Has your business reached the tipping point when it comes to needing a dedicated PIM system? If you’ve identified the very real need for a better, more scalable solution when it comes to managing your product information and digital assets, the next question you’ll be looking to answer is – which platform represents the best fit in terms of value, functionality and ease of use?
Of course, there’s no “one size fits all” answer to this question – but when you’re looking to invest in a platform, you’ll want to make sure you make the right choice first time around. In this side by side comparison, we’re comparing some of the key features and attributes of two popular industry options: Akendo and Effectus Content Platform.
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| Akeneo | Effectus Content Platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Market And Customer Profile |
Akeneo has a strong European presence in terms of its market share. A typical customer profile would include mid-market and large manufacturers, retailers and distributors. While a free edition for smaller retailers exists, the focus (in terms of extended functionality) firmly rests on their paid plans.
Better For: Enterprise level business, leaning towards the retail and IT sector. |
ECP was created for manufacturers, retailers and distributors of consumer goods with $50M+ in revenues, but has created a PIM solution that offers value and opportunity to businesses of all sizes. As a result, our customer success team is well-versed in helping a wide range of verticals succeed.
Best For: Any business looking to improve their digital showroom customer experience. A particularly strong reputation for consumer electronics. |
| Pricing |
Salsify’s pricing increases on a “per user” basis, meaning it becomes increasingly expensive as additional team members are given individual access. Salsify calculates costing based on data storage. For example - if a client had 10 data points for 1 SKU, pricing would reflect those 10 data points. If you’re dealing with a high number of data points, then this is worth remembering. With regard to any additional expenses, please refer to the Onboarding Experience section below. Better For: Teams with fewer members. Teams which don’t require the autonomy of individual user accounts. Teams with SKUs that contain few data points. |
ECP sets up user accounts (with individualized access) at no additional cost – add as many team members as you wish – the number of users does not impact ECP’s pricing.
When it comes to data storage, ECP bases pricing on SKU count. To use the same example, if a client had 10 data points tied to one SKU, ECP would calculate pricing based on that single SKU, bringing down the cost. Best for: Teams looking to benefit from the productivity and insight enabled by individual access. Larger teams. Teams with SKUs that contain a high number of data points. |
| DAM Capacity |
Akeneo is a PIM solution. If you’re looking to add DAM capability, this can be achieved by their Widen DAM connector.
Better For: Teams happy to work with bolt on DAM capacity |
ECP provides PIM and DAM functionality as part of its native offering, with everything designed to work in harmony from the ground up.
Best for: Teams looking for a fully comprehensive PIM and DAM solution. |
| Customization Required |
Akeneo offers a wide range of integrations and customizations. While this isn’t without its benefits it can also make for more challenging paths during regular upgrades. Regular fixes are released by Akeneo, but these are only automatically applied at the top tier of their pricing plan. Better For: Teams with the resource to invest in customization and regular update reviews. |
ECP represents a powerful PIM and DIM solution that works right out of the box. Every client is assigned a dedicated account manager to each client, with regularly scheduled check-ins and 24/7 technical support.
Best for: Teams who need a platform that “just works” - with help on hand as they require it. |
| User Interface |
While approval ratings for Akeneo are generally solid across the board, one area that seems to draw comments within reviews is the user experience in terms of the interface design. The platform is powerful, but it might take you a little time to effectively wield that power!
Better For: Teams with time to ensure all active users are well trained and familiar with the interface. |
ECP places a really strong focus on the exemplary UX design of our product. Onboarding is handled in-house by our dedicated onboarding team, meaning you’ll quickly gain a great handle on the dashboard, smart automations, and more efficient team collaboration.
Best For: Any business looking to deliver an intuitive PIM and DAM management system right out |
| Pricing |
Akeneo offers tiered pricing, at three levels. Their free product is best suited to smaller, simpler businesses, looking to get a feel for better PIM processes. If you’re a business that needs to juggle a lot of retailers, costs can quickly mount.
Best for: Larger businesses ready to make a significant investment in their PIM. |
In terms of data storage, ECP bases pricing on SKU count.
ECP also provides individual user accounts at no additional cost – so no matter how many team members you wish to add, your price will not increase.
Best for: Larger teams looking to unlock productivity via individual access. Businesses with product SKUs that contain a high number of data points. |
Generalized side by side comparisons are always helpful when looking to make a choice around the best PIM platform for your business – but the criteria that you place the highest value on will, of course, be unique. Take time to identify the key factors that will drive your decision, and hold the most influence over your ability to scale and successfully drive revenue.
With luck, this article will have made the process a little easier for you. Both Akeneo and Effectus Content Platform offer powerful, popular solutions to assist ongoing PIM success. If you’d like to learn more about how ECP might help your business specifically, we’d love to run you through some of the key features, so don’t hesitate to reach out and book a demo.
