Successfully running an eCommerce business requires more than developing a mere website or mobile application. Having an impeccable web presence would not suffice, especially when you are also running an offline store in parallel. Regardless of your unique selling proposition, having a fully integrated ERP system in place is critical to centrally manage routine sales operations. For instance, there needs to be a user-centric POS software that directly links an eCommerce website with the offline store. Similarly, an order management system yields faster order processing which in turn delivers improved customer experiences.
To sum it up, ERP software development for eCommerce management is conducive to overcoming common operational challenges and driving maximum ROI. Here, we shall explore the importance of ERP software development for eCommerce management and the benefits it delivers to eCommerce businesses.
Also, Read Top Reasons Why Your eCommerce Business Needs a Mobile App
Why Is ERP Crucial For eCommerce Management?
ERP application development has become a staple element for eCommerce business owners to efficiently manage their online sales and customer service operations. Although software platforms like Magento and PrestaShop offer ample support to successfully run an eCommerce business, there are times when external tools and ERP systems are required. As an eCommerce business grows and expands, operational challenges become more apparent which calls for immediate attention.
Overlooking these operational bottlenecks may lead to greater complications and losses are often perceptible. In most cases, the competitors would exploit the loopholes in your eCommerce strategies to strengthen their position in the online marketplace. Therefore, ERP software development for eCommerce management is increasingly important to steer clear of the operational challenges and streamline internal and customer-facing activities.
Must-Have ERP Modules For eCommerce Management?
If you have an eCommerce platform up and running across any location, developing and integrating an ERP system would help you in many ways. Mentioned below are some of the most useful ERP modules that must be a part of your eCommerce software infrastructure.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Customer relationship management is a crucial aspect of eCommerce that requires utmost attention as it directly impacts customer experiences. For an eCommerce business to succeed, there needs to be a tech-driven CRM strategy in place that takes care of day-to-day sales operations and customer-facing activities. CRM application development is an effective way to deal with the complexities of customer service management and is conducive to building healthy customer relationships. It automates various sales and lead management activities including lead tracking, lead nurturing, online acquisition, lead scoring, and the likes.
Also, Read Effective UX Practices To Achieve eCommerce Success
Order Management System
The order management system is generally a part of your eCommerce application suite. However, many business owners choose to develop a custom OMS that best addresses their eCommerce needs. OMS software development enables businesses to deliver improved online shopping experiences at scale across a number of sales channels. An OMS system enables automation across every step of the ordering process, allowing sales teams to manage orders coming in from different sales channels. Besides, it shortens the order fulfillment cycle by processing more orders in less amount of time.
Financial Accounting
The accounting module is essential to manage day-to-day financial activities, maintain transactional records, and keep track of accounts payables and receivables. Most eCommerce businesses prefer cloud ERP solutions to manage their financial accounting activities. For example, QuickBooks could be an ideal solution to most of the financial difficulties faced by eCommerce companies these days. Acumatica is yet another cloud software platform that offers comprehensive accounting solutions similar to QuickBooks. At Oodles ERP, we have our expertise in using both Quickbooks and Acumatica to build custom software solutions for accounting and financial management.
Inventory/Warehouse Management
As an eCommerce business grows and expands, inventory management becomes more convoluted and small inefficiencies may lead to whopping losses. It is advisable to develop and implement an inventory and WMS system right from the beginning to avoid all possible complications. ERP software development for eCommerce would help you sail through the complexities of inventory management and minimize the instances of stockouts and overstocking. It further augments your upselling and cross-selling efforts while significantly reducing the backorder rates.
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The Final Words
Here we discussed the most important ERP modules that may prove lucrative for eCommerce businesses. Apart from these few, some businesses might consider having a dedicated module for human resource management and logistics management. The HRM module is essential in case the eCommerce business staff is growing in numbers and manual staffing is becoming arduous. The logistics module, on the other hand, is only required if you have your own staff for shipping and procurement activities. As of today, a majority of eCommerce businesses rely on 3PL and 4PL logistics models. Therefore, the logistics module is no longer necessary and can be pushed aside under most circumstances. Other modules that might be useful are pricing management, marketing automation, and workforce management.
How We Help You With ERP Software Development For eCommerce Management?
We are a seasoned ERP development company having a proven track record in eCommerce application development for B2C/B2B enterprises. Our development team specializes in using open-source platforms like Magento, PrestaShop, and WooCommerce to build scalable eCommerce solutions with custom features. We use open-source technologies like Odoo, OFBiz, ERPNext, and Opentaps to build custom ERP applications for cross-industry business use cases. We have successfully delivered several full-scale ERP and eCommerce projects for startups and SMBs from across the globe. To learn more about our ERP development services, reach out to us at [email protected].
