly crucial for businesses to have a robust product information management system. Akeneo provides just that, with key features such as centralised data management, easy data enrichment, and robust API capabilities.

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of using Akeneo for your eCommerce website and how the Akeneo Connector for Magento 2 can enhance the effectiveness of your eShop. So, let’s get started.

What Is Akeneo?

Akeneo is a robust Product Information Management (PIM) system that centralises product data from multiple sources, such as suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors, into a single location. This system offers flexibility and scalability, enabling businesses of all sizes to customise it according to their needs.

Product Data

Akeneo reviews agree that it has an intuitive interface that simplifies product information creation, editing, and management. At the same time, its advanced workflow capabilities make it easy for teams to collaborate on product data efficiently.

Moreover, Akeneo’s advanced data enrichment capabilities ensure that all product information is accurate, up-to-date, and consistent across all sales channels. This leads to an improved customer experience and increased sales.

Product Pages

Akeneo offers significant value for eCommerce websites by providing a reliable and centralised product data source. Its ability to manage multilingual product descriptions, images, and videos enables businesses to create more engaging and informative product pages.

Operational Efficiency

According to a study by Forrester, companies using Akeneo have seen a 55% reduction in time spent on product information management and a 40% increase in online sales. This shows that Akeneo significantly improves the operational efficiency of eCommerce businesses while driving sales growth.

Sales via Several Channels

Businesses frequently choose to mix online and offline sales rather than depending solely on their eCommerce platforms for earnings. There is a need for a platform that allows you to manage all of your channels from one location, whether you are entering a new market, publishing a printed catalogue, or planning an ad campaign.

Completion Monitoring

Catering to international markets frequently necessitates releasing content in many languages and carefully monitoring product data correctness. Scaling up invariably requires the automation of a large portion of these activities.

Consistent Experience for Customers

According to a survey by Accenture, 61% of customers expect consistent experiences across all channels when interacting with a brand. With Akeneo, eCommerce businesses can provide a consistent and personalised customer experience, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The quality of your store’s product catalogue has an impact on two critical aspects of digital commerce:

• Traffic generation: By providing useful material, you can attract users serious about making a purchase and improve your search engine rating.
• Product conversion: you can achieve better sales volumes by providing detailed and appealing content that helps drive, excite, and encourage the buy.

In summary, Akeneo is a powerful PIM system offering many features and benefits to eCommerce businesses. Its flexibility, scalability, and advanced capabilities make it an essential tool for any business looking to improve product data management and drive eCommerce success.

With Akeneo, businesses can streamline product data management, improve data accuracy and consistency, and enhance product pages, leading to improved operational efficiency, increased customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, more sales.

Who Is PIM & Akeneo For?

If you’re in the eCommerce business, you understand that managing product information can be daunting. Especially when you consider the number of products and channels you have to manage, it can quickly become overwhelming.

This is where Product Information Management (PIM) software comes in. PIM software streamlines the process of managing product information, allowing you to manage your product data across multiple channels efficiently.

Akeneo Magento 2 Connector is a leading PIM software that provides a comprehensive solution for managing product information. It is designed to help eCommerce businesses of all sizes streamline their product data management process, regardless of the number of products or channels they have to manage.

Whether you have a small online store or a large eCommerce platform, Akeneo can help you improve your product data management process, significantly impacting your overall business effectiveness.

Key Benefits of Akeneo PIM + Magento 2

By integrating Akeneo’s powerful PIM capabilities with Magento 2’s robust eCommerce platform, this connector provides a range of benefits that can improve efficiency, increase sales, and enhance customer experience. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Centralised product information management: With Akeneo, you can easily manage and enrich your product data in one place. This centralised approach allows you to ensure consistency across channels, reduce errors and redundancies, and improve collaboration among team members.
2. Robust product data enrichment: Akeneo’s PIM system offers a range of tools and features that allow you to enrich your product data in meaningful ways. You can add and manage product attributes, create relationships, and easily import and export data to and from other systems.
3. Faster time-to-market: Akeneo can help you get new products to market faster by streamlining your product information management processes. With less time spent on manual data entry and more time focused on strategic product development, you can improve your time-to-market and gain a competitive edge.
4. Improved customer experience: With accurate, up-to-date product information across channels, you can provide customers with a better shopping experience. Customers can easily find their desired products, access detailed information and images, and make informed purchasing decisions.
5. Increased sales and revenue: Optimizing your product information management can improve sales and revenue in several ways. For example, you can reduce cart abandonment by providing accurate and comprehensive product information, upsell and cross-sell products more effectively, and improve customer retention by providing a better shopping experience.

Why We Recommend Akeneo PIM + Magento 2:

• It provides a better user experience for catalogue management.
• It ensures the visibility required for content completeness per locale.
• It aids in reducing the number of products in the Magento catalogue. This improves performance by allowing Magento to store only a subset of its items while the rest are stored in the PIM until they are ready to be activated.
• Because Akeneo supports numerous channels, a seller with both physical and online stores may handle product information for each under the same roof.
• It enables product managers to deal with the catalogue solely through the PIM, eliminating the need to authorise access to the Magento 2 back-end.
• It can serve as a central centre for product import feeds, which is useful if your company deals with multiple suppliers.

Potential Pitfalls of Using Akeneo Connector for Magento 2:

1. The initial setup and configuration can be complex and time-consuming.
2. Ongoing maintenance and management may require significant resources.
3. The learning curve for new users can be steep.
4. The cost of implementation and maintenance can be high.
5. The integration with other third-party tools and extensions may require additional development work.

However, these challenges can be overcome with the proper support and expertise, and the system’s benefits can far outweigh any potential drawbacks.

Akeneo PIM + Magento 2 Integration

Integrating Akeneo PIM and Magento 2 can provide numerous benefits for eCommerce businesses. By centralising product information and streamlining the data flow between systems, the Magento 2 Akeneo Connector can significantly reduce the workload of managing large catalogues of products.

Integrating Akeneo PIM with Magento 2

To integrate Akeneo PIM with Magento 2, you can use the Magento 2 Akeneo Connector, a free, open-source extension that seamlessly integrates the two platforms. The integration process involves the following steps:

1. Install the Magento 2 Akeneo Connector extension on your Magento 2 instance.
2. Configure the connection between Akeneo PIM and Magento 2 by providing the API credentials of your Akeneo PIM instance.
3. Map the product attributes and categories between Akeneo PIM and Magento 2.
4. Import the product data from Akeneo PIM to Magento 2.

Pro Tips for Managing Akeneo PIM + Magento 2 Integration

To get the most out of the Akeneo PIM + Magento 2 integration, consider implementing the following tips:

• Ensure the product data in Akeneo PIM is accurate and up-to-date before importing it into Magento 2.
• Carefully map the product attributes and categories between Akeneo PIM and Magento 2 to avoid data inconsistencies.
• Use the Akeneo PIM data quality tools to ensure the product data meets the required standards before importing it into Magento 2.
• Regularly monitor the data flow between Akeneo PIM and Magento 2 to ensure the product information remains consistent and up-to-date.
• To further ensure the quality of your product data, set up data validation rules within Akeneo PIM.
• Regularly sync data between Akeneo PIM and Magento 2 to ensure your store is always up-to-date with the latest information.
• Ensure your team members are trained to use Akeneo PIM and Magento 2.
• Use analytics tools to track the performance of your products and gain insights into customer behaviour.
• Establish clear data governance policies and processes to secure your product data.

Which Akeneo Connector Version Should You Use?

There are currently two versions of the Akeneo Connector for Magento 2: open-source and enterprise.

The free, open-source version provides basic integration features like product import/export and attribute mapping. However, it may require additional development efforts to customise the integration to specific business needs.

The enterprise version, on the other hand, offers more advanced features, such as real-time synchronisation, advanced mapping rules, and enhanced security. It also includes professional support and maintenance services to ensure smooth operation and minimise downtime. However, the enterprise version comes with a licensing fee, which may only be feasible for some businesses.

When choosing which Akeneo connector version to use, consider the following factors:

1. Compatibility: The connector must be compatible with your Akeneo PIM and target system versions.
2. Features and functionalities: Choose a connector with the features and functionalities that suit your business requirements.
3. Performance and reliability: The connector must be performant and reliable to ensure smooth data transfer between systems.
4. Support and maintenance: The connector should provide regular updates and fixes to ensure optimal performance.

Comparing different connectors based on these factors is recommended before making a final decision.

The open-source version may be a good option if you have limited resources and require basic integration features. However, the enterprise version may be better if you have complex integration needs and require professional support and maintenance.

Summary

The Akeneo Magento 2 connector is a powerful tool to help eCommerce businesses streamline their product information management and enhance customer experience. By centralising product information and automating repetitive tasks, companies can achieve operational efficiency and focus on more strategic initiatives. Overall, the system’s benefits can significantly outweigh the potential pitfalls, resulting in improved operational efficiency, increased sales, and enhanced customer experience.

According to Akeneo, businesses that use Akeneo have experienced a 30% reduction in time spent managing product data and up to a 50% increase in conversion rates. Whether you choose the open-source or enterprise version, the system’s flexibility and scalability make it an essential tool for any business looking to drive eCommerce success.