Akeneo - What is Akeneo, installation & alternatives

In today's fast-paced e-commerce world, it is crucial to manage product information efficiently and centrally. With its Product Information Management (PIM) system, Akeneo offers a powerful solution that helps companies to manage their product data consistently and easily across different sales channels. In this article, you will learn what Akeneo is, how to install it for Shopify and what alternatives are available.

What is Akeneo?

Akeneo is a leading product information management system (PIM) that helps companies to centrally collect and organise all project-relevant information such as descriptions, images and technical data. It supports the consistent distribution of this information on various channels such as e-commerce websites, mobile apps or marketplaces. This results in standardised and efficient management of product data.

What is a PIM?

A PIM system (Product Information Management) is a software solution that has been specially developed for managing product data. It helps companies to maintain their product information centrally and make it available across multiple channels. In contrast to conventional methods, where product information is scattered in separate systems, a PIM ensures that all relevant data is collected in one place and synchronized from there.

How do I install Akeneo for Shopify?

Akeneo can be easily integrated with various platforms such as Shopify. Here you can find a step-by-step guide on how to install Akeneo for Shopify:

1. Set up Akeneo instance: Firstly, you need to create an Akeneo instance. You can choose the Akeneo Community Edition or the Enterprise Edition, depending on your company size and requirements.

2. Install Shopify Connector: To connect Akeneo with Shopify, you will need the Akeneo Shopify Connector. This allows you to transfer product information from Akeneo directly to your Shopify shop.

3. Generate API key: Generate an API key in Shopify, which you then store in Akeneo to connect the two systems.

4. Set up synchronisation: After the successful integration, you can activate the synchronisation of the product data and transfer your data directly to the Shopify shop.

Advantages & disadvantages of Akeneo

Advantages:

• Centralised management: Akeneo makes it possible to collect and manage all product information in one place.

• Easy integration: Thanks to numerous interfaces, Akeneo can be easily integrated into systems such as Shopify and other e-commerce platforms.

• User-friendliness: The intuitive user interface makes it easy to maintain the data, even for less tech-savvy employees.

Disadvantages:

• High entry costs: The paid Enterprise Edition in particular can be a financial hurdle for small companies.

• Technical effort: Setting up and customizing Akeneo requires technical know-how and can be challenging without the appropriate expertise.

What does Akeneo cost?

The cost of Akeneo depends heavily on the requirements of the company and the chosen solution. There are both free and paid versions that offer different functionalities and services.

1. Community Edition - free of charge: The Community Edition is aimed at small to medium-sized companies and offers basic functionality for managing product data. It is ideal for companies that do not require advanced functions such as support or extended workflows.

2. Enterprise Edition: This offers additional functions such as advanced workflows, more security and comprehensive support. Companies with specific requirements can enquire about pricing directly with Akeneo.

There are also tiered pricing models for the Akeneo Shopify app:

Shopify App Packages

• Starter - $149 per month

  • Synchronisation of up to 1,000 SKUs 

  • Synchronisation of products, variants, options, collections and attributes

  • Synchronisation of product and variant meta fields

• Basic - $199 per month

  • Synchronisation of up to 10,000 SKUs 

  • All functions of the Starter plan 

  • Sync Scheduler for automatic updates

  • Unlimited training and support

• Professional - $299 per month

  • Synchronisation of up to 30,000 SKUs

  • All features of the Basic plan 

  • Synchronisation of assets and collection meta fields

  • For higher SKU numbers: customized pricing

Akeneo Enterprise Packages

For organisations that require advanced Product Experience (PX) functionality, Akeneo offers the following Enterprise Packages:

1. Growth Package - from €35,000 per year

   • Standard features: product data collection, ID generator, catalogue management, family templates, product data enrichment, AI-supported enrichment & translation

   • Enterprise features: Product data export, support through service level agreement

   • Support: Limited support

2. Advanced package - price on request

   • All features of the Growth package

   • Support: 24/7 support, technical account manager (TAM)

3. Premium package - price on request

   • All features of the Advanced package

   • Project Success Assistance: Personalized support for the success of the project

Who uses Akeneo?

Numerous companies worldwide rely on Akeneo to manage their product data efficiently. In the DACH region, too, well-known companies, including Latori customers, rely on Akeneo to optimize the management of their products in combination with Shopify.

One example of this is Asphaltgold, who use Akeneo as a comprehensive and compatible SaaS solution in their Shopify Plus shop. To facilitate product integration, our developers have developed a special importer app that makes it possible to import product data from Akeneo directly into Shopify. Following the successful synchronisation of Shopify and Akeneo, we continue to support Asphaltgold with the maintenance and upkeep of the system to ensure smooth operation.

In this way, companies like Asphaltgold benefit from the seamless integration between PIM and e-commerce platforms and optimize their business processes in the long term.

Alternatives to Akeneo

Although Akeneo is one of the best-known PIM systems, there are also alternatives that may be suitable for different business needs:

• Plytix: a user-friendly, cloud-based PIM that is particularly suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. Plytix offers an intuitive interface and features specifically tailored to e-commerce, including product data management and team collaboration. It is ideal for companies that need a cost-efficient and easily accessible PIM.

• novomind iPIM: A highly scalable PIM solution that is particularly suitable for large companies and complex product catalogues. novomind iPIM offers comprehensive functions such as in-depth integration with ERP systems and powerful tools for managing product information across different channels. This solution is primarily aimed at companies that have high requirements in terms of scalability and flexibility.

Conclusion

Akeneo offers a comprehensive solution for companies that want to manage their product information centrally and provide it consistently across different sales channels. The simple integration with Shopify and the centralized management of product data make Akeneo an excellent choice for larger e-commerce companies. However, small businesses should keep an eye on the entry costs and the technical effort involved and, if necessary, fall back on the Community Edition.