P21 vs Kinetic: Best ERP for BigCommerce Stores
3 min read ● Silk Team
Epicor P21 vs. Epicor Kinetic: How to Choose the Right ERP System for Your Epicor Big Commerce Store
In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, integrating the right enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with your Epicor Big Commerce store can significantly streamline operations, improve the customer experience, and increase profitability. Epicor, a leading ERP provider, offers two powerful solutions for different business needs: Epicor P21 and Epicor Kinetic. But which ERP system is best for your Epicor Big Commerce store? In this blog post, we’ll discuss the key features, benefits, and ideal use cases of Epicor P21 and Epicor Kinetic to help you make an informed decision.
Understanding Epicor P21 and Epicor Kinetic
First, a quick recap:
- Epicor P21 (also known as Prophet 21) is a cloud-based ERP solution specifically designed for the wholesale trade. It is known for its robust inventory management, order fulfillment, and customer relationship management capabilities.
- Epicor Kinetic is a modern, cloud-native ERP platform designed primarily for manufacturing companies. Its focus is on automation, real-time analytics, and scalability, enabling complex production processes and multi-site operations.
Both systems offer integrations with Epicor Big Commerce, enabling seamless data flow between your online store and back-office operations. However, their core strengths appeal to different business models.
Key Considerations When Choosing an ERP for Epicor Big Commerce
When choosing an ERP to integrate with your Epicor Big Commerce platform, consider the following:
- Industry Suitability: Does the ERP fit your business type (distribution, manufacturing, or hybrid)?
- Scalability: Can it grow with your business and handle increasing order volumes?
- Integration Capability: How well does it integrate with Epicor Big Commerce and third-party applications?
- User Experience: Is the platform intuitive and accessible to your team?
- Reporting and Analytics: Does it provide actionable insights to optimize operations?
With that in mind, let’s compare Epicor P21 and Epicor Kinetic.
Epicor P21: Best for Wholesalers in Epicor Big Commerce
If your Epicor Big Commerce store primarily operates as a wholesale distribution business, Epicor P21 is probably the perfect solution for you. Key benefits include:
- Industry-Specific Functionality: P21 offers features such as multi-channel sales management, supplier and vendor relationship management, and advanced inventory tracking.
- Cloud-Based Access: As a cloud ERP, your team can access real-time data anytime, anywhere, which is critical for managing inventory, shipping, and customer service tasks.
- Robust Epicor Big Commerce Integration: Epicor P21 seamlessly synchronizes orders, products, and customer data with your Epicor Big Commerce store, reducing data entry errors and accelerating order fulfillment.
- Customer-Centric Approach: Improves customer service with integrated CRM tools and helps you manage buyer relationships and personalize marketing efforts.
Overall, Epicor P21 is designed to simplify and streamline the complexity of wholesale distribution for Epicor Big Commerce merchants.
Epicor Kinetic: Ideal for Manufacturers with Epicor Big Commerce
For Epicor Big Commerce stores that are part of or connected to manufacturing operations, Epicor Kinetic is a robust ERP option. Benefits include:
- Modern and intuitive user interface: Kinetic’s user-friendly dashboard accelerates employee adoption and reduces training time.
- Advanced production management: The Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and shop floor control enable detailed tracking of production orders and resource allocation.
- Real-time analytics and insights: Kinetic leverages cloud-based AI and machine learning to provide actionable data for inventory forecasting, demand planning, and quality control.
- Scalability and customization: It supports complex manufacturing operations and multi-site operations—ideal for companies with growing Epicor Big Commerce revenues.
Although Epicor Kinetic has traditionally been focused on manufacturing, its ability to integrate with Epicor Big Commerce opens up opportunities for manufacturers selling directly to consumers or B2B online buyers.
Final thoughts: How to choose the right ERP for your Epicor Big Commerce store
Your choice between Epicor P21 and Epicor Kinetic should depend on your core business model and growth plans. Choose Epicor P21 if wholesale distribution is your primary focus and you want a seamless and efficient integration with Epicor Big Commerce tailored to this market.
Choose Epicor Kinetic if you are a manufacturer seeking a comprehensive, scalable ERP system to drive production and e-commerce growth with Epicor Big Commerce.
Investing in the right ERP system with Epicor Big Commerce integration can transform your operations, enabling better inventory control, order accuracy, and a better customer experience to drive revenue growth.