Should I Use a Retail & Ecommerce-Specific CRM or a General One?

There are many different types of customer relationship management (CRM) platforms available today. If you’re an ecommerce or retail business looking for a CRM, you might be asking yourself the question, “Should I use a retail and ecommerce-specific CRM?”

In this blog post, we’ll tackle that question. Plus, we’ll go over:

• What is a retail & ecommerce-specific CRM?
• Advantages of retail & ecommerce CRMs
• What is a general-purpose CRM?
• Advantages of general CRMs
• Should you use a retail & ecommerce-specific CRM or general CRM?

Ready to dive in? Keep reading to learn more, or contact us online to learn how Nutshell can help your ecommerce business today.

What is a retail & ecommerce-specific CRM?

A retail & ecommerce-specific CRM is designed specifically to assist businesses in the retail and ecommerce industry. The features included in retail & ecommerce-specific CRMs are created with retail and ecommerce professionals in mind.

Advantages of retail & ecommerce CRMs

Retail and ecommerce CRMs bring some unique benefits to the table for businesses, including: 

• Quicker set-up times
• Retail and ecommerce-specific tools
• Being built with retail and ecommerce professionals in mind

Keep reading to learn more about each of these benefits in more detail.

Quicker set-up times

One advantage of retail and ecommerce-specific CRMs is that they take retail and ecommerce businesses less time to set up than general CRMs. These specialized CRMs are built with industry-specific preferences in mind, so users can spend less time setting up their CRM system.

Retail and ecommerce-specific tools

Another great advantage of retail and ecommerce-specific CRMs is that they come equipped with features built specifically for retail and ecommerce businesses.

These native features reduce the need to integrate your CRM with other tools to perform industry-specific tasks and enable your team to more quickly jump into using your CRM to nurture leads and close deals.

They’re built with retail and ecommerce professionals in mind

Finally, retail and ecommerce-specific CRMs are built specifically with retail and ecommerce professionals in mind. Yes, this sounds like a no-brainer benefit, but hear us out.

Retail CRMs are outfitted with the tools your team needs, and the most important retail and ecommerce tools are at the forefront of your CRM for quicker access. 

Retail and ecommerce-specific CRMs can also have more subtle characteristics that tell users they were made for the retail industry, like industry-specific jargon and terminology.

What is a general-purpose CRM?

A general-purpose CRM includes universal features that can be used across multiple industries. With no focus on a specific industry, general-purpose CRMs are great for any business looking to reap the benefits of a CRM.

Advantages of general CRMs

Like retail and ecommerce CRMs, general CRMs come with some benefits that are hard to pass up, like:

• They’re user-friendly
• They offer better integration options
• They often cost less than retail-specific CRMs

They’re user-friendly

General CRMs tend to be easier to use than retail and ecommerce-specific CRMs because general CRMs are optimized for various industries and users. A wider audience means a more accessible and navigable user interface.

Additionally, general CRMs tend to earn more revenue since they’re selling to a larger audience. Because of this, the companies can often invest more in their product and support teams to help users successfully set up and use their CRMs.

They offer better integration options

General CRM platforms are built for a wider audience, meaning a variety of users from different industries use them for their businesses. Because of this, general CRMs often come equipped with better integration options.

While the number of integrations varies from platform to platform, general CRMs often integrate with many different tools to enhance capabilities for users across various industries.

They often cost less than retail-specific CRMs

Arguably the best benefit of general CRMs is the fact that they’re generally less expensive than industry-specific platforms. Now, this isn’t a cold hard fact—there are no doubt general CRM platforms that are a bit more expensive than industry-specific ones. You’ll often find, though, that the pricing for general CRMs is cheaper and more flexible than industry CRMs.

General CRMs are trying to appeal to larger audiences, so to stay accessible to all, they offer more variety in their pricing plans.

Should you use a retail & ecommerce-specific CRM or general-purpose CRM?

We’ve covered a lot of ground regarding whether a retail and ecommerce-specific CRM or a general CRM is right for your business.

As mentioned earlier, retail and ecommerce-specific CRM platforms come with tools and tech features specific to retail businesses. So, if you’re looking for a CRM with specialized tools right out of the box and are okay with spending a little more money, a retail and ecommerce-specific CRM could be the right move for you.

Otherwise, consider a general-purpose CRM. Setting up these tools for your industry may take longer, but if you choose a CRM with solid customization and integration options, you can definitely do so. Plus, you get the benefits of a user-friendly interface, enhanced features, improved customer support, and reduced costs.

In the end, the answer to the question, “Is a retail and ecommerce-specific CRM right for me?” all boils down to your business’s needs and goals. Whether you opt for an industry-specific or general-purpose tool, your experience also depends heavily on which specific CRM you choose.

Meet Nutshell, a CRM trusted by retail & ecommerce businesses

If you’re not sure where to look for a general CRM, let us introduce you to Nutshell, a CRM trusted by all industries—including retail and ecommerce!

Nutshell is an easy-to-use, powerful CRM that includes features like sales automation, multiple pipelines, email marketing, and more CRM features. Plus, all plans come with unlimited contacts and free customer support.

Ready to get started? Learn more about how Nutshell can help your retail and ecommerce business by contacting our team online or starting a 14-day free trial today!

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