Shopping from home is convenient, but physical stores are still important. Customers benefit from touching and trying products before buying. This helps make better choices than just online photos and descriptions can.

Yet, having an online presence is essential. With 81% of shoppers researching online first, not being online means missing sales.

Going online is more than just a website. It’s about a seamless shopping experience across all channels.

Microsoft Dynamics Commerce helps blend online and in-store shopping. It tracks customer paths online and offline, offering a unified view of performance.

Read on to learn what is Dynamics 365 Commerce and its benefits for retail stores.

Understanding Microsoft Dynamics Commerce

Dynamics Commerce offers a unified solution integrating back-office, online store, and digital experiences. This helps retail businesses optimize operations, personalize customer engagement, and secure better outcomes.

Some of the capabilities that Dynamics Commerce comes with:

• Headless, scalable API-first (application programming interface) solution.
• Connected customer journeys.
• AI-backed (artificial intelligence) intelligent commerce.
• Streamlined digital commerce.
• Customer loyalty and personalization.
• Build a unified website.
• Track and analyze customer behavior and needs.
• Operational and resource management.

Benefits of Microsoft Dynamics Commerce for Brick-and-Mortar Stores

By embracing Dynamics Commerce, physical stores can succeed in today’s multifaceted retail industry. It integrates online and offline stores and customer services with backend systems such as inventory, operations, and resource allocation. This means you can track and get consolidated and extensive insights about almost all aspects of your business from a single point.

This reduces dependency on various widgets, plugins, or unlinked software while enabling you to find data-backed solutions to any problem effectively and quickly.

Let’s look into how Microsoft Dynamics Commerce helps your retail business.

1. Enhanced Customer Service

Microsoft Dynamics Commerce helps to enhance customer experience by seamlessly connecting digital and physical storefronts.

With that, retailers have a 360-degree customer view to create personalized services, improve relationship management for new and old customers, and maintain stronger customer loyalty programs. A holistic view further means that customer service reps have access to the entire history of buyers, leading to more informed and efficient interaction.

In addition, Dynamics 365 for retail e-commerce supports the service team to foster long-lasting relationships with customers with AI-driven recommendations and insights.

2. Omnichannel Engagement

Microsoft Dynamics Commerce helps to create a seamless omnichannel experience that meets customer expectations across all touchpoints. It helps to digitize your retail offline business by bringing e-commerce features, a brand makeover, and comprehensive omnichannel features to scale your business online.

Some notable ways Dynamics Commerce supports omnichannel experience include:

• Enable customers to buy online, pick from the store, or opt for home delivery via connected ordering and fulfillment tools.
• Centrally manage marketing and promotions across all channels using accurate real-time cost and omnichannel data.
• Improves product placement and promotion through Dynamics Commerce’s advanced editorial and algorithmic capabilities.

3. Access Data-Driven Insights

Another critical feature of Dynamics 365 Commerce architecture is its reporting and analytics. With that, retailers can track their performance and make data-driven decisions.

The platform even allows you to automate inventory and replenishment processes based on demand forecasts. This helps retailers minimize carrying costs, enhance order fulfillment rates, and improve operational efficiency by ensuring that products are available when and where customers need them.

4. Build and Customize E-Commerce

Microsoft Dynamics 365 E-commerce allows you to build your website with its Store Starter Kit. Whether you own an SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) or a large company, you can create a website according to your business needs. Even better, you first get to create a dummy website before the final one. The Store Starter Kit comprises the following modules to help you with website creation:

• Product Details Page – Product Specifications, Quick View, Cart Addition, Ratings, and Reviews.
• Purchase – Checkout, Add to Cart, and Order Confirmation modules to help in the purchasing journey.
• Account Management – Includes Sign-up, Sign-in, Order History, and Order Details Modules.
• Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store – Linked to Bing for consumers to go to the nearest store to pick up the items they buy online.
• Search – Makes it simple for customers to identify products and improve searches on your site.

Summing Up

Brick-and-mortar stores that invest in Microsoft Dynamics Commerce software will be better positioned to succeed in the future. The platform has various capabilities and features to offer a unified platform to manage many aspects of your retail business, from customer service to experience, product to marketing, and more.

With Dynamics Commerce, you can better manage workflows, empower employees with customer data, and offer immersive shopping experiences.

People Also Ask

1. What are the resources offered by Dynamics 365 Commerce?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 E-commerce comes with a comprehensive range of resources. These help to offer deeper insights into commerce trends and improve business processes. These include:

• Analyst reports and research studies.
• E-books and infographics.
• Webinars.
• Training and learning materials.
• Customer stories.

2. Can you integrate Dynamics Commerce with other Microsoft applications?

As part of the Microsoft suite of products, the platform integrates with other popular tools. These include Dynamics products, Excel, Outlook, and Power BI.

3. Is Microsoft Dynamics Commerce scalable and customized?

Dynamics Commerce is a scalable and customizable solution, making it an excellent pick for any company. You can tailor the solution to meet your specific requirements and growing business needs.