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Localization

Content management1/5/2026Intermediate Level

Localization adapts product content, marketing materials, and e-commerce experiences to specific local languages, cultures, and market regulations.

What is Localization? (Definition)

Localization is the business process of adjusting products and content for a specific country or region. It goes beyond simple translation. You must change details so your brand feels local to the shoppers there. This includes updating product descriptions, images, and marketing messages to fit the local culture. You also need to adjust technical details like currencies, sizes, and weights. Offering local payment methods and following regional laws are also part of this process. A good strategy makes customers feel comfortable and builds trust. Tools like WISEPIM help you manage these different versions of your product data in one place. This makes it easier to grow your business in new international markets.

Why Localization is Important for E-commerce

Localization is the process of adapting product information for specific international markets. It involves more than just translating text into a new language. Shoppers are more likely to buy when they see familiar units, currencies, and cultural references. Poorly translated descriptions or incorrect formats make a brand look unprofessional and drive customers away. A PIM system helps manage these different versions in one central place. Using WISEPIM allows businesses to organize local data for many regions at once. This ensures that product listings meet local legal standards and customer expectations in every country.

Examples of Localization

  • 1A European webshop translates its product descriptions from English into Dutch, German, and French.
  • 2An online store shows prices in Euros for customers in the Netherlands and Pounds for those in the UK.
  • 3A clothing brand uses photos of models that look like the people living in each specific country.
  • 4A seller updates product details to meet local safety rules, such as adding the CE mark for Europe.
  • 5A shop changes measurements from inches to centimeters and updates date formats to match the customer's location.

How WISEPIM Helps

  • WISEPIM helps you manage product content in many languages. You can easily update descriptions, technical details, and images for every market.
  • Adjust your product data to fit local cultures and laws. This ensures your information is correct and follows the rules in every region.
  • Connect WISEPIM to translation tools to manage your projects in one place. This helps you launch products in new international markets faster.

Common Mistakes with Localization

  • Translating text word-for-word without adjusting for local culture or common sayings.
  • Using images, colors, or symbols that have different meanings in other countries.
  • Forgetting to update technical details like currency, sizes, payment methods, and local laws.
  • Managing product data in separate systems instead of using a tool like WISEPIM to keep all channels accurate.

Tips for Localization

  • Create a clear plan that goes beyond simple translation. Identify your target markets and decide how to adapt your content for local cultures.
  • Use a PIM system like WISEPIM to manage all localized product data and images in one central location. This keeps your information consistent and easy to update.
  • Hire native speakers to translate and check your content. They ensure your language sounds natural and follows local social norms.
  • Localize the entire shopping process for your customers. Update your prices, payment methods, and shipping rules to match what local buyers expect.

Trends Surrounding Localization

  • AI-driven localization: Leveraging AI for initial translation, content generation, and cultural adaptation suggestions, followed by human post-editing for accuracy and nuance.
  • Headless commerce architectures: Facilitating content delivery to multiple localized storefronts and channels from a single PIM or CMS, enhancing flexibility and speed.
  • Enhanced automation in localization workflows: Automating content hand-off, translation memory application, and publishing processes to accelerate time-to-market.
  • Hyper-personalization through localized content: Utilizing data to deliver highly relevant and tailored content based on individual user locale, preferences, and behavior.

Tools for Localization

  • WISEPIM: Centralized management and distribution of localized product information, attributes, and digital assets across multiple channels and locales.
  • Akeneo PIM: Provides robust features for managing localized product data, including multi-language support, currency conversion, and locale-specific attributes.
  • Smartling / Phrase: Translation Management Systems (TMS) that automate and streamline the translation workflow, integrate with PIMs and CMS, and maintain translation memories.
  • Contentful / Strapi: Headless CMS platforms that enable the creation and delivery of localized content to various digital touchpoints independently of the frontend.

Related Terms

product contentproduct information management pime commerce channelcontent syndicationdata enrichment

Also Known As

InternationalizationTranslation (as part of localization)Global content adaptation