When it comes to eCommerce for Drupal, there is no single, one-size-fits-all solution. Nor should there be. While the array of eCommerce options that work with a Drupal site can seem overwhelming, in truth there are options for organizations of any size, on any budget.

One of Drupal’s main strengths is how customizable it is, and how well it works with a variety of tools and systems. A good eCommerce solution goes far beyond just a CMS talking to eCommerce software: it can share information with a CRM such as Salesforce, can integrate with marketing tools, and can offer a variety of payment processing options.

For example, a small nonprofit’s Drupal eCommerce ecosystem might have a few integrations between the Drupal CMS, a small-scale eCommerce solution like Shopify, and some marketing or A/B testing tools. On the other hand, a large organization running a multi-million dollar online shop might have integrations sharing information between the commerce system, a CRM like Salesforce, a marketing automation system like Marketo, and marketing and analytics tools like Hotjar, which provide heat maps of user behaviors across the site.

The value of Drupal as an eCommerce platform is that it makes it simple to share information between the CMS, an eCommerce software, a CRM, and any other systems an organization uses. There are a few benefits to doing it this way:

1. Drupal can share data between the CRM and the eCommerce shop to update membership transactions and purchases in real-time.
2. Marketing tool integrations (such as Optimizely or Hotjar) allow teams to continuously test and iterate on their platform
3. There are also tools to ensure that everything looks visually cohesive and is easier to maintain

As you can see, organizations with holistic eCommerce ecosystems have a clear advantage over the competition. The ability to use data to intelligently make improvements to your eCommerce stack is critical to running a successful online shop, and it all begins with using the right eCommerce service as a foundation.

To learn more about the variety of different eCommerce integrations and systems available to work with Drupal, download our white paper, A Guide to Drupal eCommerce.