Why integrate Pimcore?
Pimcore is a platform that combines PIM, DAM, CMS, CDP, and eCommerce in a single solution. BMITZ implements Pimcore for businesses that need unified management of product data, digital assets, and experiences.
Key features
- Unified PIM + DAM + CMS
- Customer Data Platform (CDP)
- eCommerce Framework
- Data Hub for APIs
- Open source and enterprise
- Flexible architecture
Pimcore as the product data hub
Pimcore is an open source platform built on PHP and Symfony. In an eCommerce project it is usually used as the central source of the catalogue: attributes, descriptions, translations, images, technical sheets and relationships between products are maintained in Pimcore and published from there to the store and the other channels.
What sets it apart from a PIM with a fixed model is that the data model is defined to measure: object classes, their fields and their relationships are configured to suit your business. That makes it possible to represent technical products with many attributes, kits and compatible spare parts, or non-product data such as manufacturers, points of sale or certificates, all linked to each other.
As with any PIM, the ERP usually remains the owner of references, prices, stock and orders. Pimcore receives the item from the ERP, the team completes it with what is needed to sell it, and the store receives from each system what belongs to it.
How the catalogue is modelled and enriched in Pimcore
In Pimcore each product type is defined as a class with its fields, which can be localised to hold one value per language. For catalogues whose attributes change by category, Pimcore has a classification store that avoids creating a separate class for every type of item. Size, colour or format variants hang from the parent product and inherit its data.
Enrichment is organised with configurable workflows: a product moves through states such as created, being enriched, in translation and approved, with different permissions for each team. That way you always know which records are ready to publish and whose turn it is to complete each one.
Because the model is flexible, the design phase is the most important part of the project. We review the current catalogue, decide what goes into classes, what into classification stores and what is inherited, and validate the model with real products before migrating the whole catalogue.
How we connect Pimcore to the eCommerce and marketplaces
Pimcore exposes its data to other systems through its Data Hub, which lets you publish GraphQL APIs configured per consumer: which classes, which fields and which languages each system sees. As it is a Symfony application, custom endpoints or exports can also be developed within the platform itself.
With that we feed Adobe Commerce (Magento), PrestaShop, Shopify or VTEX: the store receives products, variants, categories and images, and only changes are synchronised. The same data can feed marketplace feeds, printed catalogues or the corporate website, with content adapted to each channel.
Images and documents are managed in Pimcore and served to each channel in the size and format it needs through thumbnail configurations. There is no need to prepare one version by hand for the store and another for each marketplace, and a change to the original image reaches every channel.
How we run a Pimcore project
Because it is built on a framework, a Pimcore project needs a technical team to maintain it over time: version upgrades, hosting, backups and evolution of the model. We plan for this from the start, whether we handle that maintenance or your team takes it on, and we review with you the licence terms of the edition you will use.
The work starts with an analysis of the catalogue and of the processes of the people who maintain it; it continues with the design of the data model and workflows, migration with data cleansing, integrations with the ERP and the store, and training for each team on their own catalogue.
Before connecting the production store, we publish the full catalogue to a test environment and review it with the product team, so modelling errors surface before any customer sees them. Later publications are logged and, if one fails, it is repeated automatically. Whether the destination is a store on Adobe Commerce (Magento), PrestaShop, Shopify or VTEX or a custom B2B portal, the Data Hub serves the data in the same way.
Integration services
Everything you need to connect Pimcore with your eCommerce
Ideal for your industry
Integration with Pimcore is especially useful for companies in these industries looking to optimize their operations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Pimcore and Akeneo?
Both centralise the catalogue, but with different approaches. Akeneo is a PIM with a defined data model and an interface designed for enrichment teams, and it is quicker to get up and running. Pimcore is more flexible because the model is designed to measure and it can manage other data besides products, in exchange for a project with more development.
Can Pimcore also be the online store?
Technically it includes an eCommerce framework, but building the store on it means developing much of what a specialised platform already solves, such as checkout or order management. Usually Pimcore is the master catalogue and the store runs on Adobe Commerce (Magento), PrestaShop, Shopify or VTEX. We consider it if your project has needs those platforms do not cover.
Where is Pimcore hosted and what infrastructure does it need?
Pimcore is installed on your own servers or in the cloud. As a PHP application with a database and file storage, sizing depends mainly on the volume of products and media files. We define it in the analysis, together with backups and test environments.
How much does a Pimcore project cost?
It depends on the size of the data model, the number of integrations and the migration required, as well as the edition and its licence. The figure comes out of the initial analysis; as a general reference for the online channel, see our eCommerce cost guide. In a first call we can go over your catalogue and explain how we would approach it.
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