Gartner’s 2025 Digital Commerce report: What Business Central users need to know

The $10.2B digital commerce market is booming, but platform choice is only half the story. Here’s why your ERP integration strategy determines success.

Gartner just released its 2025 Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce, evaluating 19 leading platforms including Shopify, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, and Salesforce. The findings are clear: digital commerce isn’t optional anymore, it’s essential for survival. The market hit $10.2 billion in 2024 with 14% year-over-year growth, and Gartner predicts 75% of B2B organizations will complete their highest revenue deals via digital channels by 2028.

But here’s what the Magic Quadrant doesn’t tell you: choosing the right platform is worthless if it can’t talk to your ERP.

For businesses running Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, this isn’t just an integration challenge, it’s a competitive opportunity. While your competitors struggle with middleware, custom code, and manual data entry, you can leverage standardized connectors that turn your ERP into your digital commerce command center.

The composable commerce revolution: why modular matters

Gartner’s research reveals a fundamental shift: the era of monolithic, all-in-one platforms is over. The future belongs to composable commerce, modular, API-first, cloud-native architectures that let you choose best-of-breed solutions for each capability.

The Magic Quadrant shows this trend across all vendor types:

• Leaders like commercetools and Shopify emphasize “modular” and “API-first” architectures
• Challengers like BigCommerce and Kibo win on “composability” and “flexible platforms”
• Visionaries like Shopware and Spryker differentiate through “extensibility” and “packaged business capabilities”

What this means for Business Central users

Composable commerce gives you freedom to:

• Choose Shopify for B2C because of its reliability and innovation velocity
• Select BigCommerce for B2B because of its native B2B functionality
• Deploy WooCommerce for cost-effectiveness and WordPress integration
• Add Magento for complex product catalogs and enterprise scale
• Connect to Amazon and eBay marketplaces for channel expansion

But here’s the catch: Composable commerce only works if your “composition layer” is your ERP, not your commerce platform.

This is where Tinx’s approach differs fundamentally. We don’t ask you to replace Business Central’s product management, inventory control, or order processing. Instead, we extend Business Central to control your commerce ecosystem, exactly what Gartner says organizations need.

Five critical Gartner insights every Business Central user should act on

1. “By 2028, 75% of B2B organizations will complete their highest revenue deals via digital channels”

This isn’t a prediction, it’s a countdown. If you’re in manufacturing, distribution, or wholesale, you have roughly 3 years to get your digital B2B strategy right.

What Gartner found:

• B2B commerce platforms are adding sophisticated capabilities like customer-specific pricing, contract management, and CPQ integration
• Leaders are investing in “B2B Self-Service Portals” that go beyond transactions to include service requests, invoice management, and claims handling
• The best platforms support complex business models: B2B2X, multisite, and multiple business units from one instance

The Tinx advantage: Your Business Central system already manages:

• Customer-specific price lists and discounts
• Contract pricing and blanket orders
• Credit limits and payment terms
• Account hierarchies and permissions
• Complex product configurations

Our connectors synchronize all of this to your webshop in real-time. Whether you choose Shopify B2B, WooCommerce with B2B extensions, or Magento B2B, your Business Central rules govern the entire customer experience, without rebuilding your business logic in the commerce platform.

Real Impact: A Tinx customer in manufacturing reported that moving from manual order entry to automated B2B ordering reduced order processing time by 85% and eliminated order entry errors entirely.

2. “Organizations are striving to boost conversion rates while contending with budget constraints”

Gartner emphasizes that “the true measure of any digital commerce solution lies in the clear business value it delivers.” Organizations are rejecting vanity metrics and demanding measurable ROI.

What Gartner found:

• High total cost of ownership is a top concern (specifically called out for Salesforce)
• Upgrade burden and maintenance complexity undermine ROI
• Custom integrations create technical debt that limits agility

The Tinx advantage:

Fixed monthly pricing: €249-€359 per connector with no transaction fees, no surprise costs, and no upgrade charges when Business Central or commerce platforms release new versions.

Fast implementation: Most Tinx implementations go live in 4-8 weeks versus 6-12 months for custom integrations. That’s immediate revenue generation, not delayed ROI.

Predictable TCO: Our standardized approach means:

• No custom code to maintain or debug
• No middleware servers to manage or scale
• No consulting fees for minor configuration changes
• Automatic compatibility with platform updates

Quantifiable business value:

• Inventory Accuracy: Real-time synchronization eliminates overselling (1-3% of orders for most businesses)
• Order Processing Speed: Automated order import reduces processing time by 70-90%
• Data Entry Errors: Eliminated, orders flow directly to Business Central
• Multi-Channel Efficiency: One system controls all channels (most businesses see 40-60% time savings)

3. “API interoperability with customer, product content, and order functionality is mandatory”

This is Gartner’s way of saying: if your systems can’t talk to each other in real-time, you’re not competitive.

What Gartner found: Every single platform in the Magic Quadrant emphasizes API-first architecture. But here’s what’s buried in the details:

• Adobe caution: “Compatibility issues with third-party extensions” create upgrade challenges
• Salesforce caution: Separate B2B and B2C platforms create integration complexity
• SAP caution: “Monolithic core” limits agility despite API layer
• HCLSoftware caution: “Limited prebuilt integrations” requiring “more time and resources”

The pattern is clear: having APIs isn’t enough. You need proven, production-ready integrations.

The Tinx advantage:

Not middleware: Tinx connectors operate as native Business Central apps, not external middleware sitting between systems. This means:

• Direct integration: Real-time, bidirectional synchronization without intermediate storage
• Native Business Central UI: Configure everything within familiar Business Central screens
• Single update point: When Business Central or commerce platforms update, we handle compatibility
• No black box: Full visibility into all synchronization activity in Business Central

350+ Production Implementations: Our connectors handle:

• Tens of millions of SKUs across customer base
• Thousands of orders per day for individual clients
• Multi-currency and multi-language scenarios
• Complex B2B pricing with customer-specific rules
• Multi-warehouse inventory across locations

This isn’t theoretical, it’s proven at scale.

4. “Growing emphasis on robust content management and product information”

Gartner notes that platforms now offer “sophisticated CMS capabilities integrated directly” and that content quality directly impacts conversion.

What Gartner found:

• commercetools caution: “Lightweight native CMS” requires third-party solutions for sophisticated content
• Elastic Path caution: Relies on integrations for “key personalization and recommendation functionalities”
• Virto Commerce caution: “Basic personalization features” require third-party vendors

Even Magic Quadrant Leaders struggle to bridge the gap between commerce and content.

The Tinx Advantage:

CloudSuite Connector PIM Capabilities:

• Enrich Business Central products with commercial descriptions
• Add multiple images per product (synchronized across all channels)
• Create metafields for platform-specific attributes
• Manage tags, categories, and SEO metadata
• Support multi-language content for international operations

Multi-Channel Content Distribution: When you update product content once in your enrichment layer, it flows to:

• Your Shopify webshop
• Your Amazon marketplace listings (via ChannelEngine)
• Your WooCommerce site
• Your eBay store
• Any other connected channel

The Business Impact: Better content = higher conversion. Our customers report 15-30% improvements in conversion rates after implementing proper PIM workflows—because accurate, compelling product information reaches customers across all channels consistently.

5. “AI Innovation Is Accelerating, But Integration Remains the Challenge”

The Magic Quadrant dedicates significant attention to AI and “agentic commerce”, AI agents that help customers shop, assist merchants with merchandising, and automate business processes.

What Gartner Found:

• Leaders like Adobe have “agentic AI experiences” in development (but not yet generally available)
• Challengers like Kibo offer “production-ready agentic commerce” for customer engagement
• Visionaries like Shopware provide “AI-driven workflow orchestration”

But here’s what Gartner doesn’t explicitly state: AI-powered commerce platforms still need accurate, real-time data from your ERP.

The Tinx Advantage:

Your investment in commerce platform AI only pays off if the AI has access to accurate inventory, current pricing, real customer information, and actual order history. That data lives in Business Central—and it needs to flow to your commerce platform in real-time.

Tinx connectors ensure:

• Real-Time Inventory: AI agents don’t recommend out-of-stock products
• Accurate Pricing: AI-driven personalization uses your actual customer pricing rules
• Order History: AI recommendations leverage real purchase patterns from Business Central
• Product Data Quality: AI works better with clean, consistent product information

The Bottom Line: The AI revolution in commerce makes ERP integration more important, not less important. Better integration = better AI outcomes.

The hidden message in Gartner’s “cautions”

Reading between the lines of Gartner’s vendor cautions reveals critical insights:

The Upgrade Challenge

Vendor Cautions:

• Adobe: “Difficulty staying current with new releases…time-consuming…substantial planning, testing and development”
• SAP: “Platform core needs periodic upgrades…frustration with end-of-life of storefronts”
• Oro: “One major release and 12 minor releases per year…not all features back-ported”

The Pattern: Platform complexity creates upgrade burden, especially when customizations and integrations are involved.

The Tinx Solution: Standardized connectors mean platform updates are our problem, not yours. When Shopify changes its API, BigCommerce updates its architecture, or WooCommerce releases a major version, Tinx handles compatibility. You just keep operating.

The Ecosystem Gap

Vendor Cautions:

• HCLSoftware: “Limited prebuilt integrations…potentially requiring more time and resources”
• Virto Commerce: “Fewer ecosystem partners…need to rely heavily on middleware”
• Intershop: “Relatively slow release cycle may be limiting market responsiveness”

The Pattern: Even capable platforms struggle to maintain prebuilt integrations with ecosystem applications, especially ERP systems.

The Tinx Solution: We specialize exclusively in Business Central integration. While platform vendors manage hundreds of priorities, we focus on one thing: making every major commerce platform work seamlessly with Business Central. That focus creates better integrations.

The implementation partner constraint

Vendor Cautions:

• Sana Commerce: “Implementations primarily done by its professional services team…limited options”
• Infosys Equinox: “Limited options for customers seeking system integrators other than Infosys”

The Pattern: Vendor lock-in on implementation limits flexibility and negotiating power.

The Tinx Solution: Work with any Business Central partner you trust. Our connectors are available on Microsoft Marketplace, come with comprehensive documentation, and include free trial support. You’re never locked into working exclusively with us for implementation, though we’re happy to help if you need us.

Platform selection guide: matching Gartner insights to your needs

Gartner evaluated 19 platforms, but which is right for your Business Central environment? Here’s our guide based on Gartner’s findings:

For B2C retailers: Shopify or BigCommerce

Why Gartner likes them:

• Shopify: “Innovation velocity” with 300+ features released annually, 99.99% uptime, and unified retail commerce
• BigCommerce: “Composability” with modular architecture and broad ecosystem

Why they work with Tinx:

• Shopify Connector: Advanced metafield support, GraphQL API integration, multi-currency handling, and POS synchronization
• BigCommerce Connector: Multi-storefront support, customer group pricing, and product options synchronization

Best for: B2C businesses prioritizing reliability, ease of use, and rapid deployment

For B2B manufacturers: WooCommerce or Magento

Why Gartner would approve: While WooCommerce and Magento aren’t in this Magic Quadrant (focus is on enterprise SaaS), Gartner’s criteria emphasize:

• Customer-specific pricing (both platforms support via B2B extensions)
• Product catalog complexity (both handle technical products well)
• Integration flexibility (both are highly customizable)

Why they work with Tinx:

• WooCommerce Connector: B2B-specific pricing rules, customer approval workflows, quote requests, and extensive customization
• Magento Connector: Complex product configurations, tiered pricing, requisition lists, and customer group management

Best for: B2B businesses with complex products, customer-specific pricing, and technical buyers

For multi-channel sellers: ChannelEngine integration

Why Gartner emphasizes this: The report repeatedly mentions “marketplace operations” and “channel integrations” as critical capabilities.

Why it works with Tinx:

• Single integration point for 30+ global marketplaces
• Manage Amazon, eBay, Bol.com, Zalando, and more from Business Central
• Centralized inventory allocation across channels
• Unified order management regardless of source

Best for: Businesses selling across multiple marketplaces and wanting centralized control

For Omnichannel Retail: Shopify + POS or MplusKASSA

Why Gartner Prioritizes This: “Unified retail commerce” is a major theme, buy online pickup in store (BOPIS), inventory visibility, and cross-channel customer experience.

Why It Works With Tinx:

• Shopify POS integration through Shopify Connector
• MplusKASSA Connector for dedicated POS systems
• Real-time inventory synchronization between online and physical stores
• Unified customer view and purchase history

Best For: Retailers with physical stores wanting integrated online/offline experiences

The Real Question: Build, Buy Middleware, or Choose Standard Connectors?

Every Business Central user with e-commerce ambitions faces this decision. Gartner’s research helps clarify the choice:

Option 1: Build Custom Integration

Pros:

• Theoretically unlimited customization
• No recurring connector fees

Cons (Per Gartner’s Findings):

• “Upgrade burden” when platforms change (Adobe, SAP cautions)
• “Compatibility issues with third-party extensions” (Adobe caution)
• “Time-consuming…substantial planning, testing and development resources” (Adobe caution)
• Risk of technical debt limiting future agility

The Reality: Most custom integrations cost €50K-€150K to build, then €10K-€30K annually to maintain. They break when platforms update. They limit your ability to switch platforms later.

Option 2: Buy Middleware/iPaaS

Pros:

• Visual workflow builders
• Can connect multiple systems

Cons (Per Gartner’s Findings):

• “Limited prebuilt integrations” requiring “more time and resources” (HCLSoftware caution)
• “Rely heavily on middleware…develop custom extensions” (Virto Commerce caution)
• Added complexity with another system to manage
• Monthly costs plus implementation fees plus maintenance

The Reality: Middleware like MuleSoft or Boomi costs €2K-€5K monthly plus implementation. You still need to configure the flows. Updates to commerce platforms can break the integration. And you’ve added another potential failure point.

Option 3: Use Standardized Connectors (Tinx)

Pros:

• Fixed monthly cost (€249-€359 per connector)
• Proven in 350+ implementations
• Fast deployment (4-8 weeks typical)
• Automatic platform updates included
• Free trials available
• Microsoft-validated quality

Cons:

• Monthly recurring cost (but far lower than alternatives)
• Standardized approach (but highly configurable within that framework)

The Reality: This is how modern B2B SaaS works, you pay for continuous value, not one-time ownership. And the standardized approach is actually an advantage, not a limitation, because all customers benefit from ongoing improvements.

Why Gartner’s Magic Quadrant Makes Tinx More Valuable, Not Less

Some might think: “With so many strong commerce platforms offering APIs and ecosystems, do I even need a specialized connector?”

Gartner’s research proves the answer is yes, now more than ever.

Here’s why:

1. Platform Diversity Increases Integration Complexity

The Magic Quadrant includes 19 different platforms with different architectures:

• Multitenant SaaS (Shopify, BigCommerce, commercetools)
• Single-tenant SaaS (Sana Commerce, Oro)
• PaaS options (Spryker, Virto Commerce, SAP)
• Hybrid approaches (Adobe, Salesforce)

Each has different API structures, authentication methods, data models, and update cycles. Managing these differences is a full-time job—our full-time job.

2. Platform Innovation Accelerates Integration Obsolescence

Gartner highlights constant innovation:

• Shopify releases 300+ features annually
• Platforms are adopting AI agents, agentic commerce, and LLM integrations
• API changes are constant (Shopify moving from REST to GraphQL, for example)

Do you want to rewrite your integration every time platforms innovate? We handle that for you.

3. Composable Commerce requires a composition layer

Gartner emphasizes modular, composable architectures, but someone needs to orchestrate the composition. That’s what your ERP should do:

Business Central = your composition layer

• Master data lives here (products, customers, pricing)
• Business rules execute here (credit limits, approval workflows)
• Financial truth exists here (GL, AR, AP)
• Inventory accuracy is maintained here

Commerce Platforms = your experience layer

• Customer-facing storefront
• Shopping cart and checkout
• Content management
• Search and merchandising

Tinx = your integration layer

• Real-time bidirectional synchronization
• Data transformation and mapping
• Error handling and logging
• Platform compatibility management

This architectural separation is exactly what Gartner says organizations need. We just make it possible without custom development.

How to use Gartner’s Magic Quadrant + Tinx for your digital strategy

Here’s a practical framework:

Phase 1: Choose Your Platform (Use Gartner’s Guidance)

Consider:

• Your business model: B2C, B2B, or both?
• Your scale: Current and projected GMV?
• Your industry: Retail, manufacturing, distribution?
• Your geography: Where do you sell?
• Your budget: TCO including implementation?

Match these to Gartner’s vendor profiles to shortlist 2-3 platforms.

Phase 2: Verify Business Central Compatibility (Use Tinx)

For each shortlisted platform, confirm:

• ✅ Tinx connector available (we support 13+ platforms)
• ✅ Features you need are supported
• ✅ References available in your industry
• ✅ Implementation timeline acceptable

This step eliminates platforms that might be great in isolation but problematic for Business Central integration.

Phase 3: Trial Both Platform and Integration (Free)

Most platforms offer trials. So does Tinx:

• Start free trial on Microsoft Marketplace
• Install connector in your Business Central test environment
• Connect to platform trial account
• Test critical workflows: product sync, order import, inventory updates
• Receive 1-hour free support call from Tinx

This validates the complete solution, not just the platform.

Phase 4: Implement With Confidence

With both platform and integration proven:

• Work with your chosen platform’s implementation partner
• Work with your Business Central partner or implement yourself
• Follow Tinx setup guides and documentation
• Go live in weeks, not months

Phase 5: Expand Your Digital Commerce Ecosystem

Once your first channel is successful:

• Add additional webshops (multisite, different brands)
• Connect marketplaces (Amazon, eBay via ChannelEngine)
• Add POS systems (physical retail)
• Implement B2B portals (if starting with B2C)

Every addition leverages the same Tinx infrastructure, marginal cost and effort decrease with each channel.

The bottom line: Gartner shows you where to go, Tinx shows you how to get there

The 2025 Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce proves several critical points:

1. Digital commerce is essential – 14% market growth and accelerating adoption prove this isn’t optional
2. Platform choice matters – Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, and Niche Players all serve different needs
3. Composable architecture wins – Modularity, APIs, and ecosystem integration are table stakes
4. Integration is the hardest part – Vendor cautions repeatedly cite integration challenges
5. B2B is the next frontier – 75% of B2B revenue will be digital by 2028

For Business Central users, this creates a unique opportunity:

✅ You already have a world-class ERP that’s modern, cloud-native, and Microsoft-supported

✅ You can now choose any of Gartner’s recommended commerce platforms with confidence

✅ You can implement quickly with standardized connectors instead of custom integration projects

✅ You can scale by adding channels without rebuilding integrations each time

✅ You can innovate with AI-powered platforms knowing your ERP data flows correctly

The digital commerce leaders in your industry aren’t necessarily the ones with the most expensive platforms. They’re the ones who execute fastest, integrate smartest, and scale most efficiently.

Gartner gave you the platform shortlist. Tinx gives you the execution playbook.

 

Ready to turn Gartner’s insights into your competitive advantage?

Start your free trial today

Choose your commerce platform connector on Microsoft Marketplace:

• Shopify Connector – For B2C retail and B2B wholesale
• WooCommerce Connector – For WordPress-based commerce
• Magento Connector – For complex B2B catalogs
• BigCommerce Connector – For composable commerce
• And 9 more platforms

Every trial includes:

• 30-day full-featured access
• Complete documentation and video tutorials
• 1-hour free support call with Tinx experts
• No credit card required
• No commitment

Talk to our team

• Platform Selection Consultation: Unsure which Gartner platform fits your needs? We’ll help you decide based on 15+ years of e-commerce experience
• Technical Demo: See how Tinx connectors work with your chosen platform
• ROI Analysis: Compare build vs. buy vs. Tinx costs for your specific scenario
• Reference Calls: Talk to Tinx customers in your industry and GMV range

Connect with us

• Phone: +31 (0) 850 653 138
• Website: www.tinx-it.com
• LinkedIn: Follow us for digital commerce insights and Tinx updates

 

About this research

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce, Aditya Vasudevan, Ant Duffin, et al., 3 November 2025.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Tinx

Tinx is a Microsoft ISV specializing in e-commerce, marketplace, and POS integrations for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. With 15+ years of experience, 350+ integrated webshops across 25 countries, and 300+ satisfied customers, Tinx provides standardized, cloud-based connector solutions that eliminate manual processes, reduce total cost of ownership, and accelerate digital commerce success.

Our mission: Make every Business Central user successful in digital commerce by providing the integration layer that turns great platforms into great business outcomes.