“Import.io not only allows us to get more data in less time, it also saves us money. Delivering the volume of data we are doing today using those old tools would have cost us almost $5,000 a week.”
Import.io was selected to provide web extraction services for a leading ecommerce market intelligence data company that provides data and analysis services for top brands across a wide range of categories. The company’s success is predicated on its ability to effectively gather vast amounts of information from across the web.
Web Extraction at Scale
This company evaluated a number of options for web extraction before selecting Import.io. The head of technology explained, “We needed something, like bots, that we could scale and integrate into our database. The tools that we had and others that we looked at just could not support the scale we needed.”
“For us, getting data reliably is must in order to support customers that include 20 of Fortune 100. Import.io was the only solution that could reliably provide the scalability that we required to support our clients’ needs,” said the head of technology. “With Import.io, getting more than 100,000 pieces of data is just not an issue.”
Integration with Internal Systems
Using Import.io’s RESTful APIs, the company was able to integrate data feeds directly into its systems. “With Import.io’s multiple forms of integration, we are able to simply point to hyperlink and it’ll feed our database,” said the head of technology.
Robust Market Intelligence Data from Multiple Sites
“Import.io also allows us to automatically update dashboards for clients daily,” said the head of technology. “We use Import.io to gather data from multiple sites to give our clients access to the latest pricing and reseller info as well as to help us get info to create reports for clients,” said the head of technology.
Reduced Load on Systems
Because Import.io is a SaaS solution, it does not impact internal systems. The head of technology explained, “Other tools gather data and put it on multiple computers, so we would have to run on multiple computers then consolidate the data. Import.io significantly reduces load on my systems and provides a consolidated a view of data, which saves us both time and money.”
Reliable Market Intelligence Data Delivery
Reliability was of particular concern for the company, since the data collected fuels its market intelligence data solution. The company needed enterprise-class reliability to deliver the quality required by its customers. According the head of technology, “There are a bunch of ways we can get this data, but if we can’t get it and get it reliably it’s not worth it. Import.io has continuously delivered the data we need without issue. With Import.io, I have been able to, literally, set it and forget it – really,” said the head of technology. “Like I said, we looked at a lot of tools, but the dependability of Import.io could not be beat. Even as we stress the systems, Import.io has met service level expectations. I could pay less and run it on our servers, but I want to sleep at night. Import.io is so reliable that I just don’t to think about it.”
Expanded Usage
The company has been using Import.io for over a year and has expanded its contract five times. “We have gotten rid of all other tools and are using Import.io exclusively now with our capacity increasing 40X, since we started,” said the head of technology. “Import.io just really does web extraction well and at a scale that continues to meet our needs as we expand our business – which grew over 400% in the past year. The systems we had been using would have caused a little headache a year ago without Import.io. To do the volumes we are doing now without Import.io, would have caused migraines.”
Significant Savings
“Import.io saved us over 60% in terms of time over other previous ways of doing web extraction. Import.io not only allows us to get more data in less time, it also saves us money. Delivering the volume of data we are doing today using those old tools would have cost us almost $5,000 a week,” said the head of technology.
Plans for Future
The company predicts even more growth in the coming years as it expands in its current market and opens up new ones. The head of technology credits Import.io with being part of the team that is supporting this growth. “The Import.io solution is top-notch both in functionality and reliability, but the support team deserves credit as well. The tech support team is just phenomenal. They are always there when we need them for tech challenges,” said the head of technology.
“The Import.io support team has also helped us develop custom scrapers that meet unique requirements and allow us to roll out other services. This kind of support will be important for us as we continue to expand our solutions to address changing and new market requirements. As we build out our business, we expect Import.io to grow with us,” the head of technology concluded.