Data is the most important asset of any eCommerce business, no matter how big or how small. However, managing all that data can be incredibly difficult, especially if you’re not using the right tools.

That’s where enterprise resource planning (ERP) software comes into play. ERP for eCommerce allows you to integrate all of your data into one convenient location for easy access and analysis.

Nonetheless, finding the right ERP for your eCommerce business can be difficult. There are many options, and some are significantly better than others. That’s why we’ve created this list of the best ERP tools for your eCommerce benefits: to help make things a little easier on you.  

But, first, let’s take a closer look at what an ERP is and how it benefits eCommerce businesses just like yours. 

‍

{{yellow-banner="/blog-components"}}

‍

‍

What is ERP? — Defining Enterprise Resource Planning

With the use of ERP software, businesses can more easily collect, store, and manage data from multiple sources on a single platform. This includes:

• Company financial data
• Supply chain data
• Sales and other commerce-related data
• Manufacturing data
• Human resource activities
• Social media and other digital marketing analytics
• Information technology (IT) data
• Inventory and warehouse management data

Without an ERP, you’ll be left to use a bunch of different tools to manage different portions of your business data. Not only can this become quite costly, but it also requires you to learn how to use multiple tools and then compare data across various platforms.

An ERP, however, is a cost-effective way to save time and ensure that all your data is easily accessible whenever you need it. 

Why Should You Use ERP eCommerce Software?

Using an ERP eCommerce tool to integrate all data sources into one location comes with many benefits.

Some of these include: 

Data Application

An eCommerce business generates a lot of data daily. Most of this data is related to consumer buying behavior.

By integrating this data with the rest of your business data, you can find new ways to:

• Apply the data to effectively increase sales
• Build brand ambassadors
• Create marketing campaigns that convert
• Cut costs throughout the business. 

For example, an ERP will include data about top-selling products, returned orders, loyal customers, cart rate abandonment, time spent on specific web pages, reactions to social media posts or email newsletters, and much more. 

Compiling all these data together in a single platform makes it much easier to analyze the data and generate actionable intelligence to grow your eCommerce business.

Reduces Data Entry Errors

When your data management systems are not fully integrated, they may have difficulties communicating with each other. As a result, you may have to input lots of data manually, which can lead to errors. 

On the other hand, you can perform data entries automatically with little or no mistakes by using your ERP tool.

This reduces the chance of human-caused errors, saving time and possibly costly errors from draining your bottom line.

Handle Multiple Sales and Marketing Channels

ERP tools allow you to handle multiple sales and marketing channels at once. If your eCommerce business is using multiple sources to convert leads, then you want to be able to look at all of your sales across each platform to determine what is working and what is not.

Additionally, you want to know why and how one sales channel is performing better than another.

By analyzing data from various marketing channels including social media, email, or your website, you can determine what campaigns convert and which ones need to be revamped. 

The 5 Best ERP Tools To Scale Your Business 

By now, you already have a good idea of the benefits of integrating ERP with your eCommerce business.

But what ERP tool should you use? 

To help you answer that question, we’ve included a list of the 5 Best ERP tools for your eCommerce business.

ERPNext

ERPNext is an open-source ERP tool available on the cloud and in the form of a self-hosted tool. This software is perfect for low-budget businesses that require a comprehensive solution.

With the features that ERPNext offers, you’ll find that you can better manage human resources, project management, accounting, customer service, and so much more.

However, users have to pay $50 to access the premium features of ERPNext, and only 5 users can use the resource planner at the same time.

Pros

• Suitable for small businesses
• Advanced search tool to find the required features
• Fully customizable features

Cons

• Can be quite costly
• Has a steep learning curve

NetSuite

Yet another one of the top ERP solutions available today is NetSuite. This platform offers multiple business management features as well as various templates for different types and sizes of businesses. 

Furthermore, you can access this tool from any browser or smartphone so that you can work anywhere, anytime. Additionally, updates will always be installed automatically.

Pros

• Can be accessed on multiple mobile and desktop browsers
• Fully customizable for different users
• User-friendly and easy to understand interface
• Different business management modules

Cons

• Difficult to implement
• Steep learning curve

Odoo

Are you interested in a custom-tailored ERP eCommerce solution? Odoo is a popular resource planning software that lets business owners pick their preferred features. 

In other words, you can leave out tools you don’t feel like you need. This way, you can build your solutions based on your website’s demands. 

Odoo is an excellent choice for companies that don't require a complete business suite of tools. Furthermore, the platform has a pricing tool that will tell you exactly how much you'll pay depending on the number of users and modules you have chosen.

Pros

• Easy to use and implement
• Integrates and connects quickly with third-party applications
• Fully customizable features

Cons

• Poor customer service
• Slows down when used for complex solutions

Tally

Tally is arguably the best ERP solution for Microsoft users. This tool helps businesses control their finances, improve productivity, and manage their inventory from a single hub. 

In addition, it has a suite of tools to enhance your platform’s capabilities including a variety of customization options.

Pros

• One-time license payment
• Easy to use and implement
• Fully customizable tool features

Cons

• Some features are outdated
• Requires basic accounting knowledge

SAP S/4HANA

SAP S/4HANA is the top solution for large eCommerce platforms that have a problem organizing all their resources. You'll find many business management tools to help you more conveniently access, analyze, and use data from multiple sources.

Fun fact? SAP S/4HANA is not just a new digital tool. In fact, it has been around for more than 50 years!

Pros

• Easy to use
• Integration with multiple work processes
• Suitable for large companies and enterprises
• Comprehensive training materials

Cons

• Expensive to implement
• A learning curve is required

The Long and Short: 5 Best ERP eCommerce Tools

Needless to say, there are many other ERP tools for eCommerce. The 5 listed here, however, are certainly some of the best pieces of ERP software currently available. 

To summarize, which tools are best for what, let’s take a final look at the 5 best ERP tools for eCommerce: 

1. ERPNext: Great for small businesses
2. Netsuite: Incredible accessibility across multiple devices
3. Odoo: Best for assessing total costs
4. Tally: The ERP tool all Microsoft users should use
5. SAP S/4HANA: An ERP with the longest track record

So what are you waiting for? Find an ERP for your eCommerce business and start saving time, money, and effort today!