N Brown's digital product experiences are driving conversion and reducing returns with Akeneo

Angus Hayman, Senior Strategy Consultant at Akeneo, explains how digital product experiences are driving conversion, loyalty and reducing returns at online retail group, N Brown.

As someone who’s spent years leading eCommerce I’ve seen first-hand how digital transformation can unlock remarkable value, when done right.  One of the most compelling examples I’ve been part of recently is N Brown Group’s journey.

Best known for brands like Simply Be, JD Williams, and Jacamo, N Brown is a digitally-led retailer with a proud heritage and a very modern ambition - to serve the underserved.  Their customers span a wide demographic, women and men of all ages, shapes, and sizes, and that diversity means a one-size-fits-all product experience simply doesn’t cut it.

When we first connected with Nuno Miller, Digital COO at N Brown, it was clear the business had bold ambitions.  But like many established retailers, legacy systems and complex internal processes were holding them back.  The team had already made huge strides transitioning from a 160-year-old catalogue business to a digital-first retailer.  Yet there remained a critical challenge – how to deliver consistent, compelling, and personalised product experiences that reflected the brand promise.  That’s where Akeneo came in.

Product information as the engine of transformation

At the heart of N Brown’s transformation is the belief that better product experiences lead to better business outcomes, more conversions, stronger customer loyalty, and fewer returns.  But achieving that required a fundamental rethinking of how product information was managed and used.

Previously, updating product data could take up to 48 hours to reflect on site, a huge delay in today’s always-on retail environment.  Descriptions varied in tone, clarity, and completeness across brands and platforms.  And any changes required manual input from multiple teams.

By implementing Akeneo’s Product Information Management (PIM) solution across Simply Be, Jacamo and JD Williams, timed strategically ahead of Peak 2024, N Brown has completely transformed how it creates and delivers product content.

Faster, smarter, more relevant

Today, product updates go live within 10 minutes, a staggering improvement that supports real-time merchandising and much faster time-to-market.  But the biggest win has been qualitative; N Brown now creates rich, accurate, and consistent product content tailored to each brand and customer-base.

Take Jacamo, where customers, largely men shopping for themselves, prefer short, clear bullet points that get straight to the point.  At JD Williams, where the audience skews older and more lifestyle-focused, longer-form descriptions and inspirational messaging perform better.  Simply Be, aimed at younger women, benefits most from bite-sized highlights and relatable tone of voice.  This level of nuance would’ve been impossible without a centralised, flexible PIM system.

Automation that empowers teams and enhances experience

Another standout success has been in automation.  More than 24 business processes have now been automated, from attribute validation to grammar checks and SEO optimisation, which has saved countless hours of manual work, and just as importantly, freed up N Brown’s product, content, and trading teams to focus on what really matters - delivering standout customer experiences.

It’s a great example of how automation doesn’t replace people, it enhances what they can achieve.  Nobody enjoyed doing these tasks.  Now they have the time to really deliver the product experience they care about.

We’ve also supported the rollout of GenAI tools to assist with product copy, generate variant descriptions and tailor messaging by brand and segment, all under human supervision.  It's fast, scalable and data-driven.

Helping customers buy right, first time

Product experience isn’t just about driving conversion, it’s also about helping customers make the right choices.  N Brown’s improved product information has already led to better size selection and reduced return rates.

By integrating sizing tools, like True Fit that showcase model height and fit, and providing comparative international size guides, N Brown is helping customers feel more confident about their purchases.  That means fewer returns, which is great for the bottom line and even better for customer satisfaction and sustainability.

As more data comes in, the business is continually fine-tuning.  Product list pages are being optimised next, starting with facet completeness and expanding to include new filters like fit types.  Even richer experiences, like personalised model imagery, are also on the roadmap.

A blueprint for retail success

What makes N Brown’s approach so successful isn’t just the technology, it’s the mindset.  The team has embraced agile ways of working, empowered cross-functional teams, and built a culture around customer feedback, A/B testing, and constant iteration.

They’ve shown how product information, often seen as a back-office function, can become a front-line differentiator.  It’s not just about getting data right - it’s about shaping every touchpoint with the customer in mind.

And it’s working.  We’ve already seen conversion increases of 5%, higher sell-through rates and happier, more engaged teams across the business.  That’s the power of great product experiences.

At Akeneo, we’re proud to support N Brown on this journey.  For any retailer looking to turn digital transformation from a buzzword into real, measurable outcomes, this is a masterclass in just what’s achievable.