In the evolving landscape of retail, where customer expectations and market dynamics are constantly shifting, the ability to showcase products effectively across various channels has become a pivotal differentiator.  Already we are seeing a step change in mindsets amongst retailers, who acknowledge that product experience (PX) is central in driving enhanced CX and the resulting uplift in conversions, sales and loyalty this can deliver.  However, retailers seeking to stay ahead of the curve, must now consider the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in creating these compelling product experiences, an approach that requires new systems and processes for data – and specifically product data – if it is to be successful.

Managing data has always been a cumbersome task, fraught with inconsistencies and inefficiencies created by people, systems and processes.  So, the first step in moving towards AI-led PX requires retailers to streamline supplier data management.  Akeneo’s Supplier Data Manager is now equipped with native AI capabilities, which automates the entire process of data mapping, normalisation, categorisation and enrichment.  By eliminating manual tasks and reducing errors, AI-driven solutions ensure that teams, using robust developer kits, can maintain smoother supplier relations and transform the data onboarding process.

The key benefits of this approach are automated efficiency, which reduces manual labour and discrepancies, ensuring consistency across product experience offerings.  Time-to-market is also significantly faster because it speeds up the process of getting products in front of customers, opening new markets and channels quickly.  And, furthermore, the quality of data improves, both in terms of accuracy and completeness, which in turn builds trust with customers.

Secondly, retailers and brands are then free to enhance product content creation. Creating compelling product descriptions and translating them across multiple languages can be a daunting task. Akeneo PIM’s new AI capabilities enable retailers to generate bulk product content and translate it into over 50 languages within minutes. This not only boosts productivity but also ensures that content meets regional market expectations without requiring additional tools or expertise.

These companies already have business intelligence (BI) systems that help them see product performance across channels. By aligning this data with Akeneo PIM’s content generation tools, teams can create a “closed loop” system where insights from BI directly influence operational decisions. This integration allows for rapid content creation and translation that is precisely tailored to local conditions, thus enhancing customer engagement. The key benefits are scalability, the ability to adapt quickly to market demands and improved accuracy and consistency of product information.

Thirdly, retailers and brands can start to make significant and continuous improvements using comprehensive business analytics.  Understanding how products perform across different markets and sales channels is crucial for informed decision-making.  Akeneo PIM’s enhanced business analytics functionality offers operational market metrics and KPIs that track product performance.  This data-driven approach supports the development of a robust PX strategy, ensuring that retailers’ content has the desired impact on business outcomes.

It also affords retailers increased visibility, deeper insights into product content impact, enabling smarter decision-making, as well as market agility, allowing quick adjustments to market trends that support more agile business strategies.

Fourthly, integration with sales platforms is seamless.  To maximise the efficiency of sales and service operations, seamless integration of product information into sales platforms is essential.  Akeneo’s new customisable PIM app for Salesforce defines this integration, bringing high-quality product information directly into Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Sales Cloud, Service Cloud and Experience Cloud.  This integration drives greater efficiency, higher sales volumes, and improved customer service.

The results are that sales are higher because product information is always accurate and up to date, boosting sales on B2B and D2C commerce sites.  The sales team can then access detailed product descriptions and assets from the Digital Asset Management (DAM) resource, enhancing their ability to build quotes and engage customers effectively. And customer support is improved because service reps can deliver better support with accurate product information readily available.

And lastly, companies can extend their market reach.  Akeneo Activation, part of the Akeneo Product Cloud, extends retailers’ product experience capabilities to over 300, and growing, retailer and marketplace channels. This ensures consistent product experiences across platforms like Amazon, Macy’s, Zappos, WalMart and Nordstrom, enabling customised product information that aligns with shopper expectations and channel requirements.  This then creates a broader reach as consistent product experiences are delivered across a multitude of channels, as well as greater customisation, as product information can be adapted to meet specific channel requirements and shopper expectations.

The ultimate destination is to get to the point where users have a 360-degree product record so the PX system knows what they want and can add that content and capability automatically.  This then enables the system to help make better decisions by using cross-channel product performance taken from all departments in the business.  AI might then recommend that companies sell specific products through specific channels to optimise returns.  For instance, it might react to poor performance on Amazon and then recommend TikTok instead, and then analyse continuously for constant improvement.

With the support of AI, new standards are being set for product experience.  The integration of AI into product experience management is not just a trend but a transformative shift in how retailers operate.  By automating data onboarding, enhancing content creation, and integrating seamlessly with sales platforms, advanced PX solutions set a new standard for efficiency and customer satisfaction.  Retailers adopting these technologies find themselves better equipped to showcase their products effectively, react to market trends swiftly, and ultimately, provide a superior customer experience.