Huisman was already well-established as a provider of heavy construction equipment for the energy industry. But to better help its customers maintain their equipment in top shape and avoid any costly downtime, the family-owned company, founded in 1929, realized it needed to go digital — and in a way that was helpful to customers who were often out of internet access range.

Maaike de Rover, program manager, digitalization, Huisman

Going digital — enabling customers to order parts and service and view technical manuals from computer devices in remote locations at sea — makes Huisman’s products and services far more accessible and the company far more efficient and proactive in serving customers.

“The ultimate goal is to grow our business and stay relevant for our clients,” says de Rover, program manager, digitalization.

Moving toward predictive maintenance

Moreover, Huisman’s digital applications are putting its Services division into the position to “move from preventive maintenance to predictive maintenance,” she says, with online dashboards designed to alert customers when their equipment may be due for maintenance and new parts.

Headquartered in Schiedam, Netherlands, with worldwide production and service facilities, Huisman worked with digital agency Fenego to deploy the Intershop Commerce technology platform. Intershop, which launched its first ecommerce platform in 1992, “combines the functionality of a B2B shop with the user-friendly aesthetics of a B2C platform,” according to Martijn Reissenweber, director of Huisman Services.

But the new digital technology layout is “more DXP than just an ecommerce platform, it goes far beyond ecommerce,” says de Rover, using the letters for digital experience platform.

In addition, Huisman manages customer and financial data and product information with an Isah ERP system, a Windchill data management application, and Google Analytics. And it uses an image designing tool for displaying 3D product drawings.

To make the digital platform more useful for customers when outside of internet access, de Rover says Huisman worked with Intershop and Fenego to deploy the commerce technology as a progressive web application. That configuration lets customers continue to engage through various mobile devices with downloaded web content, including product and order details, account activity, and service records, even when they have poor or no internet access in remote sea locations, such as windfarm construction sites.

Vessel-mounted Huisman cranes at a windfarm construction site.

Engaging customers via myHuisman

Huisman’s digital strategy is to make it easier for its customers aboard vessels to order parts and technical services through the manufacturer’s new digital portal, myHuisman. The portal also lets them access a broad scope of technical manuals, 3D product images, and other resources with detailed specifications, place orders for replacement parts, and receive technical help online.

Personalized content and service was crucial for Huisman to maintain a helpful digital interaction with customers at different types of companies, regardless of where they were operating and their level of internet access, de Rover says. She notes that a typical cost of equipment out of service for maintenance or repairs can run $200,000 or more per day.

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“Our industry is based on relations and personal contact with people who may work 30-40 years for the same company,” she says. “So, before we started building this platform, I formed a customer advisory board … and the clients helped us build the platform.”

Among myHuisman’s features are:

• Dedicated parts shops for customers with highly customized equipment. “It’s quite important for them to know what specific items are available for their equipment,” de Rover says. For example, she notes that a 2,600-metric-ton leg-encircling crane can have over 10,000 serviceable items and parts available for purchase, and a customer can click to see all the parts that are available, the price and the order lead times.
• Access to a technical digital library of what are typically huge volumes of product manuals and documents related to the purchase and operation of Huisman equipment.

In the past, ships outfitted with Huisman cranes or other products would carry a full ship container stocked with paper manuals and documents. Next came CD-ROMs, which offered helpful 3D imaging used for maintaining and repairing equipment, but intermittent internet access limited their usefulness.

The new library available through myHuisman lets customers download materials online and use them with full interactive features even without internet access.

• An online services ticketing system, which customers can use aboard vessels to arrange to receive technical assistance from Huisman technicians and engineers. Customers can also check other users’ questions and their status and review Huisman’s recorded replies.

In some cases, a Huisman engineer will travel by air and water to arrive at a client’s vessel to conduct onboard service, but to limit the expense of such travel, Huisman has developed alternate remote support services using such tools as photo-taking drones and the enterprise version of smart glasses to share images of onboard equipment with land-based engineers and technicians.

Keeping track online of made-to-order cranes

Later this year, Huisman also expects to launch a digital file management system for keeping customers up to date on the status of customized cranes and other equipment as they’re in production. De Rover notes that the production process can take two to three years, making it difficult to regularly maintain, share and organize project documents with customers on typically highly complex, made-to-order products.

For Huisman’s largest and most ecommerce-mature customers, the manufacturer is also working on providing direct connections from companies’ enterprise resource planning or plant maintenance systems to the myHuisman web shop for fast and efficient ordering of products.

De Rover says there is a significant growth opportunity as Huisman onboards more customers to myHuisman for routine activities like scheduling service calls, freeing up its salespeople and account managers to spend more time on helping these companies match their needs to Huisman’s product offerings.

Sophie du Mortier, marketeer, Huisman

Going forward, Huisman is developing a technology application designed to let customers remotely monitor on myHuisman the construction progress of cranes they’ve ordered.

“Once they buy a crane, they can monitor their equipment’s complete production process,” says Sophie du Mortier, marketeer for Huisman. “Customers can collaborate with Huisman on design and test documentation. They will have full insights in planning. Transparency is key.”

Huisman is also developing a myHuisman online performance dashboard that enables condition-based monitoring, a method using information from equipment-embedded sensors to give customers information on required maintenance.

“They have a complete overview of the status of the equipment,” du Mortier says. “And we are working towards a servicing model in which we can use this data to provide operational advice.”

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. paul@digitalcommerce360.com.

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Harley Finkelstein, president, Shopify Inc.

Harley Finkelstein, Shopify’s president, said on a Q4 and  year-end earnings call this week that the vendor’s B2B gross merchandise volume doubled last year. He added that, in the fourth quarter, Shopify’s business with B2B companies “was up nearly 150% year over year.”

Shopify did not immediately reply to a request for specific figures on B2B-related revenue and GMV, but executives said on the earnings call that that they see the B2B market playing an increasingly vital role in Shopify’s growth plans.

An ‘exciting’ B2B growth opportunity

Finkelstein — referring to B2B as a “big and exciting growth opportunity” — said Shopify is experiencing B2B market growth with two types of companies: existing Shopify retail merchants adding a B2B channel, such as The Home Depot, home furnishings retailer Lulu and Georgia, and jewelry retailer BaubleBar; and newcomers to Shopify like Carrier, a global manufacturer of heating and cooling and other building-management systems.

He added that getting a client company like Carrier, which signed on as a client in Q4, was “opening the door to a whole new opportunity of industries we previously didn’t serve.”

Jeff Hoffmeister, Shopify’s chief financial officer, added that Shopify is seeing more demand from large enterprise B2B companies for the vendor’s multiple technology offerings, including Shopify Plus, international B2B sales, online payments, and physical store point-of-sale systems that integrate with Shopify’s ecommerce platform.

“All those things are the growth engines for the future,” he said.

Shopify says its store point-of-sale terminal is designed to integrate with the Shopify ecommerce platform and support “over 1,000 physical stores.” Referring the POS systems as new “on-ramps or entry points into Shopify,” Finkelstein said they “substantiate our role as the unified commerce operating system for merchants, whether they come to us to sell online, off-line, or anywhere in-between.”

He added, “We are building on our commitment to help merchants sell to all of their customers from a single, unified commerce platform, with upgrades to our B2B offering, including headless B2B storefronts and support for sales reps.”

Among other new features, the ecommerce technology company has also launched for merchants on the Shopify platform:

• Shopify Bill Pay, an expense management tool that lets merchants pay their vendors directly from their Shopify administrative application.
• Shopify Credit, a “pay-in-full” business credit card designed to help manage monthly cashflow and earn cashback savings without paying interest or fees.
• Shopify Collective, an application that enables merchants to source products from other companies on Shopify and have them shipped directly to customers.

Perks of unified commerce and integrated POS

A unified commerce environment, including integrated POS systems, can play a vital role for B2B companies trying to keep up with omnichannel commerce that extends to their physical branches and other outlets, B2B industry experts say.

“Key aspects such as ERP integration, branch-selling, and tools that aid the end customer in their job are crucial for a successful B2B platform,” says Justin King, managing partner of advisory firm B2X Partners. “Shopify’s acknowledgment and incorporation of these elements, along with their significant growth in B2B GMV and the acquisition of B2B-only merchants, position them as a potentially formidable player in the B2B e-commerce technology sector. Their commitment to providing a unified commerce platform for both online and offline B2B transactions further solidifies their intent to capture and expand their market share in this domain.”

Jay Schneider, the founder of digital advisory firm B2BSquared, adds that the Shopify platform still needs to show that it can handle complex online B2B interactions, such as those involving displays, configurations and quoting of products with extensive lists of attributes and complex pricing.

Finkelstein said that Shopify generated $441 million last year from its offline offerings, including POS hardware, “more than five times what our offline revenue was just four years ago.” Shopify estimates its total addressable market for offline and B2B business at “over $450 billion,” he said, adding, “We have barely scratched the surface of this opportunity and expect it to be a key growth driver in 2024.”

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. paul@digitalcommerce360.com.

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Adrien Nussenbaum, co-CEO, Mirakl

2023 marked a “year of maturity for Mirakl,” says Adrien Nussenbaum, co-founder and co-CEO. “Not only did we significantly increase our annual recurring revenue … but we are now financially self-sustaining.”

Nussenbaum adds that Mirakl powers ecommerce operations for more than 450 enterprises. They include B2B companies Airbus Helicopters, pharmaceuticals distributor Cencora (formerly known as AmerisourceBergen), Mitsubishi Electric, restaurant supplier Parts Town and Toyota Material Handling. Among its retailer clients, Mirakl counts Macy’s, Best Buy, Kroger and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Mirakl-powered B2B marketplace sales

Mirakl says the gross merchandise volume on the Mirakl Marketplace Platform, which client companies use for first-party and third-party ecommerce sales and drop-shipping, grew 50% year over year in 2023 to $8.6 billion.

In addition, Mirakl generated a 20% increase in annual revenue to nearly $160 million.

Nussenbaum says Mirakl has been expanding and upgrading its digital commerce and marketing products and services in several areas to help online sellers meet rising expectations of personalized and helpful online buying journeys.

For example, Mirakl introduced last year a program for integrating AI technology across several Mirakl technology platforms:

• Mirakl Marketplace.
• Catalog platform for onboarding sellers’ product information.
• Target2Sell content personalization.
• Target2Sell content personalization.
• Mirakl Ads online advertising program for promoting products on e-marketplace pages.

Mirakl says that, through a feature developed on generative AI, Mirakl customers “can enhance the data quality and completeness of product catalogs, boost search engine rankings, and increase conversions automatically by optimizing product titles, descriptions and attributes.”

It adds that Mirakl has also developed AI-powered language translations to help online sellers “expand their business into new territories.”

In addition, Mirakl launched in 2023 the Mirakl Payout for online payment transactions and a global arrangement with marketing and communications firm Havas Group.

In a sign of what it expects more robust growth to come, Mirakl said it achieved a record $1 billion in monthly GMV in November. And it noted that more than 30 Mirakl-powered marketplaces surpassed the $100 million GMV mark last year, including several that surpassed $500 million.

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. paul@digitalcommerce360.com.

Percentage changes may not align exactly with dollar figures due to rounding. Check back for more earnings reports. Here’s last quarter’s MSC Industrial report.

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Emily Newton

A smooth customs process is essential for getting ecommerce goods to their destinations in the expected time frames. However, standard customs forms are extremely detailed, with dozens of fields to fill. People are increasingly interested in how artificial intelligence (AI) could streamline things.

1. Completing Customs Forms More Efficiently

Even conscientious people make errors when providing information on customs documents. That might mean they put details into the wrong fields, use the wrong tariff codes to classify ecommerce documents, or make other mistakes, ultimately extending the time frames for parcels reaching their destinations or resulting in the packages getting returned to the senders.

Many optical character recognition tools have AI features to improve their functionality. People can use these options to pull data from electronic paperwork automatically and use it for customs forms.

Phlo Systems is a digital forwarder based in the United Kingdom working on a chatbot to fill out customs forms. Training is underway and responses have about an 80% accuracy rate, showing the solution’s potential. As of November 2023, the company’s CEO and founder expected to complete customs forms with the tool in three to six months.

Although AI can shorten the time necessary to complete customs forms, humans should always supervise the process and double-check the results. Well-trained algorithms are not perfect, so computing power and human oversight are an excellent combination to assist those dealing with exported products.

2. Linking Customer Purchases to Customs Form Data

Businesses may also expand the functionality of existing ChatGPT tools that bring AI to ecommerce, making them improve customs documents, too. Technology ecommerce brand Newegg released a customer-facing ChatGPT tool in July 2023 that suggests products for people wanting to build computers based on details they input about budget, performance requirements and other specifics.

The tool compiles all the options into a list people can review before checking out at the site. It is easy to imagine an accompanying AI product Newegg team members could use to populate customs forms based on what a customer ultimately purchases from the suggested list. Then, the items are more likely to be classified and described correctly on the customs forms. Tariff classifications determine duty rates and taxes on imports, making their accuracy critical.

Ecommerce leaders could also use AI to track trends that enable more accurate customs data. Perhaps a large percentage of overseas shoppers purchase a specific in-demand item and nothing else. AI might accelerate the process by automatically populating the product-specific customs form fields in such cases. Then, there is less to do because people only need to check the information that varies with each customer.

3. Stopping False Declarations and Counterfeit Goods

Possibilities also exist for customs agents to use AI tools to highlight abnormalities associated with illegal goods or items declared incorrectly. Artificial intelligence excels at processing large quantities of information and catching things humans would miss. Many banks use it to monitor for fraudulent transactions because it can detect those instances more accurately than people

If people make false declarations on customs documents, they typically do that to reduce their import tax and duty-related obligations. Many border patrol agents use artificial intelligence to assess which shipping containers to open for further inspection.

Some ships reach ports bearing 24,000 containers, making it impossible to inspect them all. However, the customs officials working at a Belgian port rely on predictive AI models to flag which ones to check. The algorithms make decisions based on customs declarations and data from goods previously requiring inspections.

Even so, illegal goods can slip past border agents, which may result in counterfeit products reaching ecommerce sites. More companies are responding by using or offering AI tools to combat these emerging circumstances.

One enterprise specializing in the luxury goods and sneaker markets built an artificial intelligence-driven product to compare photographs of legitimate items with those sold online. The software compares approximately 2,000 to 4,000 characteristics so consumers or retailers can feel more confident about authenticity.

Some ecommerce marketplaces could use counterfeit protection as a selling point to attract new customers. Suppose first-time visitors to a shopping website sees a banner informing them that all products above a specific monetary value receive anti-counterfeit screenings before getting shipped to recipients. Such a claim gives consumers peace of mind, particularly before buying high-value, unique or collector’s items.

Will Artificial Intelligence Improve Customs Processes?

AI for customs declarations and processing is still in the early stages, with decision-makers from many businesses still in the planning process. However, as more of them try real-world applications, artificial intelligence should make a bigger and lasting impact on paperwork and goods movement. The results could assist ecommerce companies with administrative tasks associated with import and export paperwork, plus support border patrol officials with spotting suspicious cargo or incorrectly declared products.

About the author:

Emily Newton reports on how technology disrupts industrial sectors. She’s also the editor-in-chief of Revolutionized, covering innovations in industry, construction, and more.

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The tech company calls the wearable device a “revolutionary spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world.” It’s Apple’s first entry into a new product category since it launched the Apple Watch in 2014. The Vision Pro retails for $3,499. MacRumors reported Apple sold 200,000 of the devices ahead of the launch.

Apple ranks No. 3 in the Top 1000, Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest North American online retailers.

These are the top retailers that have announced plans to use the Vision Pro so far.

Lowe’s

Lowe’s announced the Lowe’s Style Studio, which allows consumers to use the Vision Pro to visualize kitchen designs. Vision Pro owners can download the app on the App Store, where they’ll be met with an immersive 3D kitchen. Then, they can choose from preset designs created by stylists, or create custom designs from their own selections of materials, fixtures, and appliances available at Lowe’s. There are nearly 80 billion possible combinations, the retailer said.

“Lowe’s Style Studio immerses our customers in a cutting-edge design experience enabled by spatial computing that will make home improvement easier than ever. I’m proud of our team for creating a powerful, immersive experience for Apple Vision Pro customers,” Seemantini Godbole,  executive vice president, chief digital and information officer, said in a statement.

Lowe’s Style Studio has nearly 80 billion possible combinations, the retailer said.

Lowe’s Style Studio was built by Lowe’s Innovation Labs. That’s the team behind augmented reality measurement tool Measure Your Space and generative AI home improvement recommendation tool Lowe’s Product Expert.

Lowe’s ranks No. 12 in the Top 1000.

J. Crew

J. Crew also announced an app for the Apple Vision Pro with immersive shopping company Obsess. The app will serve as a virtual closet for J. Crew customers, who can view a curated selection of apparel. The Vision Pro has the ability to let consumers see texture at a higher magnification than on other platforms, the retailer said. With hand and eye movements, app users can mix and match pieces to create outfits and see them on a virtual mannequin.

Consumers can mix and match outfits from J. Crew’s catalog.

“The ability to create outfit combinations for different occasions interactively and at a life-size scale in the J. Crew Virtual Closet app is a novel ecommerce utility. In addition, the ability for a J. Crew stylist to style outfits remotely with a customer via SharePlay is the most advanced form of digital clienteling available today,” CEO and founder of Obsess Neha Singh said in a statement.

Consumers can book style consultations beginning in February.

J. Crew ranks No. 85 in the Top 1000.

E.l.f. Cosmetics

E.l.f.’s Vision Pro app is called “your best e.l.f.” Consumers can shop for e.l.f. products within the app and check out with Apple Pay. Users are invited to “Glow inside three unique sensory experiences inspired by our holy grail products.” The three experiences are based on Camo Cove, Big Mood and Halo Glow, all available for purchase within the app. In each setting, users can take part in “relaxing activities” including guided meditation and paint-by-numbers, the retailer said.

“Partnering with Obsess to launch one of the first beauty shopping apps for Apple Vision Pro is an evolution for our brand, which has always been digitally led. We are champions for innovation and new technology platforms. The decision to launch on Apple Vision Pro is not only natural for us; it is critical to continue to meet our community — and entertain them — wherever they are,” Ekta Chopra, e.l.f. chief digital officer, said in a statement.

E.l.f. Ranks No. 951 in the Top 1000.

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Too bad consumers don’t feel the same. The study also surveyed 1,505 consumers, and only half said they had a positive feeling about using AI to engage with a business.

The study, “State of Customer Conversations 2024: Bridging the AI Gap,” was commissioned by LivePerson and conducted in November by research firm PureSpectrum. LivePerson is a provider of AI-enhanced chatbots and other customer service products.

“We’re at a pivotal moment where brands need to start bridging the gap between today’s costly, call-driven contact center and the digital-first, AI-empowered contact center of the future,” Nirali Amin, LivePerson’s senior vice president of global solutions and success, says in the report.

“This difference of opinion between businesses and their customers is an important part of the emerging ‘AI gap’ that stems from the average consumer’s unfamiliarity and lack of clarity about how AI can be used to create better outcomes,” the report says.

Businesses need to ‘lean in’ to conversations with customers

The report adds, “Businesses need to lean into their conversations and uncover the biggest needs and wants of their customers. AI-empowered conversational intelligence tools help businesses mine their conversation data — the actual words and intents customers are sharing across communication channels — for actionable insights.

“Once businesses understand what customers are asking them, they can use these insights to set the flywheel in motion. Beyond customer service interactions, these insights can influence decision-making across the business, from product and marketing to finance and legal, helping businesses identify opportunities and solve problems at the source.”

Liz Ferriter, global lead of channel partnerships for Google’s Business Messages, says in the report: “88% of internet users say they prefer to connect with brands via messaging over other contact channels. We expect significant session growth in the message channel in 2024.”

The study found these percentages of consumers giving the following reasons why they’d be more likely to purchase from a company:

• 82% – A company lets them send a text message for information.
• 73% – The company’s AI is supervised and managed by human agents that customers can contact directly.
• 68% – AI can help complete purchases.
• 53% – AI can predict what kinds of products and services a customer wants.

When the survey asked business executives, “What problems do you think AI-powered assistant can help solve for you as a company?” it received the following percentages of replies:

• 67% – Providing faster information/answers.
• 53% – Providing more accurate information/answers.
• 41% – Providing more personalized information/answers.
• 62% – Reducing long wait times.
• 42% – Creating a more consistent customer experience.
• 28% – Reducing operational costs.

The report notes that businesses and consumers in the surveys agreed that companies should not “pretend your AI is human.”

95% of consumers and 97% of business executives said they “believe it’s important for a business to disclose whether a human agent or AI is behind the conversation,” the surveys found.

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. paul@digitalcommerce360.com.

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Sergii Shvets

Expanding your ecommerce operations into Europe can be a great opportunity. The region comprises 50 member countries, giving you access to over 540 million potential customers and a market on track to exceed $880 billion by 2028.

However, navigating the intricacies of the diverse European markets —each with unique languages, cultures, and consumer preferences — can be challenging. You need an effective localization strategy for the new markets you are entering, and product information management (PIM) can help.

A PIM is a centralized platform that organizes, enriches, and translates product data so that it resonates with the local market you’re targeting. The PIM market is estimated to grow to $17 billion by 2026, highlighting its crucial role in online business.

This article will explore the advantages of using a PIM for localization and provide best practices for a successful ecommerce expansion in Europe.

Understanding Localization Challenges for Ecommerce in Europe

Whether you run a small fashion store, sell handcrafted items, or operate a big retail operation, you’ll face these localization challenges while navigating the intricacies of the European market:

1. Europe’s Multilingual Landscape: With its rich tapestry of languages, each European market may have its own preferred language or dialect. Effectively managing content across multiple languages requires precise translation and cultural adaptation to resonate with diverse audiences.
2. Navigating Cultural Nuances: Cultural differences within European regions significantly impact consumer behavior and expectations. Adapting product messaging, imagery, and user experience to align with cultural nuances is essential for connecting with local audiences.
3. Meeting Regulatory Standards: Europe enforces stringent data protection and consumer rights regulations, including GDPR. Complying with these rules across different countries complicates ecommerce operations. Balancing legal frameworks while delivering a seamless user experience demands careful consideration.
4. Payment and Currency Dynamics: There are over 30 different currencies in Europe and a myriad of payment preferences. Effective price localization — implementing a payment system that caters to local preferences and ensures accurate currency conversions — can accelerate your business growth by 30%.
5. Tailoring Products to Local Markets: Products may require adaptation to meet different markets’ specific needs and preferences. This involves translating product information and considering factors like sizing, labeling, and packaging to align with local standards and expectations.

Benefits of PIM in Localization

As you can see, localization can be a big challenge when expanding into a diverse business landscape like Europe. However, using a reliable PIM tool can help. Let’s see how.

Centralized Data Management

PIM systems are a central hub for organizing and storing all product-related data, ensuring product details, specifications, and attribute consistency across an ecommerce platform. This unified approach prevents discrepancies, streamlines operations, reduces errors, and provides a reliable source of truth for data management — particularly crucial for expansion into a market as diverse as Europe.

Multilingual Content Creation

Given Europe’s linguistic diversity, PIM systems provide multilingual support, making it easy to create and manage product information in multiple languages and supporting the translation and adaptation of product descriptions and marketing materials to meet local audiences’ cultural and language preferences.

It also boasts version control features, simplifying the task of handling multiple versions of catalogs, specifications, and pricing — a requirement for localizing product information — thereby enhancing communication of product value, especially in international sales.

Maintaining Consistency Across Markets

PIM systems help to preserve consistency across diverse markets by centralizing product information, branding elements, and marketing content. This centralized approach ensures a uniform brand presentation across different European regions, regardless of the specific market or language.

Adapting To Cultural Nuances

PIM systems offer features that enable businesses to tailor product information to specific cultural requirements, ensuring relevance and resonance with target audiences in each market. This may involve customizing imagery and promotional material to align with cultural preferences in European markets.

Enhanced Customer Experience

PIM systems are vital in enhancing the customer experience. By centralizing product information, businesses can efficiently manage multilingual content, maintain a consistent brand message, and adapt to cultural nuances. This results in a personalized and user-friendly experience for customers, ensuring they can access accurate information in their preferred language.

PIM systems also help with cross-border selling. They handle currency conversions and customize recommendations and content based on customer data. All of these advantages together foster a positive customer experience, leading to increased conversions and long-term brand loyalty.

Case Studies or Real-Life Examples

So, how exactly does this work? Here are some real-world examples of how a good PIM can help businesses with localization when expanding into European markets.

Sizing and Measurement

A U.S.-based fashion ecommerce platform is expanding to Europe. To align with European standards, measurements will have to change to the metric system used in Europe. For instance, a dress labeled as size 2 in the U.S.A. would be size 34 in most European regions, and a chest measurement of 36-38 inches in the USA corresponds to 91-96 cm in Europe.

Getting all these differences down can be challenging, but a good PIM system will allow the fashion store to showcase product sizes according to local standards, preventing potential returns.

Language and Translation

A beauty and cosmetics ecommerce brand expanding into European markets has to translate and adapt product descriptions to fit each country’s language and colloquial terms. Research indicates that 76% of people prefer shopping in their native language, and 60% rarely or never buy from an English-only website.

To address this efficiently, the brand can use PIM to manage product descriptions. This enables them to translate and tailor content seamlessly for French, German, and Spanish. The goal is to resonate with local audiences, ultimately enhancing customer engagement.

Best Practices and Implementation Tips for PIMs in Localization

So, how can ecommerce businesses effectively implement PIM for localization? Here are some actionable insights, best practices, and tips to consider:

1. Plan Ahead: Initiate your PIM implementation well before launching in Europe. Early planning reduces the risk of rushed decisions, ensuring smoother integration into diverse markets.
2. Be Culturally Sensitive: Respect the cultural nuances of each European market. Customize your PIM strategy for language, local preferences, and cultural sensitivities. This ensures positive resonance with diverse audiences.
3. Consider the Whole Customer Journey: Extend the PIM application beyond product details. Localize marketing content, customer support, and post-purchase communications. A holistic approach provides a seamless and culturally relevant experience, from exploration to post-purchase engagement.
4. Implement PIM Everywhere: Ensure consistent messaging and data accuracy across all channels —  website, mobile app, social media, etc. This guarantees coherent and synchronized localized content, reinforcing brand integrity and customer trust.
5. Evaluate and Improve: Continuously assess the effectiveness of your PIM localization strategy. Analyze data on customer engagement, conversion rates, and market-specific performance. Use insights to refine your approach, adapting to evolving market trends and consumer behaviors.
6. Train Your Team: Equip your team with skills to maximize PIM capabilities. Conduct thorough training on localization, data management, and cultural considerations. A well-trained team enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of your PIM implementation.

To thrive in the diverse European e-commerce market, adopting Product Information Management (PIM) is crucial. The varied languages, cultures, and regulations require a centralized approach for accurate and consistent product information. PIM ensures data precision and simplifies localization, providing a seamless shopping experience.

About the Author:

Sergii Shvets is the CEO and co-founder of Gepard PIM, an ecommerce data transformation company that connects retailers with manufacturers and content providers. He is also the director of technology at Icecat, a product catalog technology provider.

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Today, the company said it took a significant step toward that goal by acquiring Radiance Commerce, an “enterprise-grade conversational commerce” platform powered by generative AI.

“Bloomreach is fully invested in an AI-driven future  ecommerce, and Radiance Commerce is critical in helping us bring that future to life,” Raj De Datta, Bloomreach co-founder and CEO, said in announcing the acquisition. He added that Radiance will help to further develop the Bloomreach Clarity “AI-powered conversational shopping” product and make it available to businesses worldwide.

Vikas Jha, Radiance’s founder, said the two companies are “perfectly aligned” as AI-powered commerce application developers to further the advancement of conversational shopping technology. Jha is listed on his LinkedIn page as vice president of engineering, conversational commerce, at Bloomreach, and the former CEO of Radiance.

The companies did not say what Bloomreach is paying to acquire Radiance.

Bloomreach’s other products include:

• Engagement, a marketing automation platform.
• Discovery, an ecommerce search application.
• Content, a content management system deployed with headless technology to make it independent of but integrated with the commerce engine.

Bloomreach has a client base of more than 1,400 global brands, including Williams-Sonoma, Bosch, Puma and Marks & Spencer.

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. paul@digitalcommerce360.com.

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The post Bloomreach buys Radiance Commerce for AI and ‘conversational commerce’ appeared first on Digital Commerce 360.

Kathleen Lewarchick

Some digital technologies arrive with fanfare while others enter quietly and become ubiquitous over time. Voice technology is one example of the latter. It gained momentum when developers and users began expanding their views of sound as part of multi-sensory engagement.

Voice activation was popularized by Google. They provided a “speech-to-text option” as part of their search functionality. And voice activation went from a quiet bleeding-edge technology (think OnStar) to a crescendo of widescale adoption as people began to use (and like) Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa, and others.

Making headway in B2B and B2C markets

It was only a matter of time before voice activation would become a powerful tool in commerce. Voice commerce, or v-commerce, is making headway in both B2C and B2B markets. Its technology twin, artificial intelligence (AI), complements and accelerates this trend.

There are obvious benefits, especially for those who are visually impaired or have diminished motor skills. There are also inherent risks, such as authentication and security. However, more and more voice commerce examples are appearing in the B2B market because of ease and simplicity.

One example is hands-free ordering. A facilities manager might be replacing dirty equipment during scheduled maintenance when he or she recognizes a missing piece. One option is to pause work, clean hands and record the part for an order later. The alternative is voice commerce on the job, where the manager pauses for a voice-activated ordering assist, and then quickly gets back to the maintenance job.

Here’s an example of a voice-commerce shopping experience where the buyer:

● Audibly requests items to be placed in a cart, as pictured here:

● Places the order directly through the integrated order management system.

● And receives system confirmation through voice (and visual) outputs, as shown here:

While there’s no guarantee that the part is in inventory, voice commerce enables the order to be placed hands-free at the direct moment of need.  Not only does this save time, but it may eliminate order errors if the order process is fully automated.

Essential to B2B business growth

Voice commerce, or v-commerce, is no longer on the horizon. Competitively advantaged companies are using it today to help customers save time and effort. And more users enjoy hands-free technology. It is likely that B2B use cases will only grow given the tight labor market and calls for improved productivity. Getting started on the journey of voice commerce is essential to maintaining your B2B business growth.

Kathleen Leigh Lewarchick is the VP of Marketing for Xngage LLC, a B2B digital commerce services company with more than 60 clients across the industrial trades. She is the former PURELL® Hand Sanitizer Brand Director, has co-created automated replenishment products with Amazon Business, and created telehealth solutions for a company that she later helped sell to CVS Health. 

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Holden Lewis, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer, Fastenal Co.

At the same time, Fastenal will use the data it compiles through digital channels to improve its ability to serve customers and operate more efficiently, Fastenal said yesterday in announcing its fourth quarter and full-year financial performance.

“The data that is created through our digital capabilities enhances product visibility, traceability, and control that reduces risk in operations and creates ordering and fulfillment efficiencies for both ourselves and our customers,” the company said yesterday in announcing its fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 financial performance.

It added: “As a result, we believe our opportunity to grow our business will be enhanced through the continued development and expansion of our digital capabilities.”

Fastenal digital channels

In a Q4 and year-end earnings call yesterday, Fastenal executives elaborated on the value of each of its digital channels — including its FASTVend vending devices and FASTBin product bins, each of which Fastenal embeds with digital technology to track product sales; and what Fastenal defines as ecommerce, including self-service online purchasing via Fastenal.com and electronic transactions conducted through EDI.

They also clarified during a Q&A period with investment analysts that the FASTVend and FASTBin services do not cannibalize Fastenal’s self-service ecommerce sales.

“The customers are looking for a range of solutions to solve different [purchasing] issues,” said senior executive vice president and chief financial officer Holden Lewis.

Fastenal Q4 and year-end results

Daniel Florness, president and CEO, Fastenal Co.

Dan Florness, president and CEO, noted that ecommerce sales have steadily climbed as a percentage of total sales, rising to about 25% in 2023 from about 5% several years ago.

For the fourth quarter, Fastenal said that all digital sales, including ecommerce and the FASTVend and FASTBin transactions — which in aggregate make up what Fastenal calls its “digital footprint” — accounted for 58.1%, or $1.02 billion, of $1.76 billion in total net sales. That’ s up  from 52% a year earlier. Fastenal didn’t break out total digital sales for all of 2023.

Fastenal also said that its digital purchasing options play a vital role at its Onsite vendor-managed inventory locations, which it manages at or near customers’ facilities. The company said it increased its number of Onsite locations by 12.3% last year to end 2023 with 1,822 active sites.

“We arm that Onsite with all the tools we have in place, whether it be vending machines or technology-embedded bins … it’s just a much more efficient way to operate,” Florness said on the earnings call.

Percentage changes may not align exactly with dollar figures due to rounding. Check back for more earnings reports. Here’s last quarter’s Fastenal Co. report.

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. paul@digitalcommerce360.com.

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Sign up for a complimentary subscription to Digital Commerce 360 B2B News, published 4x/week. It covers technology and business trends in the growing B2B ecommerce industry. Contact Mark Brohan, vice president of B2B and Market Research Development, at mark@digitalcommerce360.com and follow him on Twitter @markbrohan.

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