Report • 02.01.2020

Product information makes a beeline for stores

Product data platform distributes information from manufacturers to retailers and on to customers

Online stores need great product descriptions and powerful product images to be successful. After all, this information must be able to substitute the first-hand experience online surfers would get if they visited a physical store. That’s why it plays a key role in the consumer decision-making process.

It’s very time-consuming for retailers to manually add and update product details. Given their efforts, it is especially frustrating when retailers then end up losing customers due to incomplete or missing information. This is where product information databases like loadbee come into play.

A man in a white shirt smiles into the camera
Lars Braach, Head of Marketing, loadbee GmbH
Source: loadbee GmbH

The job of the busy bees of the loadbee platform is simple: "We take product and manufacturer information directly to the product detail pages of online retailers,” says Lars Braach from loadbee GmbH. Loadbee's product information platform acts as the central distributor that delivers content to countless stores at once.

Where does the information come from and where does it go?

Let’s say, a manufacturer of a washing machine creates a product profile on loadbee, which includes text, images and videos. All online retailers who are registered on the loadbee platform and offer this type of washing machine in their stores can integrate a plug-in to make the profile directly available in their stores. If the manufacturer adds new information about the washing machine to the database in the future, all connected stores gain real-time access.

“The good thing about manufacturer information is that it is more reliable and credible and – above all – comprehensive in the eyes of the end customer. Once the end customer realizes that the information comes straight from the manufacturer, he or she is less likely to leave the store and look for information elsewhere,” says Braach­. Ideally, online retailers reduce their bounce rate of visitors who enter the store site and leave rather than continue viewing other pages within the same site.

The second major advantage is self-evident: Retailers save precious time and money if they no longer have to manually update product information. This frees up resources to focus on other important tasks such as product mix planning or customer service. What’s more, loadbee is free for retailers.

How do I decide whether product information management is right for me?

While the service is free for retailers, manufacturers pay a fee based on the distributed content. They benefit from using the product information platform not only because of increased sales but also because it allows them to build trust with customers thanks to reliable product information and by delivering new products to customers faster. This also saves a lot of time when it comes to communicating information to customers. As Braach explains, “We spoke to the Gorenje Company, who is known for the distinctive design of its devices. When the company would win an award for one of its refrigerators in the past, it frequently was the company’s sales representatives who would communicate this to the respective retailers. That’s why it often took a long time for this information to be available in the store. This doesn’t benefit the retailer or the manufacturer in any way.”

Screenshot of the Conrad webshop with product page
An example from the web shop of the electronics market Conrad: In addition to the product data of the web shop, information about the manufacturer and the product is also imported from Wera.
Source: www.conrad.de

These types of cases show how product data platforms can support manufacturers in their marketing endeavors. "This ensures that updates to the manufacturer's website also carry over to the retailer's website," Detlef Seyfarth of Wera Tools explains. His company uses loadbee to market its more than 3,000 products. Apart from quality issues, this also addresses legal concerns: “Direct data processing safeguards information accuracy and ensures that changes are synchronized. What’s more, it prompts stores to only make promises we can actually keep. Needless to say, things are beyond our control if retailers create their own texts.” That’s why Wera has a marketing team that’s responsible for keeping web content for loadbee current and providing needed information.

Photo
Source: www.conrad.de

“There are industries that sell self-explanatory products, allowing them to rely on retailers. However, if you have products that require some explanation, the platform is a great tool.” Based on his experience, Seyfarth recommends making all products immediately accessible via loadbee. "We can’t give you a definite number of sales generated from this platform. Companies simply need to know the true value of increasing their web presence when they use this channel.”

What are some other uses of product information databases?

All in all, product data platforms create a win-win situation that benefits all parties – the manufacturers, retailers, and customers - in more ways than one: the database builds trust and increases confidence, frees up time for other important tasks and makes better service possible. But Braach is also able to back things up with numbers: “We did a study with Bosch Home Appliances Corporation, which revealed that the company increased sales by 25 percent when our product profiles were used on the retailer’s site. That's quite an impressive number.“

In the future, Braach also envisions the loadbee platform being used in brick-and-mortar stores, where product profiles would then be accessible via touchscreens. “What makes this so great is that as soon as you have a new product video or a new product or sales promotion, you only need to directly upload it once to the platform, which subsequently enables all connected retail stores to have all the key persuasive selling arguments right at the POS.”

Author: Timo Roth

related articles:

popular articles:

Thumbnail-Photo: Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Minimize mistakes, maximize success...
11.10.2023   #e-commerce #customer satisfaction

Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Minimize mistakes, maximize success

Mistakes you can avoid on promotion days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The promotion days on November 24 and 27 raise the sales hopes of many retailers. Despite the huge potential, these events can also be a challenge. Competition is fierce, customers are critical and expect exceptional deals. Mistakes in preparation ...

Thumbnail-Photo: The quiet hour – A contribution to inclusion in retail?...
31.10.2023   #customer satisfaction #customer experience

The "quiet hour" – A contribution to inclusion in retail?

Finding calm in a busy world: supermarkets make their mark

The world of commerce is constantly looking for new ways to attract and retain customers...

Thumbnail-Photo: Tips: Optimal shopping experience for  Christmas...
22.11.2023   #online trading #artificial intelligence

Tips: Optimal shopping experience for Christmas

How to prepare for the shopping days as an Amazon retailer

The promotional days at the start of the Christmas...

Thumbnail-Photo: Veganuary 2024: Best sales strategies to reach the ‘no meat’...
11.01.2024   #brick and mortar retail #food retail

Veganuary 2024: Best sales strategies to reach the ‘no meat’

Why retailers should take advantage of the trend

Veganuary has begun its fourth year in Germany. Over 850 German companies are taking part in this global movement for a plant-based ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Social Commerce: Community sells?
04.10.2023   #online trading #sustainability

Social Commerce: Community sells?

Why the community approach is replacing fast delivery among customer demands and what that means for you.

For a long time it was said that fast or even "same day delivery is the key". For Fabian Mischler, this is no longer the only key to satisfied customers. In an interview, the CEO of the social commerce platform ooblee told us why community ...

Thumbnail-Photo: For you: Retail marketing calendar 2024
08.01.2024   #marketing #sales promotion

For you: Retail marketing calendar 2024

You can use these phases and days for yourself and your business in the upcoming year

Birthdays, holidays, holidays ... We record all these days in calendars every year to plan our personal daily lives. But the financial year can also be planned. This can be particularly important for retailers. You can plan ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Turning customers into friends - heres how it works...
24.01.2024   #marketing #online marketing

Turning customers into friends - here's how it works

WhatsApp channels as a secret weapon in the marketing mix

In fall 2023, Meta launched WhatsApp channels, a completely new feature in 150 countries ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Valentines Day marketing: creative campaigns to make your heart sing...
18.01.2024   #brick and mortar retail #sustainability

Valentine's Day marketing: creative campaigns to make your heart sing

Examples of how you can score points on Valentine's Day

Zalando killed two birds with one stone in 2021: with the invitation to "campaign exchange the clothes after your ex", customers were shown ...

Thumbnail-Photo: ISE 2024 - the future of retail
23.10.2023   #online trading #Tech in Retail

ISE 2024 - the future of retail

ISE will take place in Barcelona from 30 January to 2 February 2024

Since it began in 2004, Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) - the world's premier exhibition for professional audio visual (pro AV) and systems integration - has grown in size, strength and influence to become an industry-defining event. Every year, ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Christmas decorations: set the scene for your store!...
09.11.2023   #customer experience #shop decoration

Christmas decorations: set the scene for your store!

From the floor to the shelves and lights to the shop window - here's how to get your store ready for Christmas!

The weeks leading up to Christmas Eve are considered to be the busiest of the year....