The best ecommerce ERP software for your retail business would be the system that can help you run your current operations, automate your processes, and grow with the company as you scale.

For many people like you who are tired of juggling multiple software programs to manage their ecommerce or retail business, the challenge is finding an ERP system that meets your expectations at a reasonable budget.

Fortunately for you, we’ve written this blog post to help you make the right decision when shopping for the best ERP solutions for your ecommerce and retail businesses.

We went a step further to give you the opportunity to get on a free discovery call with us in case you need some extra help with making a decision or setting things up. However, before we go into the details, you can take a look at the table of content to find out what you can expect from this article.

Table of Content  

– What is ERP for Ecommerce and Retail Businesses?

– Top ERP Features for Your Ecommerce and Retail Business

– Top 7 Best ERP solutions for Ecommerce and Retail Companies

– Some Benefits of ERP Software to Ecommerce and Retail Companies

– How to Implement the Best ERP software for Ecommerce and Retail Businesses

What is ERP for Ecommerce and Retail Businesses?  

ERP, or Enterprise Resource Planning, is a system that helps businesses manage their internal resources more efficiently. Think of it as a tool that makes your business processes smoother and more reliable. ERP systems often include:

– Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

– Invoicing

– Order control and tracking

– Raw material procurement

– Supply chain management and inventory

– Accounting management

– Other useful modules

For ecommerce and retail businesses, integrating ERP software centralises all your management activities. Whether you’re selling online or in-store, ERP software streamlines your processes, making everything run more smoothly.

Using ERP software for ecommerce and retail businesses means you can handle everything from one place, boosting your efficiency and helping your business grow.

Top ERP Features for Your Ecommerce and Retail Business  

An Ecommerce ERP software can have so many features, but here are some of the top features we’ve found to be beneficial for many ecommerce and retail businesses.

Shipping and Distribution

Every customer’s order is recorded in the ERP system, including details like products purchased, quantities, and purchase frequency. This information, combined with data from other channels (like in-store visits), helps personalise promotions and communications. As soon as an order is processed, its status is updated on your website, allowing customers to track their order progress.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

Whether you’re selling to businesses (B2B) or consumers (B2C), many of your customers likely made their first purchase on your website, creating an account and filling in their details. Integrating this customer information into your ERP system is key to effective customer relationship management and building loyalty.

Inventory Levels and Replenishment Times

Connecting your ERP with your website ensures real-time updates of inventory levels. When an online order is placed, the ERP automatically adjusts the inventory count. Similarly, when inventory is replenished, the ERP updates both itself and your ecommerce site. This synchronisation prevents customer frustration from out-of-stock products, keeping your inventory management efficient.

Billing and Payments

Once an order is validated and paid for, the billing information is sent to the ERP for processing by the accounting department. The ERP system can also handle reminders for unpaid invoices automatically, streamlining your financial management.

By leveraging these top ERP features, your ecommerce and retail business can operate more smoothly and efficiently, enhancing customer satisfaction and boosting overall performance.

Team Management

Some ecommerce ERP like the Zoho One software also allows you to effectively manage your team’s performance, productivity, and collaboration with team management features and apps.

With this you can assign tasks, set goals, and track progress in real-time. You’ll also be able to easily manage employee data, including contact information, job roles, and leave balances. Zoho one also enables you to define access controls and permissions, ensuring that sensitive data is only accessible to authorised personnel.

Top 7 Best ERP solutions for Ecommerce and Retail Companies  

#1. Zoho One  

Price: ₦12,480/employee/month (​billed annually​)

Zoho One is an all-in-one ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution designed to help ecommerce and retail businesses with their operations and boost productivity. Here are some key features and benefits of using Zoho One:

Key Features

1. Integrated Applications: Zoho One includes over 45 applications that work together seamlessly. This means you can manage everything from sales, marketing, and customer support to inventory, finance, and human resources on a single platform.

2. CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Track and manage customer interactions, sales leads, and follow-ups efficiently. This helps in building stronger customer relationships and improving sales performance.

3. Inventory Management: Keep track of your stock levels, manage orders, and streamline your supply chain operations. This ensures you never run out of stock and can meet customer demands promptly.

4. Accounting and Finance: Manage your finances, track expenses, create invoices, and generate financial reports. This helps in maintaining financial health and making informed business decisions.

5. Marketing Automation: Automate your marketing campaigns, email marketing, and social media activities. This helps in reaching your target audience more effectively and driving sales.

6. Analytics and Reporting: Generate detailed reports and insights about your business performance. This helps in identifying trends, making data-driven decisions, and improving overall efficiency.

Benefits for Users

1. Cost-Effective: With Zoho One, you get a suite of integrated applications at a fraction of the cost of purchasing them individually. This helps in reducing overall expenses.

2. Increased Efficiency: By having all your business operations on one platform, you eliminate the need for multiple tools and manual data entry. This improves your processes and saves time.

3. Better Collaboration: Zoho One enables better communication and collaboration among your team members. This leads to improved productivity and a more cohesive work environment.

4. Scalability: Whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, Zoho One can scale with your business needs. You can easily add more users and applications as your business grows.

5. Enhanced Customer Experience: By managing customer interactions and providing personalised service, you can enhance the customer experience and build long-lasting relationships.

Other Strong Points

1. Customizability: Zoho One is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor the applications to fit your specific business needs.

2. Security: Zoho One offers robust security features to protect your business data, ensuring compliance with industry standards.

3. Mobile Access: With Zoho One’s mobile apps, you can manage your business on the go, providing flexibility and convenience.

4. 24/7 Support: Zoho provides round-the-clock customer support to assist you with any issues or questions you might have.

Want to See a Demo of Zoho One? Book a Quick Discovery Call with Our Team Now.

#2. Microsoft Dynamics 365

Price: Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials from $70.00 user/month

Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP is a robust ecommerce software solution designed to manage and optimize business operations for ecommerce and retail businesses. Here are some key ways Dynamics 365 can benefit your business:

Order Management

With Dynamics 365, you can efficiently manage orders, payments, and shipments from various sales channels, including online marketplaces, stores, and social media platforms. It centralizes order management, making it easier to track and handle everything in one place.

Inventory Management

Dynamics 365 helps you manage your inventory in real-time. The software automatically updates inventory levels as sales occur and orders are fulfilled. This real-time update prevents stockouts and overstocking, ensuring your inventory is always at optimal levels.

Customer Management

With Dynamics 365, you get a comprehensive view of each customer’s interactions with your business. It tracks customer orders, preferences, and feedback, allowing you to provide personalized experiences and improve customer satisfaction.

Financial Management

Dynamics 365 simplifies your financial management, covering accounts payable and receivable, cash flow, and financial reporting. It offers valuable insights into your financial performance, aiding in better decision-making regarding pricing, promotions, and investments.

Marketing Management

Dynamics 365 supports your marketing efforts by managing campaigns across email, social media, and content marketing. It tracks campaign effectiveness and provides insights into customer behaviour, helping you refine and optimise your marketing strategies.

#3. 500apps.  

Price: $14.99 per month

The 500apps Infinity Suite is a comprehensive business platform designed to offer unified business management software and in-house applications. This suite supports growing businesses by providing valuable insights that enhance business performance and deliver a superior customer experience. The 500apps Infinity Suite offers a range of tools designed to help ecommerce and retail businesses thrive. Here’s how it can support your business:

Unified Business Management

The suite provides integrated business management software that brings under one roof all your operations. From inventory management to customer relationship management (CRM), everything is handled in one place, making your processes smoother and more efficient.

Valuable Insights

500apps delivers high-quality insights that help you understand your business performance better. These insights can guide your decisions, improve operations, and boost your overall efficiency.

Enhanced Customer Experience

By using 500apps, you can offer a superior customer experience. The platform helps you manage customer interactions, track orders, and provide personalised service, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Scalable Solutions

As your ecommerce or retail business grows, 500apps scales with you. Its flexible tools and applications can adapt to your increasing needs, ensuring continuous support and performance optimization.

With 500apps Infinity Suite, ecommerce and retail businesses can create smooth-running  operations, gain valuable insights, and enhance customer satisfaction, driving growth and success.

#4. Acumatica  

Price: Cost is requested from software provider

Acumatica is a cloud-based ERP solution designed to help ecommerce businesses manage various aspects of their operations. Here’s how Acumatica can support your ecommerce and retail business:

Inventory Management

Acumatica’s inventory management module lets businesses track inventory levels in real-time, automate purchase orders, and manage stock across multiple warehouses. This helps avoid stockouts, reduce overstocking, and improve order fulfilment.

Order Processing

Acumatica’s order management module automates order processing workflows, from order entry to shipment and invoicing. It integrates with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Magento, allowing businesses to manage orders and customers from a single platform.

Shipping and Logistics

Acumatica’s shipping module makes shipping and logistics processes easier by integrating with carriers like UPS, FedEx, and USPS. It provides real-time tracking information to customers, improving their experience and reducing customer inquiries.

Financial Management

Acumatica’s financial management module gives businesses a complete view of their financial health, including cash flow, revenue, expenses, and profit margins. It automates accounting processes, generates financial reports, and manages taxes.

#5. Epicor  

Price: Cost is requested from software provider

Epicor is an ERP software designed to help ecommerce businesses create more efficient processes and automate their operations. Here’s how Epicor can support your ecommerce business:

Order Management

Epicor provides a centralised system for tracking, processing, and fulfilling orders. By automating order processing and inventory management, it reduces errors and improves customer satisfaction.

Inventory Management

Managing inventory levels is crucial for meeting customer demand. Epicor offers real-time visibility into inventory and automates processes like stock replenishment and order fulfilment, ensuring you always have the right amount of stock.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Epicor’s CRM module helps ecommerce businesses maintain strong customer relationships. It tracks customer interactions, analyses behaviour, and personalised marketing campaigns to enhance customer loyalty and drive repeat sales.

Accounting and Finance

Epicor’s robust accounting and finance module enables ecommerce businesses to manage their finances efficiently. It supports financial management, report generation, and expense tracking to ensure profitable operations.

Supply Chain Management

Epicor helps manage suppliers and logistics partners, providing tools to track inventory levels and optimise logistics. This ensures timely delivery of products to customers and efficient supply chain operations.

#6. Oracle Netsuite  

Price: Cost is requested from software provider

NetSuite is a versatile ecommerce ERP software designed to manage financials, inventory, customer data, and more. Here’s how NetSuite can benefit your ecommerce and retail business:

Financial Management

NetSuite handles all financial aspects, including billing, invoicing, and payment processing. It integrates with various payment gateways, allowing you to accept payments from customers worldwide seamlessly.

Inventory Management

NetSuite manages inventory levels, automates reordering, and tracks inventory across multiple locations. It integrates with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Magento, providing real-time updates on inventory levels to prevent stockouts and overstocking.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

NetSuite stores customer information and purchase history, enabling you to offer personalised experiences. It helps automate marketing campaigns and customer service interactions, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Order Management

NetSuite manages the entire order process, from placement to fulfilment, tracking, and returns. It provides real-time updates on order status and inventory levels, ensuring efficient order management and customer satisfaction.

Analytics and Reporting

NetSuite offers detailed analytics and reports, helping you make informed decisions about operations, sales, and marketing strategies. These insights enable you to make your ecommerce business processes better and drive growth.

#7. SAP Business One  

Price: Cost is requested from software provider

As an ecommerce business, managing inventory, sales, and customer data efficiently is very important. SAP Business One offers a powerful ERP solution to help your operations and support your growth.

All-in-One Management System

With SAP Business One, you can manage inventory levels, track sales orders, and handle customer data all in one central location. This system allows you to access the information you need to make informed decisions and enhance your ecommerce operations.

Automation

SAP Business One automates repetitive tasks like order processing and shipping, freeing up your time to focus on growing your business. Automation reduces errors and improves efficiency, leading to better customer satisfaction and streamlined operations.

Integration with Ecommerce Platforms

SAP Business One integrates seamlessly with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Magento. This integration allows you to easily import product information, orders, and customer data, saving you time and reducing errors.

Informed Decision-Making

With robust inventory management, sales tracking, and customer data capabilities, SAP Business One provides the insights you need to make informed decisions. This helps you get a clear view of your business processes, and helps you to make necessary changes that drive growth.

Other ERP solutions for Ecommerce and Online Retail Companies include: Odoo and Sage X3.

Some Benefits of ERP Software to Ecommerce and Retail Companies  

1. Updating Information Automatically

Connecting your ecommerce site with an ERP system ensures that information flows seamlessly between the two. Updates happen automatically, meaning data like delivery addresses or email changes made by customers on your website are instantly reflected in the ERP system. This updated information is then distributed to relevant departments, such as marketing for email campaigns and accounting for billing. Keeping customer information current is crucial for maintaining strong customer relationships.

2. Data is more Reliable

With ERP software, data is updated automatically, eliminating the need for manual entry on your ecommerce site. This automation reduces the risk of errors, ensuring that information is accurate, reliable, and centralised across all departments. Reliable data means better decision-making and smoother operations.

3. Time-Saving

Real-time data synchronisation frees up your employees to focus on more valuable tasks. By eliminating repetitive and manual processes, your team can devote more time to enhancing customer service and other critical activities. This efficiency boost helps your business operate more effectively.

4. Improved Customer Satisfaction

ERP ecommerce platforms significantly enhance customer satisfaction by:

– Optimising and personalising customer relationships through better information flows

– Reducing frustration due to stock shortages

– Allowing customers to monitor their order status via a dedicated portal, reducing the need to contact customer service

– Accelerating order processing and delivery times, leading to happier customers

How to Implement the Best ERP software for Ecommerce and Retail Businesses  

Implementing ERP in the right way is the key to successful ecommerce and retail business operations. The success of your ERP implementation will depend on the implementation partner you choose for your work. And that’s where we come in.

Basecode consultants have over 16 years experience in enterprise IT services, and digital solution implementation. Our IT experts help clients find the best solutions, set it up, and also assist with integration, support, maintenance, customization and migration.

Want more clarity about how we can help you implement the best ERP software for Ecommerce and Retail businesses? Book a Free Discovery Call Now.