We are happy to share some insights about inriver drawn from our latest Value Index research, Ventana Research Value Index: Product Experience Management, which assesses how well vendors’ offerings meet buyers’ requirements.
In all of our Value Indexes we utilize a structured research methodology that includes evaluation categories designed to reflect real-world criteria incorporated in a request for 
proposal (RFP) and vendor selection process for product information management (PIM) and product experience management (PXM). We evaluated inriver and 15 other vendors in seven categories, five relevant to the product (Adaptability, Capability, Manageability, Reliability and Usability) and two related to the vendor (TCO/ROI and Validation). To arrive at the Value Index rating for a given vendor, we weighted each category to reflect its relative importance in an RFP process, with the weightings based on our experience and on data derived from our Product Experience Management Benchmark Research.
Inriver, a European-based vendor, has been advancing its digital and omnichannel marketing approach to help in the merchandising and engagement in product experiences.
Inriver was categorized as an Exemplary Vendor, ranking fifth overall in this Value Index evaluation. It ranked fifth in Product Experience where it was designated as a Value Index Leader in Usability and Reliability, 
placing third in both. It ranked second in Customer Experience and was a Value Index Leader and first in TCO/ROI and third in Validation. Its overall performance was impacted by its lower placement in Capability where it ranked eighth and in Manageability where it ranked sixth, which represents 35% of the weighting in the overall Value Index.
Our assessment finds that inriver could perform better by examining its placement in Manageability and how it provides for the range of needs in privacy and security, and in Capability for its breadth of integration to a range of systems. Inriver’s significant improvement in its ranking comes from continued investment and a sole focus on PIM and PXM.
This assessment was based on inriver PIM supporting product experience management and was available in January of 2023.
Inriver, like all vendors in this space, should focus on the growing requirements for what product experiences are expected and how feedback from consumption can guide improvement.
This research-based index is the most comprehensive assessment of the value of product experience management software in the industry. Technology buyers can learn more about how to use our Value Index by clicking here and included vendors that wish to learn more can click here. Read the report here.
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