Which Dynamics 365 product is right for my retail or e-commerce business?

Small to mid-sized retailers and pure e-commerce brands typically select Business Central due to its fast deployment and comprehensive all-in-one capabilities for order management, stock control, and financial reporting. Larger retail chains with physical store networks, complex logistics, and multi-entity operations usually opt for Finance & Supply Chain Management coupled with the Commerce module for integrated Point of Sale (POS) and advanced warehouse management (WMS).

How does Dynamics 365 integrate with e-commerce platforms like Shopify or Magento?

Dynamics 365 provides standard APIs and pre-built connectors for major e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce. Orders, customer data, pricing, and real-time inventory balances sync seamlessly between the e-commerce storefront and the ERP back-office, ensuring accurate stock levels across all sales channels.

How much does a Dynamics 365 retail implementation cost?

Implementation costs vary depending on scope and scale. A typical Business Central implementation for a mid-sized merchant ranges between £25,000 and £75,000 in partner consulting fees. Enterprise-grade projects using Finance & Supply Chain Management with Commerce for multi-store chains generally range from £150,000 to £500,000+ depending on customisation, POS integration, and logistics complexity.

How does Dynamics 365 handle e-commerce returns and customer service?

Dynamics 365 includes structured Return Merchandise Authorisation (RMA) workflows integrated directly with inventory and financial ledgers. Combined with Customer Service and Contact Center, customer support staff gain immediate visibility into order history, delivery tracking, and returns processing, leading to faster resolutions and higher customer retention.

How do I choose the right Microsoft partner for a retail project?

Look for partners with proven, industry-specific experience in retail and e-commerce. Key factors include their track record in integrating e-commerce storefronts and POS systems, deep understanding of inventory matrixes and seasonal demand, and their capacity to provide post-go-live support during peak trading periods like Black Friday.

Dynamics 365 for Retail & E-commerce – Guide & Partners |…

Knowledge Centre | Industry Guide

Retail & E-commerce

Workflows, system support, and guidance on listed partners.

Industry Reality

Retail and e-commerce in the Nordic region are in the midst of a structural transformation. The line between physical stores and digital channels is blurring, and customer expectations are putting pressure on the entire value chain. Fast deliveries, accurate real-time inventory levels, personalised offers, and a consistent experience across channels — these are no longer differentiators, but baseline requirements.

Technical complexity increases alongside ambition. Legacy systems struggle to handle the volume of channels, data flows, and integrations required by a modern retail business. It is precisely in this gap that the need for a modern ERP system arises.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is used by Nordic retail and e-commerce companies that want to consolidate ERP and CRM into a single platform — from purchasing and inventory to sales, customer service, and marketing. The system is modular, meaning organisations can start with their most urgent needs and expand incrementally over time.

Core Workflows and System Support

Below are the workflows most relevant to the sector, along with the system support Dynamics 365 provides.

Business Central: Finance, Inventory, and Fundamental Commerce Workflows

Dynamics 365 Business Central is the natural choice for small and medium-sized merchants that need an integrated system for finance, purchasing, inventory management, and sales. The system handles the entire order lifecycle — from purchase orders and goods receipt to invoicing and accounting — within a single workflow.

Multi-channel order management connected to inventory and finance
Inventory management with real-time visibility across multiple locations
Campaign and pricing management integrated into the sales flow
Financial reporting and margin control per channel or product category

BC is well-suited for merchants seeking a broad all-in-one system without investing in the complexity that an F&SCM implementation entails.

Finance & Supply Chain Management: Advanced Logistics and Financial Management

For larger retail chains with complex logistics, multiple legal entities, and demanding requirements for forecasting and inventory control, Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management is the appropriate tier. The system manages the entire supply chain with precision.

Demand forecasting and automated inventory replenishment
Advanced warehouse management with full WMS capabilities
Multi-entity and multi-currency financial management
Commerce module supporting point-of-sale (POS) systems and omnichannel workflows

F&SCM and the Commerce module are the natural choice for retail chains looking to bring physical stores and e-commerce together under a unified system landscape, delivering real-time data on stock, customers, and promotions to every POS environment.

Sales & Customer Insights: Customer Data, Segmentation, and Personalisation

In retail and e-commerce, customer data is a strategic asset. Dynamics 365 Customer Insights aggregates customer data from stores, web, and customer support into a single unified profile. This enables segmentation, loyalty schemes, and targeted campaigns based on actual behaviour — rather than assumptions.

Consolidation of customer data across all channels into a unified profile
Segmentation and personalised offers based on purchase history
Marketing automation and measurement of campaign performance

Dynamics 365 Sales is used by commercial businesses with more complex B2B sales operations — such as wholesalers or brand owners selling directly to resellers — where pipeline management and relationship tracking are central.

Customer Service & Contact Center: Cases, Returns, and Customer Loyalty

In retail, well-managed customer service is directly linked to customer loyalty and repeat purchases. Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Contact Center give customer support teams a unified view of customer history regardless of the communication channel — phone, email, live chat, or social media.

Case management connected to customer profile and order history
Returns management (RMA) integrated with warehouse and finance
Intelligent contact routing during peak case volumes

Returns management is one of the most cost-intensive processes in e-commerce. Partners with deep experience in configuring RMA workflows and integrating them with warehouse processes deliver measurable operational savings.

Listed Partners in Retail & E-commerce

Below are the partners listed for the industry on d365 Guide, along with a short overview of their profile and core strengths in this product area.

Business Central

adbriq
Core expertise: Business Central | Focus: fashion, sportswear, and textiles

adbriq is a niche partner with a deep understanding of merchants in fashion, sportswear, and textiles. Their strength lies in combining industry-specific process knowledge with Business Central implementations that match how businesses in these segments operate — including product matrix logic, seasonal variations, and supplier relationships.

Goodfellows
Core expertise: Business Central | AI Integration Partner | Focus: predictable delivery

Goodfellows focuses on reliability and controlled delivery. Their experience across commerce, manufacturing, and distribution makes them a strong candidate for businesses prioritising a partner that takes clear responsibility for making the solution work in practice — not just in the project plan.

Finance & Supply Chain Management

BE-terna
Core expertise: Finance, Supply Chain Management, Commerce

BE-terna is one of the listed partners that most explicitly combines F&SCM with the Commerce module. Their focus on retail and e-commerce includes solutions for store chains wanting to unify POS systems and back-office operations in a single Microsoft ecosystem. An ideal choice for organisations with complex logistics and real-time data needs at the point of sale.

Broad Partners with Multi-Product Capability

Fellowmind
Core expertise: Business Central, Finance, SCM, Sales, Customer Insights

Fellowmind is one of the larger European Microsoft partners and one of the few listed that covers the full spectrum from ERP to CRM. For retail organisations looking for a single partner capable of managing the entire platform — including marketing and sales — Fellowmind is a compelling option. Their strength lies in scale and geographic reach.

Nexer
Core expertise: BC, Finance, SCM, Sales, Customer Insights, Customer Service, Contact Center | AI Integration Partner

Nexer holds the broadest expertise portfolio among the listed partners, covering all relevant Dynamics 365 applications for the sector. For retail organisations planning a more ambitious platform initiative — where ERP, CRM, and contact centre must work seamlessly together — Nexer offers the capacity to maintain end-to-end architectural coherence. As an AI Integration Partner, they also maintain a strong focus on next-generation system deliveries.

Choosing the Right Partner for Your Organisation

Dynamics 365 is a broad platform, and all listed partners possess relevant foundational capabilities. What distinguishes them is depth in specific product areas, industry exposure, and delivery models.

A BC implementation for a mid-sized merchant with £5 million in turnover places very different demands on a partner compared to an F&SCM and Commerce implementation for a chain with 30 retail stores and a central distribution centre. The key question is not just which system to choose — but which partner has actually implemented what you plan to do, in an organisation similar to yours.

On d365 Guide, you can filter partners by product area, review their industry profiles, and compare capabilities side by side. The platform is buyer-focused — guidance is written from the buyer's perspective, and no partners pay for higher placement or preferential descriptions.

Read more and compare partners: d365guide.com/branscher/retail-ehandel

Dynamics 365 for Retail & E-commerce