Key Takeaways
- The primary aim of the best retail CRM system is to manage a high volume of data and track repeat purchases and customer communications.
- CRM in retail tools comes with in-built key features like creating personalized marketing campaigns, tailoring communications, and managing customer preferences based on their purchase history.
- Retail CRM can be integrated with various tools like POS systems and other e-commerce platforms.
Sarah owned a small boutique in Manhattan, New York. Her ambition was to create a fashion-forward brand that offered unique experiences for each customer, ensuring that every visit felt personal and meaningful.
She had a firm approach, inspired by Sam Walton, “The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.”
Sarah was known for her keen eye for fashion. She always strived to provide her customers with outfits that matched their unique style. She prided herself on remembering her customers' preferences, from favorite colors to cuts that flattered their figures.
One day, Sarah was caught off guard. A loyal client reached out—one she usually impressed with personalized solutions.
But this time, Sarah struggled to recall their recent interactions and specific needs, realizing her current system lacked the cohesion to deliver the seamless experience she aimed for.
Despite her best efforts, she couldn't match the customer’s style, and they left disappointed. That lingering image of a dissatisfied shopper haunted Sarah for days.
It was a turning point. Sarah realized her intuition wasn't enough to sustain and grow her business. She needed a more organized way to keep track of her customers' likes and dislikes.
That’s when Sarah discovered the power of the best CRM for retail. It was a lifeline for maintaining a strong relationship with her customers and delivering the exceptional service they expect.
If you have ever found yourself in Sarah’s shoes, struggling to keep up with customer data or preferences in this fast-paced world, this blog is for you.
The blog will elucidate the need for retail CRM solutions, the top 14 tools for access, and different criteria for choosing the perfect tool for better profitability.
What is the need for the best CRM for retail business?
94% of customers would love to return to a company that treats them nicely.
Effective product management in retail stores has a mechanism of grouping the goods into a single segment.
“Make your product easier to buy than your competition, or you will find your customers buying from them, not you.” – Mark Cuban
The best CRM for retail stores can analyze the profitability of segmented or non-segmented products, which can help increase sales in different parts of the store.
A retail CRM tool can be adapted for any business by analyzing the tools and features it provides. However, there are various reasons why you need a CRM in your retail business:
1) Automation of retail businesses
If you are considering the best CRM for retail business, then it should not be restricted to streamlining the businesses but also to various other domains such as :
- Taking inventory of goods by barcode
- Monitoring and analyzing when buying goods
- Its ability to sort goods by category
- Integration with the various payment systems
2) Speeds up the order processing
The best CRM for retail businesses speeds up order processing by automating manual tasks and improving the company's operational efficiency.
Besides, integrating real-time inventory management, automated order tracking, and seamless POS (point-of-sale) systems helps process quick customer orders.
Integrations like POS help reduce delays, minimize human errors, and ensure smooth order fulfillment.
Besides faster order handling, retailers can enhance customer relationships, boost repeat business, and stay competitive in a fast-paced retail environment.
Ultimately, a CRM streamlines the entire order lifecycle from sales to delivery, driving operational efficiency and loyal customers.
3) Better warehouse accounting
The best CRM for retail businesses can significantly improve warehouse accounting by providing real time inventory tracking and automated reporting.
With an integrated CRM feature, retailers can easily monitor stock levels, track product movement, and automate reordering. Additionally, integrating 3PL billing software can further enhance inventory and financial management by streamlining logistics costs and billing processes.
It eliminates manual errors in inventory counts, reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts, and provides accurate financial reporting.
4) Synchronized delivery services
If the delivery requests are synchronized in the retail business, a seamless sales process will result in better customer experiences.
With the integration of a retail CRM in logistics and inventory systems, retailers can synchronize order processing with delivery schedules and track shipments in real time to ensure accurate delivery times.
The retail CRM services offer a synchronized tool that reduces the likelihood of delayed or incorrect delivery times.
5) Detailed sales analysis
The best CRM for the retail business is essential for conducting detailed sales analysis.
It centralizes sales data and makes:
- Makes tracking customer buying patterns easier
- Identifies top-selling products
- Analyzes sales performance across different channels.
With real-time reporting and customizable dashboards, CRM enables retailers to leverage data analytics for retail, breaking down sales with customer demographics and insights into the various marketing trends.
Besides, it helps optimize inventory, refine marketing strategies, and boost overall profitability.
6) Management of promotion and sales
The best CRM for retail business is crucial for effectively managing promotions and sales.
As it consolidates customer data management, it allows retailers to tailor promotions based on customer preferences and their purchasing history.
With CRM features like automated marketing campaigns, segmentation, and real-time analytics, businesses can create personalized offers that drive better customer engagement.
CRMs also track promotion effectiveness, providing insights into which campaigns are working and where adjustments are needed.
This ensures that promotional efforts are aligned with your sales goal, leading to higher conversion rates and better overall performance in the retail market.
7) Interaction with every branch store
The best CRM for retail businesses is vital for managing interactions across multiple branch stores.
It provides a unified platform where store managers can share customer databases, sales reports, and inventory updates, ensuring consistency in service and promotions across all locations.
With real-time synchronization, retail CRM allows seamless communication between branches, making it easier to track customer preferences and purchase history regardless of which store they visit.
Must read: Why Retail CRM Is Essential for Business Growth in 2025?
Top 14 best CRM for retail business
Almost 65% of companies use the CRM system within the first five years of incorporation. That’s why having a CRM can benefit your retail business. So, we have listed down 14 CRM in retail management through this table:
Comparison table of 14 retail CRM
Best retail CRM | Best for | Pricing | Integrations | Mobile app |
Salesmate | Enterprise-level retail businesses | $23/user/month | Integrates with Google, Outlook, and Zapier | Available |
HubSpot CRM | Growing retail businesses | $30(as retail requires two hub subscription)/ user/month | Extensive integrations, including Slack, Shopify | Available |
Salesforce | Enterprise-level retail businesses | $165/user/month | Integrates with hundreds of apps, including ERP systems | Available |
Pipedrive | Small to mid-sized retail businesses | $24/user/month | Google, MailChimp, Zapier, Trello | Available |
Freshsales | E-commerce and growing retail stores | $59/user/month | Integrates with Freshdesk, Zapier, and Google Workspace | Available |
Bigin by Zoho | Small retail business | $12/user/month | Integrates within the Zoho ecosystem and Google | Available |
Zendesk Sell | Retail businesses focused on improve customer service | $19/user/month | Integrates with Zendesk, Mailchimp, and more | Available |
Copper CRM | Retail businesses using Google tools | $99/month | Deep integration with Google Workspace | Available |
Monday CRM | Collaborative retail teams | $24/month | Google, Slack, Zoom, and other project management tools | Available |
Insightly | Mid-sized retail businesses | $29/user/month | Google, Microsoft, QuickBooks, Mailchimp | Available |
Pipefy | Retail businesses focused on processes | $26/user/month | Integration through API, Google, Microsoft | Available |
Bitrix24 | Retail businesses of any size | $183 for 3 months | Built-in apps, social networks, and more | Available |
ClickUp | Retail teams focused on collaboration | $12/user/month | Google, Slack, Trello, and more | Available |
ActiveCampaign | E-commerce and online retail stores | $49 for three users | Integrates with Shopify, Facebook, WordPress | Available |
1) Salesmate
Salesmate is the perfect retail CRM software for every physical or online store. This automation-driven tool can help manage retail sales and streamline their overall workflow which can result in standing out from your competitor retail businesses:
Features
- Contact management: Convert your contact into deals with contact management to manage a 360-degree customer view.
- Lead management: Manage leads, contacts, customers, and vendors in a single platform through Salesmate.
- Sales pipeline management: Create multiple custom pipelines and gain a bird' s-eye view of the entire sales cycle.
- Team inbox: Manage communication within the CRM without any hassles.
- Integrations: Multiple integrations are available in the tool to help manage the integrations for various reasons.
- Reports: Get insightful reports with interactive, pre-built, and generate customized reports.
Pros
- Comprehensive sales pipeline management
- Better automation and efficiency
- Seamless team collaboration
- Mobile CRM capability
Cons
2) HubSpot CRM
HubSpot can be an all-in-one retail CRM, providing retailers with the tools to manage customer relationships while scaling their company’s sales efficiency.
With a unified interface, HubSpot helps manage sales, marketing, and customer service, allowing retailers to streamline retail operations and make data-driven decisions. Here are its various features:
Features
- Contact management
- Daily dashboard
- Sales deal stages
- Automated data capture
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Various integrations available
- Highly flexible interface
Cons
- Very expensive
- Confusing workflows
3) Salesforce
Salesforce is robust retail CRM software. It is an automation and AI-powered tool that helps scale retail businesses from every department.
Its unique strength is its omnichannel integration, seamlessly connecting with online and offline channels and helps retailers manage customer interactions.
Salesforce enhances its ability by providing detailed customer insights and AI-powered recommendations, resulting in personalizing their experiences and targeting the right audience with tailored marketing campaigns. Here are its various features:
Features
- Sales process tracking
- Centralized data
- User interface
- Automation
- Project management
Pros
- Easy to set-up
- Mobile accessibility
- Simplified recording of transactions
Cons
- Expensive
- Difficult to learn
4) Pipedrive
Pipedrive is the best retail CRM for businesses due to its intuitive interface and a strong focus on the sales pipeline.
Retailers can track their sales process visually and efficiently, ensuring they take advantage of the opportunities.
Pipedrive helps manage high-volume customer interactions by streamlining, lead tracking, and managing deals in this fast-paced retail environment. Here are its key features:
Features
- Lead management
- Sales tracking
- Multiple integrations
Pros
- Time-saving tool
- Low-cost AI-integrated features
- Proposal generation capabilities
Cons
- A bit expensive
- No workflow automation in basic plans
5) Freshsales
Freshsales is the best retail CRM, offering comprehensive tools to manage customer relationships and streamline sales operations.
It excels in automating repetitive tasks such as email marketing and sales follow-ups, which are crucial for managing sales volume.
Freshsales uses AI-driven lead scoring, helping retailers prioritize lead-based purchase intent and ensure efficient buyer engagement. Here are its key features:
Features
- Comprehensive customer communication
- Deep sales insights
- Workflow automation
- Centralized communication
Pros
- Omnichannel support
- Quarterly updates
- Contact scoring
- Good customer relationship management system
Cons
- Data mismatches
- No feature is available during the trial
6) Bigin by Zoho
Bigin by Zoho is an excellent retail CRM tool for small businesses seeking a simple, affordable solution to manage customer relationships.
Bigin also offers an easy-to-use sales pipeline management to track sales activities and customer interactions.
Its intuitive interface allows retailers to efficiently manage leads, deals, and customer interactions and ensure no opportunities go unseen. Here are its key features:
Features
- Contact management
- Manage tasks
- Manage sales deals
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Better accessibility
- Affordability
Cons
- Basic customer engagement
- Generic sales strategy
7) Zendesk Sell
Zendesk Sell is a retail CRM system that is effective for large retail businesses or companies and is enabled for multiple channel sales.
By offering an advanced sales pipeline, customer data tracking, and real-time data management, Zendesk Sell provides an enhanced tool for every business.
Besides, the retail CRM tool integrates various marketing systems, allowing retailers to provide personalized customer experiences. Here are its key features:
Features
- Productivity tracker
- Analytics
- Engagement
Pros
- Affordable
- User-friendly interface
- Multi-language support
Cons
- Lacks automation
- Requires outlook add-on
8) Copper CRM
Copper CRM is well known for handling retail stores, especially those relying on Google Workspace. Integrations with Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Google apps allow customers to be managed directly from their inboxes.
This reduces the need to switch platforms, streamlining sales and other customer management processes. Here are its key features:
Features
- Contact management
- Different filters
- Sales tracking
- Google integrations
Pros
- Intuitive interface
- Solid sales pipeline management
- Effortless engagement
Cons
- No free plans
- Extensive contact scoring
9) Monday CRM
Monday CRM is one of the best retail CRM software. It offers highly flexible and customizable solutions with features for every company role: business leaders, teams, account managers, IT, and operations.
While not a traditional CRM, it's a robust project management tool that offers automation, making it an ideal choice for retailers looking to streamline operations and manage customer relationships.
Additionally, it tracks the entire sales cycle, identifies growth opportunities, accelerates follow-up, and more. Here are its key features:
Features
- Role assignment
- Timelines
- Gnatt chart
- Software integrations
Pros
- Spreadsheet like data entry
- Sales process tracking
- High degree customization
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Post sales management tools
10) Insightly
Insightly is a versatile retail CRM tool compatible with all businesses. It offers features that combine customer relationship management software with project management capabilities.
This makes Insightly useful for retailers in managing customer data and operational workflows on one platform.
Insightly helps retail teams track customer interactions, manage sales pipelines, automate repetitive tasks, and enable teams to focus on high-value activities. Here are its key features:
Features
- Customization
- Project management
- Marketing customization
- Scanning
Pros
- Strong mobile CRM
- Relationship linking to manage connections
Cons
- Need separate products
- Discontinued free-forever plan
11) Pipefy
Pipefy is a workflow automation and process management tool for retail business management.
While not a traditional CRM, Pipefy’s flexibility allows retail businesses to structure their customer management processes.
It efficiently creates custom workflows for sales, marketing, and customer support. Here are its key features:
Features
- Real time tracking
- Customization
- Process management
Pros
- Easy integration
- Email automation
- Assistance for onboarding
Cons
- Difficult learning curve
- Limited features
- Expensive
12) Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a powerful all-in-one CRM solution that is well-suited for retail businesses.
It combines customer relationship management with various business tools, including project management, team collaboration, and communication.
This makes Bitrix24 a highly versatile option for retailers managing customer relationships and operational workflows all-in-one place. Here are its key features:
Features
- Complete digital sales
- Sales templates
- Automation
Pros
- Integrates seamlessly
- No restrictions
- Social intranet
Cons
13) ClickUp
ClickUp is primarily a project management and productivity tool for retail businesses. Still, it can also be adapted to function as a retail CRM due to its highly customizable features and flexible workflows.
While it’s not a traditional CRM, ClickUp's versatility makes it a good choice for retailers seeking a perfect solution to manage customer data, sales tracking, and automating customer-related tasks. Here are its key features:
Features
- Gnatt charts
- Various integrations
- Multiple dashboards
- Kanban board
Pros
- Customizable
- Collaborative
- Affordable
- Integrations
Cons
- Complex setup
- Limited features
14) ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a robust retail CRM tool that blends marketing automation with CRM capabilities, making it an excellent choice for retail businesses.
This best retail CRM's primary strength is its ability to automate and personalize customer interactions at scale.
It is crucial in the retail sector, where improved customer engagement is important in repeat purchases and customer-enhancing brand loyalty. Here are its key features:
Features
- Multi-step marketing information
- Email campaigns
- A/B testing
- Predictive lead scoring
Pros
- Personalized marketing
- Sales automation
- Seamless customer segmentation
Cons
- Complex setup
- Reporting limitations
How to choose the best CRM in retail? Know the best practices
Your half-battle is won when you can choose the perfect retail CRM tool for your business that suits your budget and delivers value.
If you choose the retail CRM tool right, it can help save time, cut costs, and boost overall productivity.
Here are the retail CRM best practices to know your ideal solution:
1. Align CRM strategy with business goals
A well-aligned retail CRM solution centralizes customer data, tasks, and interactions into one system, providing a unified overview of customer activity.
This allows teams to access complete customer histories, including interactions and transactions, all in one place.
The intuitive interface of modern tools enables easy sorting, searching, and organizing of customer information, helping teams understand the bigger picture and make informed decisions through the best CRM for the retail industry.
2. Order & delivery management
Retail CRM software automates the entire order fulfillment process, from order placement to delivery.
It tracks customer orders, monitors the fulfillment stages, and ensures timely deliveries, reducing errors and enhancing operational efficiency.
Automating these processes boosts customer satisfaction by ensuring accurate, prompt deliveries.
3. Real time monitoring
This is a valuable retail tool feature that allows retailers to track critical data such as inventory levels, sales metrics, customer interactions, staff performance, and more. This capability is useful in managing dynamic environments where quick adjustments are essential.
Also, real-time data supports retailers in refining their marketing strategies, allowing them to respond immediately to shifts in demand and customer behavior.
4. Predictive lead scoring
Retail CRM software should be powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. These technologies will give retail stores a predictive lead scoring that analyzes customer behavior and purchase history to determine the likelihood of leads converting into customers.
This capability helps the sales team prioritize high-potential leads, allowing them to focus on their efforts on the leads about to convert.
5. Customers 360 degree view
A 360-degree view of customers provides retailers with comprehensive insights into their behavior across all touchpoints, whether they are making purchases in-store or via mobile apps.
Such a view enables businesses to deliver more personalized marketing and customer service. For example, a furniture retailer can track the customer journey map from website browsing to in-store visits to a mobile purchase.
6. Report & analytics
Retail CRM software collects vast amounts of data, which can be analyzed to extract valuable insights. Retailers can monitor sales KPIs (key performance indicators) through reporting tools.
Conversely, sales analytics help identify trends, patterns, and growth opportunities, guiding strategic decision-making to boost future sales.
7. Round the clock customer support
Many retail CRM systems include customer support modules, allowing businesses to manage support tickets, respond to inquiries, and facilitate communication between customers and support teams.
This improves response times, resolves issues quickly, and enhances customer experience.
Wrap up!
The best CRM solutions in retail have revolutionized how retail businesses manage operations. They allow them to automate routine tasks, streamline sales processes, and make informed strategic decisions through comprehensive data insights.
By freeing up time for sales associates to focus on selling, retail CRMs enhance productivity and customer engagement.
While Salesmate is often the go-to tool for businesses of all sizes, tools like Zendesk Sell, Bigin, and HubSpot offer tailored features that cater to varying business growth needs.
In particular, Salesmate stands out for its customizable features, making it a strong contender for retail businesses aiming to optimize customer relationships and drive growth efficiently.
Frequently asked questions
1. How does CRM benefit retail businesses?
The best CRM for retail is advantageous, as it streamlines contact management, organizes customer databases, and facilitates interactions with customers.
Besides automating workflows, retail businesses can save time on routine tasks, with CRM insights helping them improve customer retention rates through targeted marketing campaigns and loyalty programs.
Additionally, integrating inventory management with a retail CRM ensures retailers can efficiently track stock and meet customer demands seamlessly.
2. What CRM features are essential for retail stores?
The most CRM for department store features include:
- Contact management
- Analytics and Reporting
- Integrations & API
- Sales pipeline management
- Lead management
- Email marketing
- Ticketing management
3. How can a CRM improve customer loyalty in retail?
A retail CRM enhances customer loyalty by allowing retailers to personalize their interactions.
By analyzing customer data such as purchase history, preferences, and shopping behavior, retailers can more effectively tailor products or services to meet customer needs.
Personalized marketing, such as sending special offers and recommendations, strengthens customer relationships and increases loyalty and repeat business.
4. Can a retail CRM integrate with POS systems?
Yes! There are the best CRM for retail businesses that can integrate with POS systems.
Besides, such retail tool integration allows seamless syncing of customer data, increased sales transactions, and inventory levels that enable businesses to provide a unified customer experience.
With the combination of CRM + POS integration, retailers can track real time customer purchases and personalized promotions.
That ensures efficient inventory management that drives both sales and customer satisfaction.
5. What’s the difference between a general CRM and a retail-specific CRM?
The distinction between general and retail CRM lies in their goal.
A general CRM system for dealers is designed for a broad industry and uses features like sales tracking, customer engagement, and communication logs, making it adaptable to various sectors.
However, they require additional customization to meet the specific needs of retail businesses.
Key Takeaways
Sarah owned a small boutique in Manhattan, New York. Her ambition was to create a fashion-forward brand that offered unique experiences for each customer, ensuring that every visit felt personal and meaningful.
She had a firm approach, inspired by Sam Walton, “The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.”
Sarah was known for her keen eye for fashion. She always strived to provide her customers with outfits that matched their unique style. She prided herself on remembering her customers' preferences, from favorite colors to cuts that flattered their figures.
One day, Sarah was caught off guard. A loyal client reached out—one she usually impressed with personalized solutions.
But this time, Sarah struggled to recall their recent interactions and specific needs, realizing her current system lacked the cohesion to deliver the seamless experience she aimed for.
Despite her best efforts, she couldn't match the customer’s style, and they left disappointed. That lingering image of a dissatisfied shopper haunted Sarah for days.
It was a turning point. Sarah realized her intuition wasn't enough to sustain and grow her business. She needed a more organized way to keep track of her customers' likes and dislikes.
That’s when Sarah discovered the power of the best CRM for retail. It was a lifeline for maintaining a strong relationship with her customers and delivering the exceptional service they expect.
If you have ever found yourself in Sarah’s shoes, struggling to keep up with customer data or preferences in this fast-paced world, this blog is for you.
The blog will elucidate the need for retail CRM solutions, the top 14 tools for access, and different criteria for choosing the perfect tool for better profitability.
What is the need for the best CRM for retail business?
94% of customers would love to return to a company that treats them nicely.
Effective product management in retail stores has a mechanism of grouping the goods into a single segment.
“Make your product easier to buy than your competition, or you will find your customers buying from them, not you.” – Mark Cuban
The best CRM for retail stores can analyze the profitability of segmented or non-segmented products, which can help increase sales in different parts of the store.
A retail CRM tool can be adapted for any business by analyzing the tools and features it provides. However, there are various reasons why you need a CRM in your retail business:
1) Automation of retail businesses
If you are considering the best CRM for retail business, then it should not be restricted to streamlining the businesses but also to various other domains such as :
2) Speeds up the order processing
The best CRM for retail businesses speeds up order processing by automating manual tasks and improving the company's operational efficiency.
Besides, integrating real-time inventory management, automated order tracking, and seamless POS (point-of-sale) systems helps process quick customer orders.
Integrations like POS help reduce delays, minimize human errors, and ensure smooth order fulfillment.
Besides faster order handling, retailers can enhance customer relationships, boost repeat business, and stay competitive in a fast-paced retail environment.
Ultimately, a CRM streamlines the entire order lifecycle from sales to delivery, driving operational efficiency and loyal customers.
3) Better warehouse accounting
The best CRM for retail businesses can significantly improve warehouse accounting by providing real time inventory tracking and automated reporting.
With an integrated CRM feature, retailers can easily monitor stock levels, track product movement, and automate reordering. Additionally, integrating 3PL billing software can further enhance inventory and financial management by streamlining logistics costs and billing processes.
It eliminates manual errors in inventory counts, reduces the risk of overstocking or stockouts, and provides accurate financial reporting.
4) Synchronized delivery services
If the delivery requests are synchronized in the retail business, a seamless sales process will result in better customer experiences.
With the integration of a retail CRM in logistics and inventory systems, retailers can synchronize order processing with delivery schedules and track shipments in real time to ensure accurate delivery times.
The retail CRM services offer a synchronized tool that reduces the likelihood of delayed or incorrect delivery times.
5) Detailed sales analysis
The best CRM for the retail business is essential for conducting detailed sales analysis.
It centralizes sales data and makes:
With real-time reporting and customizable dashboards, CRM enables retailers to leverage data analytics for retail, breaking down sales with customer demographics and insights into the various marketing trends.
Besides, it helps optimize inventory, refine marketing strategies, and boost overall profitability.
6) Management of promotion and sales
The best CRM for retail business is crucial for effectively managing promotions and sales.
As it consolidates customer data management, it allows retailers to tailor promotions based on customer preferences and their purchasing history.
With CRM features like automated marketing campaigns, segmentation, and real-time analytics, businesses can create personalized offers that drive better customer engagement.
CRMs also track promotion effectiveness, providing insights into which campaigns are working and where adjustments are needed.
This ensures that promotional efforts are aligned with your sales goal, leading to higher conversion rates and better overall performance in the retail market.
7) Interaction with every branch store
The best CRM for retail businesses is vital for managing interactions across multiple branch stores.
It provides a unified platform where store managers can share customer databases, sales reports, and inventory updates, ensuring consistency in service and promotions across all locations.
With real-time synchronization, retail CRM allows seamless communication between branches, making it easier to track customer preferences and purchase history regardless of which store they visit.
Top 14 best CRM for retail business
Almost 65% of companies use the CRM system within the first five years of incorporation. That’s why having a CRM can benefit your retail business. So, we have listed down 14 CRM in retail management through this table:
Comparison table of 14 retail CRM
Best retail CRM
Best for
Pricing
Integrations
Mobile app
Salesmate
Enterprise-level retail businesses
$23/user/month
Integrates with Google, Outlook, and Zapier
Available
HubSpot CRM
Growing retail businesses
$30(as retail requires two hub subscription)/
user/month
Extensive integrations, including Slack, Shopify
Available
Salesforce
Enterprise-level retail businesses
$165/user/month
Integrates with hundreds of apps, including ERP systems
Available
Pipedrive
Small to mid-sized retail businesses
$24/user/month
Google, MailChimp, Zapier, Trello
Available
Freshsales
E-commerce and growing retail stores
$59/user/month
Integrates with Freshdesk, Zapier, and Google Workspace
Available
Bigin by Zoho
Small retail business
$12/user/month
Integrates within the Zoho ecosystem and Google
Available
Zendesk Sell
Retail businesses focused on improve customer service
$19/user/month
Integrates with Zendesk, Mailchimp, and more
Available
Copper CRM
Retail businesses using Google tools
$99/month
Deep integration with Google Workspace
Available
Monday CRM
Collaborative retail teams
$24/month
Google, Slack, Zoom, and other project management tools
Available
Insightly
Mid-sized retail businesses
$29/user/month
Google, Microsoft, QuickBooks, Mailchimp
Available
Pipefy
Retail businesses focused on processes
$26/user/month
Integration through API, Google, Microsoft
Available
Bitrix24
Retail businesses of any size
$183 for 3 months
Built-in apps, social networks, and more
Available
ClickUp
Retail teams focused on collaboration
$12/user/month
Google, Slack, Trello, and more
Available
ActiveCampaign
E-commerce and online retail stores
$49 for three users
Integrates with Shopify, Facebook, WordPress
Available
1) Salesmate
Salesmate is the perfect retail CRM software for every physical or online store. This automation-driven tool can help manage retail sales and streamline their overall workflow which can result in standing out from your competitor retail businesses:
Features
Pros
Cons
2) HubSpot CRM
HubSpot can be an all-in-one retail CRM, providing retailers with the tools to manage customer relationships while scaling their company’s sales efficiency.
With a unified interface, HubSpot helps manage sales, marketing, and customer service, allowing retailers to streamline retail operations and make data-driven decisions. Here are its various features:
Features
Pros
Cons
3) Salesforce
Salesforce is robust retail CRM software. It is an automation and AI-powered tool that helps scale retail businesses from every department.
Its unique strength is its omnichannel integration, seamlessly connecting with online and offline channels and helps retailers manage customer interactions.
Salesforce enhances its ability by providing detailed customer insights and AI-powered recommendations, resulting in personalizing their experiences and targeting the right audience with tailored marketing campaigns. Here are its various features:
Features
Pros
Cons
4) Pipedrive
Pipedrive is the best retail CRM for businesses due to its intuitive interface and a strong focus on the sales pipeline.
Retailers can track their sales process visually and efficiently, ensuring they take advantage of the opportunities.
Pipedrive helps manage high-volume customer interactions by streamlining, lead tracking, and managing deals in this fast-paced retail environment. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
5) Freshsales
Freshsales is the best retail CRM, offering comprehensive tools to manage customer relationships and streamline sales operations.
It excels in automating repetitive tasks such as email marketing and sales follow-ups, which are crucial for managing sales volume.
Freshsales uses AI-driven lead scoring, helping retailers prioritize lead-based purchase intent and ensure efficient buyer engagement. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
6) Bigin by Zoho
Bigin by Zoho is an excellent retail CRM tool for small businesses seeking a simple, affordable solution to manage customer relationships.
Bigin also offers an easy-to-use sales pipeline management to track sales activities and customer interactions.
Its intuitive interface allows retailers to efficiently manage leads, deals, and customer interactions and ensure no opportunities go unseen. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
7) Zendesk Sell
Zendesk Sell is a retail CRM system that is effective for large retail businesses or companies and is enabled for multiple channel sales.
By offering an advanced sales pipeline, customer data tracking, and real-time data management, Zendesk Sell provides an enhanced tool for every business.
Besides, the retail CRM tool integrates various marketing systems, allowing retailers to provide personalized customer experiences. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
8) Copper CRM
Copper CRM is well known for handling retail stores, especially those relying on Google Workspace. Integrations with Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Google apps allow customers to be managed directly from their inboxes.
This reduces the need to switch platforms, streamlining sales and other customer management processes. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
9) Monday CRM
Monday CRM is one of the best retail CRM software. It offers highly flexible and customizable solutions with features for every company role: business leaders, teams, account managers, IT, and operations.
While not a traditional CRM, it's a robust project management tool that offers automation, making it an ideal choice for retailers looking to streamline operations and manage customer relationships.
Additionally, it tracks the entire sales cycle, identifies growth opportunities, accelerates follow-up, and more. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
10) Insightly
Insightly is a versatile retail CRM tool compatible with all businesses. It offers features that combine customer relationship management software with project management capabilities.
This makes Insightly useful for retailers in managing customer data and operational workflows on one platform.
Insightly helps retail teams track customer interactions, manage sales pipelines, automate repetitive tasks, and enable teams to focus on high-value activities. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
11) Pipefy
Pipefy is a workflow automation and process management tool for retail business management.
While not a traditional CRM, Pipefy’s flexibility allows retail businesses to structure their customer management processes.
It efficiently creates custom workflows for sales, marketing, and customer support. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
12) Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a powerful all-in-one CRM solution that is well-suited for retail businesses.
It combines customer relationship management with various business tools, including project management, team collaboration, and communication.
This makes Bitrix24 a highly versatile option for retailers managing customer relationships and operational workflows all-in-one place. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
13) ClickUp
ClickUp is primarily a project management and productivity tool for retail businesses. Still, it can also be adapted to function as a retail CRM due to its highly customizable features and flexible workflows.
While it’s not a traditional CRM, ClickUp's versatility makes it a good choice for retailers seeking a perfect solution to manage customer data, sales tracking, and automating customer-related tasks. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
14) ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a robust retail CRM tool that blends marketing automation with CRM capabilities, making it an excellent choice for retail businesses.
This best retail CRM's primary strength is its ability to automate and personalize customer interactions at scale.
It is crucial in the retail sector, where improved customer engagement is important in repeat purchases and customer-enhancing brand loyalty. Here are its key features:
Features
Pros
Cons
How to choose the best CRM in retail? Know the best practices
Your half-battle is won when you can choose the perfect retail CRM tool for your business that suits your budget and delivers value.
If you choose the retail CRM tool right, it can help save time, cut costs, and boost overall productivity.
Here are the retail CRM best practices to know your ideal solution:
1. Align CRM strategy with business goals
A well-aligned retail CRM solution centralizes customer data, tasks, and interactions into one system, providing a unified overview of customer activity.
This allows teams to access complete customer histories, including interactions and transactions, all in one place.
The intuitive interface of modern tools enables easy sorting, searching, and organizing of customer information, helping teams understand the bigger picture and make informed decisions through the best CRM for the retail industry.
2. Order & delivery management
Retail CRM software automates the entire order fulfillment process, from order placement to delivery.
It tracks customer orders, monitors the fulfillment stages, and ensures timely deliveries, reducing errors and enhancing operational efficiency.
Automating these processes boosts customer satisfaction by ensuring accurate, prompt deliveries.
3. Real time monitoring
This is a valuable retail tool feature that allows retailers to track critical data such as inventory levels, sales metrics, customer interactions, staff performance, and more. This capability is useful in managing dynamic environments where quick adjustments are essential.
Also, real-time data supports retailers in refining their marketing strategies, allowing them to respond immediately to shifts in demand and customer behavior.
4. Predictive lead scoring
Retail CRM software should be powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. These technologies will give retail stores a predictive lead scoring that analyzes customer behavior and purchase history to determine the likelihood of leads converting into customers.
This capability helps the sales team prioritize high-potential leads, allowing them to focus on their efforts on the leads about to convert.
5. Customers 360 degree view
A 360-degree view of customers provides retailers with comprehensive insights into their behavior across all touchpoints, whether they are making purchases in-store or via mobile apps.
Such a view enables businesses to deliver more personalized marketing and customer service. For example, a furniture retailer can track the customer journey map from website browsing to in-store visits to a mobile purchase.
6. Report & analytics
Retail CRM software collects vast amounts of data, which can be analyzed to extract valuable insights. Retailers can monitor sales KPIs (key performance indicators) through reporting tools.
Conversely, sales analytics help identify trends, patterns, and growth opportunities, guiding strategic decision-making to boost future sales.
7. Round the clock customer support
Many retail CRM systems include customer support modules, allowing businesses to manage support tickets, respond to inquiries, and facilitate communication between customers and support teams.
This improves response times, resolves issues quickly, and enhances customer experience.
Wrap up!
The best CRM solutions in retail have revolutionized how retail businesses manage operations. They allow them to automate routine tasks, streamline sales processes, and make informed strategic decisions through comprehensive data insights.
By freeing up time for sales associates to focus on selling, retail CRMs enhance productivity and customer engagement.
While Salesmate is often the go-to tool for businesses of all sizes, tools like Zendesk Sell, Bigin, and HubSpot offer tailored features that cater to varying business growth needs.
In particular, Salesmate stands out for its customizable features, making it a strong contender for retail businesses aiming to optimize customer relationships and drive growth efficiently.
Frequently asked questions
1. How does CRM benefit retail businesses?
The best CRM for retail is advantageous, as it streamlines contact management, organizes customer databases, and facilitates interactions with customers.
Besides automating workflows, retail businesses can save time on routine tasks, with CRM insights helping them improve customer retention rates through targeted marketing campaigns and loyalty programs.
Additionally, integrating inventory management with a retail CRM ensures retailers can efficiently track stock and meet customer demands seamlessly.
2. What CRM features are essential for retail stores?
The most CRM for department store features include:
3. How can a CRM improve customer loyalty in retail?
A retail CRM enhances customer loyalty by allowing retailers to personalize their interactions.
By analyzing customer data such as purchase history, preferences, and shopping behavior, retailers can more effectively tailor products or services to meet customer needs.
Personalized marketing, such as sending special offers and recommendations, strengthens customer relationships and increases loyalty and repeat business.
4. Can a retail CRM integrate with POS systems?
Yes! There are the best CRM for retail businesses that can integrate with POS systems.
Besides, such retail tool integration allows seamless syncing of customer data, increased sales transactions, and inventory levels that enable businesses to provide a unified customer experience.
With the combination of CRM + POS integration, retailers can track real time customer purchases and personalized promotions.
That ensures efficient inventory management that drives both sales and customer satisfaction.
5. What’s the difference between a general CRM and a retail-specific CRM?
The distinction between general and retail CRM lies in their goal.
A general CRM system for dealers is designed for a broad industry and uses features like sales tracking, customer engagement, and communication logs, making it adaptable to various sectors.
However, they require additional customization to meet the specific needs of retail businesses.
Hinal Tanna
Hinal Tanna is a SEO strategist and content marketer, currently working with the marketing team of Salesmate. She has a knack for curating content that follows SEO practices and helps businesses create an impactful brand presence. When she's not working, Hinal likes to spend her time exploring new places.