Akeneo, Pimcore, or Ergonode - a Comparison of Product Information Management (PIM) Systems

Akeneo - PIM system presentation

Akeneo is a system that has been developed since 2013 by a French company of the same name. Its software is designed for both small online stores and global brands. On their website, you can examine the features of all three packages offered by Akeneo. 

Here is a brief overview of the three variants:

Source: Akeneo.com 

• Community Edition: this is a free version (distributed under an open-source license), but its features include only the PIM system. Installation is done on the client’s server. 
• Growth Edition: unlike the Community Edition, the Growth Edition is distributed under a commercial license and offered as a SaaS solution.
• Enterprise Edition: in this version, you can get additional Digital Asset Management (DAM) software and tools for managing all business-related data. 

Strengths of Akeneo

Akeneo allows you to efficiently manage product information. At the same time, it gives you a lot of space to create your own automation. With Akeneo, you can: 

• Combine product attributes and embed them directly into its name. 
• Automate the import and export of products to external storage (e.g., Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, or a custom FTP server).
• Automatically remove product attributes based on predefined rules.
• Automatically assign products to specific families (attribute inheritance).
• Generate product description snippets using AI based on user-entered product information.
• Automatically translate content into any language.
• Remove duplicates from the product database.
• Work in multi-user product editing mode.

Available integrations

A PIM system must be compatible with external applications and systems. In this respect, Akeneo does quite well. The software can be integrated with popular tools.

The list of integrations includes items such as:

• BigCommerce 
• Shopify 
• Adobe Commerce
• Salesforce

Source: Akeneo.com

Weaknesses of Akeneo

The main disadvantages of Akeneo’s PIM system include its underdeveloped permissions management mechanism, the lack of a DAM module in the open-source version, and the limited functionalities of the system itself. To use a DAM module, you must either rely on third-party solutions or buy the Enterprise Edition with a commercial license. 

Examples of Akeneo implementations

Both local and global companies recognize the value of implementing Akeneo. Here are a few noteworthy recent examples:

• Intersport: this popular sporting goods retailer relied on Akeneo as part of its transition to e-commerce. The implementation allowed them to effectively reach customers online.
• wOkularach.pl: with the support of e-point, this leader in the optical industry integrated a TWA-based application with the Akeneo PIM system. This change improved their PageSpeed Insights scores, which translated into better SEO performance.

Pimcore - system presentation

Source: Pimcore.com

If we evaluate the scope of functionalities offered by a given system, Pimcore has a bit more to offer than its competitors right from the start. 

Pimcore Distribution Models

Pimcore is available in five variants:

• Community: a system distributed under an open-source license. 
• Professional: this version is provided under a commercial license. 
• PaaS: in this edition, Pimcore offers much more than the two aforementioned variants, including features such as unlimited system installations and access to an important functionality: Experience Portal (which consolidates product data from integrated tools, business partners, marketing agencies, and company employees). 
• Enterprise and Unlimited: with these variants, businesses can maximize the benefits of the Pimcore system. The Unlimited package includes certain features tailored to the client’s specific needs.  

Source: Pimcore.com

Strengths of Pimcore:

In the case of Pimcore, the versatility of the available modules takes the stage. The company does not limit itself to the development of the PIM system, but also offers:

• The ability to manage data not only about products, but also about customers, employees, and sales across channels. 
• Easy management of all digital assets — in Pimcore, these features are highlighted as an additional service. 
• Bulk editing of any selected products (changes in prices, attributes, and variants).
• Creating product groups and categories based on selected parameters.
• Convenient sales management in the up-selling and cross-selling model.
• The ability to view the change history with information about who made the change. 
• The option to roll back changes and compare historical versions.
• The possibility of designing your own workflows and displaying notifications according to established conditions.
• Automatic completion of product data.

Weaknesses of Pimcore

If one were to identify the downsides of this robust offer, they are as follows:

• Limited thematic coverage in the documentation. Not all functionalities and operations within the system are adequately detailed. 
• A more complicated process for configuring the work environment and onboarding a new employee. 
• Restricted responsiveness (RWD) of the Pimcore panel.
• Lack of support for multichannel operations. In addition, creating products with different variants for individual sales channels is somewhat more challenging.

Examples of Pimcore implementations

Pimcore is also a brand whose solutions are used by the largest players. 

• Krombacher: this leading brewery company leveraged Pimcore's solutions to manage digital assets across the organization. The DAM system provides all employees and marketing agencies serving the company with access to a common file repository. Through automated integrations, employees can upload data directly to the brand's websites and online stores.
• Iglotex: e-point implemented a tailored PIM system for the leader in the frozen foods sector. The challenge was to integrate the system with the company's other platforms (the ERP system and the Nielsen brandbook). e-point created technological conditions for automatic data migration from sources that were not initially considered at the implementation phase.

Ergonode – key features

The last system discussed is Ergonode. Unlike the previous two solutions, the software is available only under a commercial license. 

Ergonode offers four variants that differ in the number of products that can be managed in the system, storage space, the number of system users, and the range of AI-powered functionalities. 

Source: Ergonode.com

Key features of Ergonode

The Ergonode package includes both PIM and DAM systems. This combination provides:

• The ability to create product descriptions using AI and automatically translate them into any number of languages.
• An access control mechanism.
• Tools for detailed change monitoring.
• A bulk file upload feature (images, documents, videos, and manuals). A downside to this solution is the lack of a photo editor.
• The ability to create product families and categories.
• Customization of the product sheet view according to individual user preferences.
• Multichannel product creation (with different attributes for each channel).
• Conveniently make bulk changes to product lists.
• Create cross-selling and up-selling packages.
• Automatically group products based on advanced conditional logic rules. 

These functionalities make Ergonode a powerful solution, even for the biggest players in the market. All system features are well-described on the official website.

Source: Ergonode.com

The availability of numerous integrations

Ergonode stands out when it comes to ready-made integrations with external applications. Pre-built integration scripts allow the system to connect with:

• Magento/Adobe Commerce 
• Prestashop
• Shopware
• BaseLinker
• Amazon
• Zalando
• WordPress
• Shopify
• Facebook Marketplace

Companies can implement their own integrations using Rest API, GraphQL, and Event API.

Source: Ergonode.com

Weaknesses of Ergonode

Although Ergonode is a noteworthy solution, it has some shortcomings.
These include mainly the following:

• Ergonode does not give the ability to automatically adjust image sizes — each graphic file must be manually edited.
• The software does not provide a function to automatically fill in missing information.
• There is a lack of functionality to restore change history.
• No ready-made functionality for creating product and technical datasheets in PDF format.
• No rule engine to automatically fill in product data.

Examples of Ergonode implementations

The company has a rich portfolio of successful implementations in large organizations. Here are some examples:

• Home&You: Ergonode solutions enabled the automation of product information management, helping the company eliminate many time-consuming manual processes related to product information. 
• Estyl.pl: this online store in the cosmetics industry implemented the Ergonode PIM system. According to its employees, the main benefit of implementing the system was the elimination of manual performance of repetitive tasks. The time saved is now used to execute strategic tasks. 

Akeneo, Pimcore, or Ergonode - a choice based on an analysis of the company's needs

Take advantage of our Expert Analysis to find out which solution will best meet your requirements. Our specialists will analyze your processes and goals, and then propose the optimal system that will help you effectively manage product information and accelerate the growth of your business. Schedule a consultation and start transforming your product data management with our help!