The Sitation Blog
Welcome to the Sitation Blog, where we share insights on our work, the e-commerce industry, and our platform partners. Enjoy!
Recent Sitation Blogs
Discover the Value of Sitation’s Automotive Fitment App
With a number of professionals coming from the automotive industry, Sitation has a deep understanding of the needs and thus the solution to automotive’s core challenges. PIM improves data completeness and management, but how does fitment work within these systems? Sitation introduces Automotive Fitment App as a modern solution for industry Akeneo users.
GroceryShop 2023: Exciting Innovation but Still the Same Challenges
Carsten Krohn, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, shares how the Sitation team addresses some of the most pressing questions asked at GroceryShop 2023.
Sitation Honored as Salsify’s Top Regional Systems Integrator
The Sitation team is honored to be named as Salsify's Top Regional Systems Integrator for 2023, in recognition of dedication to outstanding delivery and partnership. Additionally, Sitation received the Partner Innovation Award, recognizing its achievements and contributions in creating new...
Automotive Product Data – Overcoming Year Make Model Challenges: Part 4
In conclusion to the Overcoming Year Make Model Challenges series, take a look at how you can embrace best practices for successful year make model data management to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.
Mastering AI: The Art of Prompt Modeling for Optimal Results
If you have experimented with AI powered chatbots you know that the results vary based on how you ask your question. Discover the value high quality prompt modeling can add to your AI-powered strategy.
Artificial Intelligence & Cross Referencing for Electronic Components
Explore the value of Artificial Intelligence and cross referencing for the electronic components industry. Director of Solution Consulting, Pramit Rajkrishna, CSPO, Certified SAFe 6 Agilist shares insight from both his role at Sitation but also from his high-tech industry experience.
CASE STUDY: Sitation PIM & Content Syndication Management leads to Improved Retailer Scorecards and Data Quality for Bush Brothers
Explore how Sitation Managed Services work to resolve resource challenges results in data, syndication, and retailer relationship improvement.
Automotive Product Data – Overcoming Year Make Model Challenges: Part 3
This third installment addresses how PIM and MDM systems play a role in your strategy for overcoming year make model data management challenges.
Blog Archives
Sitation Celebrates 20 Years in Business
Today marks 20 years in business for Sitation. Sitation was founded October 21, 2001 by CEO Steve Engelbrecht. In a winding path over 20 years, Sitation has grown into the e-commerce service provider it is today. Read more about our story here. Please read Steve's...
How to Prepare for an Akeneo Certification
Akeneo offers two certifications. These are the Business Implementation Specialist (BI) and the Technical Integration Specialist (TI) certifications. The BI certification focuses on how to properly model the data and set up business processes in Akeneo. The TI...
What Determines the Complexity of an Akeneo Implementation?
The choice to use a PIM can be daunting. Even after choosing your PIM solution it can be difficult to understand how much time it will take to get your new PIM up and running. As a certified Akeneo implementation Specialist I am frequently asked to estimate work for...
Summer 2021 Updates from Sitation
What a summer at Sitation! We've continued to grow and expand this year, with new service offerings for PIM implementation, digital strategy, and of course our platform-specific offerings for Salsify, Akeneo, and Riversand. We celebrated a huge milestone this year as...
A First Look at the Akeneo Events API
With the introduction of Akeneo 5.0 came the new Akeneo Events API aka “Webhooks” from Akeneo. After spending some time playing with the feature I’d like to take you on a deep dive into the pros and cons of using webhooks. The Akeneo Events API Brings Powerful New...
Sitation Featured in WRAL Techwire
Sitation was featured this morning on the WRAL Techwire website as their "Startup Spotlight". Read the article here!
How to Log Akeneo PHP-API Errors the Right Way
Engineer's Log, Stardate 98821.1: Our ship has made contact with an alien species known as the Error. So far, we've only been able to decipher vague sentiments from our communications with these beings. Tensions are high, and the crew is at Red Alert until we can...
How to Import CSV Files to Salsify the Right Way
Most users import data into the Salsify PIM via Excel (XLSX) and Comma Separated Values (CSV) files. While these two file formats are compatible, they are not equal. Too often I help clients resolve poor quality data in Salsify caused by a CSV file opened in Excel....
Sitation Wins the 2021 Akeneo Hackathon
We're delighted to share that Akeneo has awarded Sitation with first place honors in its Unlock 2021 Hackathon! For our official entry, we created a near real-time integratin between Akeneo 5.0 and ElasticSearch, a leading cloud-based search solution. "Why is...
Setting up the Akeneo Connector in Magento 2: Part 4 – Custom Product Data Mapping
If you've made it this far through the Magento 2 connector series you should already know how powerful the Akeneo Connector in Magento 2 can be when configured correctly. For this final installment I'll be covering the Products menu found in the Magento...
Sitation’s Platform Partners Dominate the Q2 2021 Forrester PIM Report
Yesterday Forrester released its Q2 2021 report on Product Information Management and we're thrilled to share that our platform partners dominate the leaderboard. Source: Forrester.com Sitation partners Salsify and Riversand were honored...
Salsify Buys Alkemics – Why It’s a Big Deal (and Why Sitation is Excited About It!)
Salsify took a bold step into the future this week in announcing its acquisition of Alkemics, a product data onboarding platform headquartered in Paris. Alkemics dubs itself "the supplier collaboration platform for omnichannel retailers" - in other words,...
Unlock 2021 – Integrating Akeneo with ElasticSearch
Sitation participated in the 2021 Akeneo Unlock Hackathon, where our Akeneo team was challenged to build something new and exciting using Akeneo's newest API features. Sitation chose to create a real-time integration from Akeneo to ElasticSearch, a powerful...
Setting up the Akeneo Connector in Magento 2: Part 3 – Filtering the Import Data
The Magento 2 connector for Akeneo is a powerful tool to easily integrate your Akeneo implementation with your Magento 2 ecommerce store. This article outlines some of the more advanced filtering you can do with this connector. If you are looking for information about...
Using Azure Blob Storage for Remote Asset Storage in your PIM
The goal of a PIM is to easily enrich and store product data for downstream destinations. How the data should flow to downstream destinations is a critical piece of any implementation. For Akeneo Serenity customers, the choice is an easy one: API. Extending the PIM...
An Insider’s Guide to Akeneo’s Offerings
In today's economy, presenting customers with rich product content and a superior buying experience can set you apart from your competition. Managing that rich content can quickly become a herculean effort for any growing commerce business. Product Information...
Sitation Adds Akeneo Extension to Marketplace: Version History Export Command
NOW YOU CAN EXPORT AKENEO'S VERSION HISTORY FOR ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY Sitation's first submission to the Akeneo Marketplace is here, bringing with it improved functionality to the build's version history. For a technical dive into version history, take a...
Sitation is a 2021 “Triangle Tweener”
Sitation is honored to once again be featured on Scot Wingo's "Triangle Tweeners" list of emerging companies in the Raleigh Durham area. Honorees must be headquarered in the Triangle, be technology-focused, and have 10+ employees (but fewer than 500) or $1M+ in...
Akeneo PIM for Projects of Any Size: A Guide to Data Structures
A teacher once imprinted on me that organization is the key to success. When applied to e-commerce, I appreciate the organization inherent in product information management (PIM) systems which help companies small and large become more successful (or at least more...
Akeneo: Requiring an SSL Connection with Elasticsearch using Apache
Using XPack? Visit the companion article here! OVERVIEW Akeneo PIM is a PHP/Symfony web application that uses MySQL for persistence, and Elasticsearch for search capability. From an abstract perspective it consists of three major components: · MySQL, a...
Akeneo: Requiring an SSL Connection with Elasticsearch using XPack
Using Apache? Visit the companion article here! OVERVIEW Akeneo PIM is a PHP/Symfony web application that uses MySQL for persistence, and Elasticsearch for search capability. From an abstract perspective it consists of three major components: · MySQL, a...
Setting up the Akeneo Connector in Magento 2: Part 2 – Running the Jobs
NOTES: This article assumes that you have already done the initial setup of your Akeneo Connector. If you have not yet configured the connector please follow the steps in Part 1 before returning here.This article refers to v101.0.0 and beyond of the Akeneo...
How Focusing on Copy Elevates eCommerce Strategy
LIMITATIONS INHERENT TO ECOMMERCE PLATFORMS Despite its many progressions, eCommerce today still falls short of providing an experience that encapsulates the five senses. You cannot smell, touch, or taste an online product listing, and even a product's images can be...
How to Choose Axis Attributes When Building Product Models in Akeneo
Akeneo Product Information Management (PIM) offers a simple and fast method for working with your product data. One of the software's strong suits, you can enrich the common properties of several product variations in one place by creating a product model. First, what...
How to Channel Your Inner PIM: Helpful Hints for Achieving Syndication Zen
When contemplating the Akeneo platform, there are a few considerations before deciding how many channels your product information management (PIM) system requires. What comes to mind when you think of a PIM channel? Where are you selling? Who are you selling to? How...
Setting up the Akeneo Connector in Magento 2: Part 1 – Initial Configuration
The Akeneo company has built and currently supports 2 Akeneo Connectors for Magento 2. One connector is for Akeneo Community Edition and the other is for Akeneo Enterprise Edition. Both connectors are maintained by the Akeneo company to make sure they...
Keeping It Real While Working Remotely
Strong relationships are fundamental to success in businesses of any size or market. The trust we build with our clients and colleagues allows for the open communication and collaboration necessary for fruitful engagements. We now find ourselves in a new business...
Salsify’s Powerful Channel Syndication Features – How to Deliver the Right Data to Downstream Channels
Salsify's powerful Channels feature allows you to publish some or all of your product catalog to a downstream source. This could be a website, like Shopify or Magento, a catalog, a trading partner, a reporting system, or whatever you want! The magic of this...
Sitation Earns Gold Akeneo Partnership, Expands PIM Delivery Capability
Sitation, a leading strategy and technology partner for retailers, distributors, brands, and manufacturers, is proud to announce that it has achieved Gold Partner status with Akeneo, a global leader in on-premises and SaaS product information management (PIM)...
Steps to a Successful Akeneo Implementation: Part 1 – What are your goals for PIM?
Choosing the goals and a scope for PIM is critical to the success of your PIM. Click here for Akeneo's definition of a PIM Any project's success is dependent on the expectations and definitions of success going in. Defining clear goals and setting...
A Deep Dive into Akeneo’s Product Version History
When you work on product data in the PIM, you probably have some concerns like…What happens if I make a mistake?What happens if the manufacturer changes its mind?How can I find out who changed this piece of product data? Rest easy, my reader. Akeneo has both a history...
An Akeneo Primer: Workflows 101 – How To Work the Workflows
When considering Akeneo you will hear the term workflow mentioned a good deal and for good reason. Having a solid product data enrichment workflow is essential for any undertaking involving a Product Information Management software (PIM). When most...
Help! My Products Are Suddenly Missing in Akeneo
Akeneo is designed to manage your product data, so it may cause you some panic if you log into Akeneo and suddenly see some, or all, of your products missing. Chances are your product data has not been lost. The products probably are not displaying correctly. Here are...
Why You Should Adopt Akeneo’s Built-in Tools Rather Than Forcing Functionality Into Akeneo
I see this all the time when speaking to clients who are thinking of implementing Akeneo. The question is always Can Akeneo do X? Our old system could. As someone that has built some highly custom Akeneo implementations, the answer to this question...
Akene-Oh No: Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Using the Akeneo PIM
Product Information Management (PIM) tools are making their way increasingly into the ecommerce market because of their utility in a company’s product data efforts. Whether maintaining, consolidating, or augmenting product data, a PIM is essential for doing such tasks...
Why Better Taxonomy Is a Delight to Merchants and Consumers Alike
When I started at Sitation, the world of taxonomy and attribution was just as foreign to me as was my first day in French class. As someone with a literature and languages background, the inner workings of the world of eCommerce and digital merchandising were a...
5 Fundamentals to Master Product Experience Management
Key Takeaways: Winning ecommerce requires practicing Product Experience Management (PXM) which is customizing product information and their online presentation per target audience and/or channel.To effectively practice PXM, one needs to employ a product information...
Akeneo: Requiring an SSL Connection with MySQL
Akeneo PIM is a PHP/Symfony web application that uses MySQL for persistence, and Elasticsearch for search capability. From an abstract perspective it consists of three major components: · MySQL, a relational database for storing data· Elasticsearch, a search...
Akeneo: The Missing MTA Documentation
Sincerely, Akeneo has some of the best documentation available for installing their software. Here's the main link: https://docs.akeneo.com/4.0/install_pim/index.html. Follow the instructions for Installing Akeneo Manually. And, it is well worth your time...
Keys to a Great Akeneo Discovery
Key Takeaways 1. Great discoveries make great projects. Without them, you are flying blind (in most cases). 2. Validating a project's statement of work (SOW) in a discovery is step #1--must catch misaligned assumptions, undefined requirements, and project risk. 3....
E-Commerce Trends for 2020
With your holiday ecommerce strategy in full swing, it's time to look ahead to 2020 trends. Ecommerce in 2020 is unfolding with a few common themes, centered around the customer's experience of your brand. Find top ways to get customers talking about you this year by...
Ecommerce Veteran Sitation Finds New Opportunities Despite Pandemic
Steve Engelbrecht was interviewed by Triangle-area GrepBeat about the history of Sitation, and our plans for growth in 2020 and beyond. View the article here.
Akeneo 4.0 Features We Are Most Excited About
Akeneo 4.0 brings several welcome changes to its PIM software. Upgrades to Symfony, Mysql, and PHP offer incremental updates to the technical stack, while performance improvements abound. I was lucky enough to be at the Akeneo PIM Summit 2020 to witness the unveiling,...
