Looking for the right CRM for your eCommerce business? With the global CRM market projected to reach $262.74 billion by 2032, the number of options keeps growing. And so does the confusion.
We have spent years helping online sellers manage customer support across multiple channels. One pattern we see over and over: a store owner picks a CRM built for B2B sales teams, then wonders why it does not connect to their Shopify orders or Amazon messages. The truth is, most CRMs were never designed for online retail.
This guide breaks down what an eCommerce CRM does, the features that matter most for online sellers, how to evaluate your options, and where your helpdesk fits into the picture. Whether you sell on one platform or ten, the goal is the same: turn scattered customer data into better relationships and more repeat purchases.
What Is an eCommerce CRM?
An eCommerce CRM is a customer relationship management platform designed specifically for online sellers. It helps you organize customer data, automate marketing, manage sales workflows, and improve support, all in one place.
Where a standard CRM tracks leads through a B2B sales pipeline, an eCommerce CRM connects directly to your storefronts, marketplaces, and communication tools. It pulls in order history, browsing behavior, support tickets, and purchase patterns from platforms like Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and WooCommerce.
Think of it as the central hub that ties together everything you know about your customers, so you stop treating them like strangers every time they reach out.
Why does this matter for online sellers?
Businesses using CRM systems see about 27% higher customer retention by centralizing customer data and making interactions more personal. For eCommerce brands operating across multiple channels, that lift in retention translates directly to revenue. Returning customers spend 67% more than new ones, according to Bain and Company research.
Why Do Traditional CRMs Fail Online Sellers?
Many CRMs were built for B2B sales pipelines, not multichannel retail. If you run an online store, these gaps probably sound familiar:
- No access to order data or tracking from marketplaces like Amazon or eBay
- No native connections to Shopify, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce
- No way to link customer support data with sales or marketing information
- Limited support for real-time inventory or fulfillment updates
- Weak tools for segmenting customers by browsing or buying behavior
- No understanding of marketplace-specific rules, SLAs, or policies
The result? Your team ends up switching between tabs, copying order numbers, and guessing at customer history. That is not a CRM problem. That is a workflow problem caused by using the wrong tool.
Multichannel shoppers now represent over 40% of all eCommerce sales, and 73% of shoppers use two or more channels when making purchases. A CRM that only tracks email conversations misses most of the picture.
What Features Should an eCommerce CRM Have?
When evaluating a CRM for your online store, look for these eCommerce-specific features:
Marketplace and platform integrations
Your CRM should connect natively to Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce. If the integration requires a third-party tool or custom API work, factor that into your cost and setup timeline.
Unified customer profiles
The CRM should pull data from orders, emails, chats, reviews, and returns into a single customer view. Your support and sales teams should see the same information without switching tools. This is where connecting your CRM with an eCommerce helpdesk becomes important.
Marketing automation built for retail
Look for automation triggers specific to eCommerce: cart abandonment, post-purchase follow-ups, loyalty campaigns, win-back sequences, and upsell recommendations. B2B-style drip campaigns do not serve the same purpose.
Customer segmentation by behavior
Segment customers by order history, average order value, product interest, region, and browsing activity. The more granular your segments, the more relevant your outreach.
Sales automation for eCommerce
If you need pipeline management, make sure it works for DTC and marketplace sales, not only for B2B deal stages.
Real-time inventory and order sync
Your CRM and support tools should reflect current stock levels and order status. When a customer asks “where is my order?” your team should have the answer without leaving the screen.
Analytics and reporting
Track lifetime value, churn rate, repeat purchase rate, and campaign performance. Companies with strong omnichannel engagement retain 89% of customers versus 33% for those with weak implementations.
How Does a Helpdesk Fit Into Your CRM Strategy?
A CRM tracks long-term customer data and marketing journeys. A helpdesk handles real-time communication, tickets, and support efficiency. You need both working together.
Here is where the gap usually appears: your CRM has great customer profiles, but your support team works in a separate tool with no access to that data. Or your helpdesk has full order details, but your marketing team has no idea which customers had support issues.
eDesk is built specifically for eCommerce customer service and bridges this gap. While eDesk is not a CRM, it works alongside your CRM to give support and sales teams a shared, actionable customer view.
How eDesk connects with your CRM
- Two-way CRM sync that surfaces customer messages, order history, and shipping status alongside CRM notes
- Native integrations with Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Walmart, and 300+ other channels
- AI-powered support with templates, tagging, and prioritization through the eDesk AI agent
- Customer data platform functionality with insights across channels
- Automations that reduce ticket volume and improve first-response time
Pairing your CRM with eDesk means your marketing team gets richer data for segmentation, and your support team gets full context on every customer interaction.
How We Evaluated eCommerce CRMs
We assessed each CRM based on how well it serves online sellers, not B2B sales teams. Here are the criteria:
- eCommerce integrations: Native connections to Shopify, Amazon, eBay, WooCommerce, and other major platforms
- Customer data management: Unified profiles that pull from orders, support tickets, and marketing interactions
- Marketing automation: eCommerce-specific triggers like cart abandonment, post-purchase flows, and loyalty campaigns
- Ease of use: Setup time, learning curve, and day-to-day usability for small to mid-sized teams
- Helpdesk compatibility: Ability to sync with support tools like eDesk for a complete customer view
- Pricing and scalability: Cost relative to features, with room to grow as your business scales
- Reporting: Analytics focused on eCommerce metrics like LTV, repeat purchase rate, and churn
Disclosure: This article is published on edesk.com. eDesk is included where relevant as a helpdesk integration partner, not as a CRM replacement.
Best CRM Options for eCommerce Businesses
Klaviyo
Best for: Shopify-first brands focused on email and SMS marketing
Klaviyo was built from the ground up for eCommerce. It pulls real-time data from your Shopify store and turns it into targeted email and SMS campaigns.
Why it fits:
- Deep Shopify integration with real-time order and behavior data
- Strong segmentation based on purchase history, browsing, and engagement
- Pre-built automation flows for cart abandonment, win-back, and post-purchase
- Predictive analytics for customer lifetime value and churn risk
- Growing SMS marketing features
Limitations:
- Primarily a marketing platform, not a full-service CRM
- Pricing increases quickly as your contact list grows
- Limited features for managing B2B relationships or sales pipelines
- Less effective for sellers not using Shopify as their primary platform
eDesk integration: Connects via Shopify sync. Works with eDesk through the Klaviyo integration to align support data with marketing campaigns.
Pricing: Free up to 250 contacts. Paid plans scale based on list size. Check Klaviyo’s site for current pricing.
HubSpot CRM
Best for: Growing DTC brands that want marketing, sales, and service in one platform
HubSpot offers a broad CRM with strong marketing automation. Its free tier makes it accessible for small stores, and its ecosystem of plugins adds eCommerce-specific features.
Why it fits:
- Free tier includes contact management, deal tracking, and basic reporting
- Robust marketing automation with email, landing pages, and workflows
- Large app marketplace with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce connectors
- Strong content management and SEO tools for DTC brands building organic traffic
- Scales from startup to enterprise with tiered pricing
Limitations:
- Not purpose-built for eCommerce or marketplace sellers
- Advanced features require paid plans that get expensive at scale
- Marketplace integrations (Amazon, eBay) require third-party plugins
- Steep learning curve for teams new to CRM platforms
eDesk integration: Connects via API. Syncs customer data between HubSpot and eDesk for a shared view.
Pricing: Free CRM available. Paid plans start at various tiers depending on the hub (Marketing, Sales, Service). Check HubSpot’s site for current pricing.
Zoho CRM
Best for: Budget-conscious sellers who need a customizable, all-in-one CRM
Zoho CRM offers a wide range of features at a lower price point than most competitors. It works well for small and mid-sized businesses that want flexibility without enterprise costs.
Why it fits:
- Affordable pricing with a free tier for small teams
- Customizable workflows, fields, and modules
- Part of the larger Zoho ecosystem (email, accounting, inventory, helpdesk)
- Built-in AI assistant (Zia) for lead scoring and suggestions
- Supports multichannel communication including email, phone, chat, and social
Limitations:
- No native integrations with major marketplaces like Amazon or eBay
- eCommerce-specific features require add-ons or Zapier connections
- Interface feels dated compared to newer platforms
- Setup and customization take time for non-technical users
eDesk integration: Connects via Zapier to sync customer and order data.
Pricing: Free plan available for up to 3 users. Paid plans offer progressive feature tiers. Check Zoho’s site for current pricing.
ActiveCampaign
Best for: Sellers who need advanced email marketing with CRM and automation in one tool
ActiveCampaign combines email marketing, automation, and CRM features in a single platform. It works well for eCommerce brands that rely heavily on email to drive sales and retention.
Why it fits:
- Advanced email automation with visual workflow builder
- Built-in CRM for managing contacts and sales pipelines
- Strong segmentation and personalization features
- Integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce
- Machine learning for predictive sending and content recommendations
Limitations:
- CRM features are lighter than dedicated platforms like HubSpot or Salesforce
- No native marketplace integrations (Amazon, eBay, Walmart)
- Pricing tiers limit access to advanced automation features
- Reporting is functional but not as detailed as standalone analytics tools
eDesk integration: Connects via integration tools and API.
Pricing: Plans vary based on contacts and feature tier. Check ActiveCampaign’s site for current pricing.
Drip
Best for: Small eCommerce brands that want simple, effective marketing automation
Drip focuses specifically on eCommerce email and SMS marketing. It connects directly to popular store platforms and provides pre-built workflows for common eCommerce scenarios.
Why it fits:
- Built specifically for eCommerce brands
- Native Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
- Pre-built automation workflows for revenue-focused campaigns
- Visual workflow builder that is easy to learn
- Revenue attribution so you see which campaigns drive sales
Limitations:
- Lacks traditional CRM features like deal tracking or sales pipelines
- Smaller ecosystem and fewer integrations than HubSpot or Klaviyo
- No marketplace integrations for Amazon or eBay sellers
- Limited customer support channels compared to larger platforms
eDesk integration: Connects via Shopify.
Pricing: Plans based on subscriber count. Check Drip’s site for current pricing.
Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Best for: Enterprise eCommerce operations that need deep customization and scale
Salesforce is the largest CRM platform globally. Its Commerce Cloud product is built for large-scale eCommerce operations with complex requirements across multiple markets and channels.
Why it fits:
- Enterprise-grade scalability across regions, currencies, and languages
- Deep customization options for workflows, reporting, and integrations
- AI-powered features through Einstein for personalization and forecasting
- Extensive integration ecosystem through the Salesforce AppExchange
- Unified platform spanning sales, service, marketing, and commerce
Limitations:
- High cost that puts it out of reach for most small and mid-sized sellers
- Complex implementation that often requires dedicated Salesforce developers
- Overkill for businesses selling on fewer than five channels
- Long onboarding and setup timeline
eDesk integration: Connects via custom setup.
Pricing: Enterprise pricing varies by configuration. Contact Salesforce for quotes.
eCommerce CRM Comparison Table
| CRM | Best For | Shopify Integration | Amazon/eBay Support | Marketing Automation | Free Tier | eDesk Integration |
| Klaviyo | Shopify-first marketing | Native | No | Strong | Yes (250 contacts) | Via Shopify/Klaviyo |
| HubSpot CRM | Growing DTC brands | Via plugin | Via third-party | Strong | Yes | Via API |
| Zoho CRM | Budget-conscious sellers | Via Zapier | Via Zapier | Moderate | Yes (3 users) | Via Zapier |
| ActiveCampaign | Email-driven retention | Native | No | Strong | No | Via API |
| Drip | Simple eCommerce automation | Native | No | Moderate | No | Via Shopify |
| Salesforce Commerce Cloud | Enterprise operations | Via AppExchange | Via custom setup | Strong | No | Via custom setup |
How to Pick the Right CRM for Your Store
Choosing a CRM is not about finding the “best” tool overall. It is about finding the right fit for how you sell, where you sell, and how your team works.
Start with your channels
If you sell primarily through Shopify, tools like Klaviyo and Drip offer the tightest integrations. If you sell across Amazon, eBay, and your own store, you need a CRM that either connects natively to those marketplaces or works alongside a multichannel helpdesk that does.
Think about your team size
Small teams benefit from tools that combine marketing and CRM in one platform (Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign). Larger teams with dedicated sales, marketing, and support functions might need the flexibility of HubSpot or Salesforce.
Connect your support stack
Your CRM is only as good as the data feeding into it. If your support team operates in a silo, your customer profiles stay incomplete. Connecting your CRM to a helpdesk like eDesk gives you full context: order history, past conversations, return requests, and sentiment data all in one place.
The average eCommerce retention rate sits around 30%. Businesses that unify their customer data across CRM and support tools consistently outperform that benchmark.
Plan for growth
Your first CRM does not need to be your last, but switching costs are real. Pick a platform that supports your current needs and scales to the next stage without a full migration.
Try eDesk Free and See How It Fits Your CRM
The right CRM handles your marketing and customer data. eDesk handles your eCommerce support. Together, they give you a full picture of every customer.
Whether you run a Shopify store or manage orders across five marketplaces, eDesk connects your support stack to your CRM so nothing falls through the gaps.
Ready to see how it works? Book a demo with eDesk or start your free trial to connect your support and CRM workflows.
FAQs
What is the best CRM for a Shopify store?
Klaviyo is the strongest option for Shopify-first stores due to its native integration and real-time data sync. HubSpot and Drip also offer solid Shopify connections. Pair any of these with eDesk for Shopify customer service to create a complete support and marketing stack.
Do I need both a CRM and a helpdesk for eCommerce?
Yes. A CRM tracks long-term customer data and powers marketing automation. A helpdesk manages real-time support tickets and customer communication. Connecting both gives your team full context on every customer interaction.
Are there free CRM tools that work for eCommerce?
HubSpot, Zoho, and Klaviyo all offer free tiers with enough features for small stores. Make sure the free plan supports the integrations you need, especially if you sell on marketplaces.
What is the difference between a CRM and a customer data platform?
A CRM focuses on managing customer relationships through marketing, sales, and service. A customer data platform (CDP) focuses on collecting and unifying customer data from multiple sources. Many modern eCommerce tools combine elements of both.
How do I connect my CRM with Amazon and eBay?
Most CRMs do not connect natively to Amazon or eBay. You typically need a middleware tool like Zapier, a custom API integration, or a helpdesk like eDesk that has native Amazon and eBay integrations built in.
What CRM features matter most for multichannel sellers?
Unified customer profiles, marketplace integrations, marketing automation with eCommerce triggers, and real-time order data sync. Your CRM should also connect with your support tools so your team sees the full customer picture.
How does eDesk work with CRMs?
eDesk is an eCommerce helpdesk that syncs with popular CRMs to share customer data, order history, and support interactions. It connects natively with 200+ sales channels and marketplaces, filling the marketplace gap that most CRMs have.
What is a good customer retention rate for eCommerce?
The average eCommerce retention rate is around 30%. Businesses with strong omnichannel strategies and connected CRM-helpdesk systems typically achieve retention rates well above that benchmark.
