eCommerce Integration- Benefits, Features, and Importance

Some of the organizations are entirely dependent on tonnes of connected applications. 

However, only 28 percent of the business systems opt for eCommerce integration. 

The demand for integrations keeps on increasing, and the eCommerce business is not an exception.  

Integration of eCommerce into the business website is a significant step to accelerate the growth of the business. It provides a unified and cohesive operation of eCommerce ecosystems to automate the data flows across systems. Moreover, eCommerce integration also offers a rich and consistent customer experience in an omnichannel marketplace.

Let’s have a look at how eCommerce integration can help businesses to achieve new heights.

What Is eCommerce Integration?

eCommerce Integration is the link between an eCommerce website of the business and their back-end data management systems like ERP, CRM, and inventory management. The eCommerce integration with ERP authorizes the retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers to create a dual flow of information between the systems. In simple words, businesses do not have to enter data into multiple systems.

For instance, a business may use an ERP system to monitor the inventory levels for every product. After implementing a D2C business model, the company starts to operate using an eCommerce platform. With a sale of even one item, they need to adjust the inventory count in their ERP system to maintain precise product numbers.

Without eCommerce integration with ERP, the businesses have to enter the inventory count manually into different systems. Therefore, eCommerce integration allows the company to verify, maintain, and create a movement of data between systems.

Features Of eCommerce Integration

The features of eCommerce integration can be listed as under:

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)– Customer Relationship Management is significant for all businesses, including eCommerce companies. eCommerce integration with CRM allows the business to foster leads and keep the customers coming back to the website.Thus, customer retention is also incredibly significant. According to Forrester Research, the cost of engaging new customers into the business is five times more than retaining the existing ones. Personalized advertisements, online customer support, and effective shipping notifications are the factors that help in customer retention.
2. Inventory Management– Inventory management is another essential feature of eCommerce integration. The sales volume and the availability of the products through online stores are the two primary aspects that create a distinction between eCommerce and traditional businesses. ERP eCommerce integration offers real-time information that helps to maintain the optimum inventory levels.
3. Finance– Accounting tools and financial management are the primary constituents of eCommerce integration. Financial data is fundamental to process centralization and the development of effective forecasting models, so the business can propose the material reorders and expect delivery lead times. It suggests that the businesses are likely to benefit from tight profit margins. eCommerce integration with QuickBooks and ERP functionality streamlines the information and enables the reflection of insights across departments effortlessly.
4. Distribution– Several eCommerce businesses engage in dropshipping, i.e. a third-party vendor ships the product to the customer whenever a company sells the product online. It authorizes eCommerce businesses to provide various products without maintaining a large inventory warehouse.

Importance of eCommerce Integration

eCommerce integration is crucial for businesses due to the following reasons:

1. Saves Time- eCommerce  integration saves a lot of time for online retailers. It offers them a place to monitor the movement of the product from the warehouse to the customer.
2. Creates An Omnichannel Experience- eCommerce integration allows businesses to maintain an omnichannel presence. According to the prediction of eMarketer, worldwide retail online sales are expected to reach USD 6.5 trillion by 2023. Therefore, it has become a necessity for businesses to integrate into the online marketplace.
3. Combines All The Sales Channels- eCommerce integration with ERP system combines all the sales channels. In other words, all the inventory count and sales data get stored in a single system. It automates nearly all the operations and provides real-time insight into pricing and product availability to both the business and the customer.
4. Maintains Security Easily- eCommerce integration also assists in enhancing and maintaining the accounting and customer care security effortlessly.

Benefits of eCommerce  Integration

Here are some of the benefits of integrating eCommerce with the retail business:

1. Boosts Productivity– eCommerce integration eliminates redundant errors, and businesses are not required to feed the data manually into their system. The ERP software integrates all the online sales into the system. Therefore, it minimizes the time taken to fulfill each order.
2. Vital Enhancement In Functionality– With eCommerce integration, the website becomes highly functional for both the businesses and the customer. It makes it easier for the business personnel to explore the transactions and features. Similarly, customers can also look for their shipment details, product availability, and much more.
3. Minimizes Cost– With eCommerce integration, all information about online sales gets reflected in the ERP system and updates respective inventory items simultaneously. Businesses can predict and plan the inventory purchase levels after taking into account the online sales information thereby resulting in inventory cost savings.
4. Reduces Repetition Of Errors– eCommerce integration aids to report information such as online orders, customer data, shipment details, and payment methods. It is also relatively easy to upload the inventory counts of each product from the ERP system to the eCommerce  website. Since the process involves less human interaction, the possibility of errors is considerably minimized. The business is also not required to perform redundant functions, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity.
5. Improved Business Operations & Insights– The eCommerce integration with QuickBooks not only provides the general financial reports on sales but also assists in generating trial balance, cash flow, P/L statement, and balance sheets. Therefore, the software-oriented approach offers better clarity and security across the business operations.
6. Better Control Of The Business– With eCommerce integration, businesses have better control over CRM, orders, finance, inventory, manufacturing, and other functionalities. It integrates everything under a single system and enables the business to operate from a particular location. It enhances the overall communication between the business and boosts revenue.
7. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction– Customer satisfaction is the top priority of any business. eCommerce integration enables customers to get the latest product information, inventory availability, and order tracking details, timely availability of which contributes to higher customer satisfaction levels.

Key Takeaway

eCommerce integration enables businesses to make data-driven decisions based on marketing and customer experience. The business gets a chance to collect customer information, their tastes and preferences, product popularity, and other data all in one place.

With significant knowledge, they can change and adapt to the behavior patterns of the consumers and lead the purchase journey accordingly.