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3 Must-Have Features for Successful Online Store
DynamicWeb
Within the specialist trade industry, you often compete with many other companies that sell similar products as your own. It is therefore important to differentiate yourself from your competitors both online and physically.
eCommerce is now the front door of business growth. Customers expect seamless digital experiences matching the speed and convenience of their shopping habits. Meeting those expectations demands systems that work together to keep information accurate, processes efficient, and interactions consistent.
The pressure is even greater in 2025 as businesses face rising competition, global expansion, and increasingly complex supply chains. Success depends on eliminating manual gaps, creating frictionless self-service experiences, and ensuring every channel reflects the same reliable data. The good news? With the right foundation, companies can simplify operations, reduce costs, and create a scalable online store that delivers measurable results.
Challenges eCommerce Businesses Face Today
eCommerce is constantly changing, and businesses across every industry face recurring challenges that determine whether they grow or stall. Five stand out in particular.
First, scaling complexity in B2B and B2C. Long sales cycles, fragmented systems, over-customization, and slow growth. Experts recommend modular approaches, such as standard core offerings with add-ons, as the most sustainable path.
Second, tool fragmentation. Research shows that companies use only 33% of their martech stack’s capabilities, leaving data siloed and teams overwhelmed. Consolidation and API-first platforms are now essential.
Third, operational accuracy. Order fulfillment based on forecasted inventory leads to substitutions and partial orders, which reports show reduce future spending and lengthen reorder cycles. Preventing stockouts through real-time integration is more effective than patching issues later.
Fourth, the rise of vertical marketplaces. Sales ballooned from $24B in 2020 to $224B in 2023, proving that industry-specific platforms are the future. Success here depends on clean product data and deep integration with ERP, PIM, and commerce systems.
Fifth, AI enablement. Through pricing, recommendations, and more, AI can accelerate growth, but disconnected systems blunt its value. Composable, API-first architectures ensure AI acts on unified, reliable data.
Together, these challenges show that success in 2025 doesn't require adding more technology. Businesses need to strategically connect systems, simplify workflows, and craft every customer interaction so that it is accurate, consistent, and scalable.
Top 3 Essential Features
Feature 1: ERP integration
An ERP-integrated storefront ensures customers always see accurate prices, discounts, inventory, and order history without manual updates. DynamicWeb’s standard connectors for Microsoft Dynamics reuse existing business logic in real time, eliminating duplicate rules and reducing order errors.
Feature 2: PIM
A Product Information Management (PIM) solution centralizes and enriches product data so every website, marketplace, or partner feed uses the same complete, accurate information. With DynamicWeb PIM, businesses can manage large catalogs efficiently with bulk edits, multilingual fields, digital assets, and AI-powered enrichment.
Feature 3: Customer Portals
Customer portals give buyers 24/7 access to orders, invoices, returns, and personalized catalogs, cutting down on service calls and manual tasks. DynamicWeb portals run on the same platform as commerce and PIM, supporting role-based access and real-time ERP data for a seamless experience.
How ERP, PIM, and Customer Portals Work Together
ERP, PIM, and customer portals are strongest when they operate as a single, connected framework rather than standalone tools. ERP provides the transactional backbone with live pricing, inventory, credit, and financial logic, while PIM enriches raw data into product content that customers can actually use. Customer portals then make both layers accessible, giving dealers or end customers a self-service hub for accurate information and seamless transactions.
DynamicWeb’s platform ties these systems together so updates flow automatically in both directions. A pricing change in ERP is instantly reflected in the portal, while a new product enriched in PIM is published across webshops, marketplaces, and partner channels at once. Our unified approach reduces manual work, keeps data consistent, and delivers the reliable experience that drives customer trust and repeat business.
Choosing the Right eCommerce Software for Your Business
Finding the right eCommerce platform requires choosing software that strengthens the way your business already operates. The most effective solutions connect seamlessly to ERP systems for accurate pricing, terms, and inventory; integrate with PIM to ensure product data is consistent everywhere it’s used; and support customer portals that reduce service costs by enabling self-service. Together, these core capabilities allow businesses to scale without constantly patching gaps between disconnected tools.
It’s also important to consider the architecture of the platform itself. API-first, composable systems are designed to fit into complex digital ecosystems and adapt as needs evolve, whether that means adding new storefronts, supporting multiple regions, or enabling AI-driven personalization. Cloud-based deployment, security standards, and scalability should also be on the evaluation checklist, so that today’s investment can support tomorrow’s growth.
By weighing these factors, businesses avoid the trap of fragmented tech stacks and instead select a foundation that supports efficiency, customer experience, and global readiness.
Partner with DynamicWeb
DynamicWeb brings ERP, PIM, eCommerce, and customer portals together in one unified platform. With pre-built connectors to Microsoft Dynamics, a robust PIM for product enrichment, and flexible self-service tools, businesses can deliver consistent experiences across every channel without adding complexity to their tech stack.
Built on an API-first, cloud-based architecture, DynamicWeb scales easily as your business grows. When it's time to add new storefronts, expand into new markets, or empower dealers and customers with 24/7 access, DynamicWeb has everything you need. Trusted by brands worldwide, it’s a future-ready solution designed to simplify operations and accelerate digital growth.
To see for yourself, sign up for a tailored demo today.