Unleashing the power of AI and unified data with Microsoft Cloud for Retail and Sitecore

As retailers know, executing a multi-channel, e-commerce strategy at scale can be a challenge. Retail organizations are increasingly expected to engage with customers through connected experiences at any and every touchpoint. Microsoft Cloud for Retail continues to innovate, adding new capabilities anchored in helping retailers get the most value from their data and prepare them for AI transformation. As part of Microsoft’s commitment to support retailers in their digital transformation, we work closely with specialized partners to deliver solutions to meet the needs of customers.  

Sitecore, a leading provider of end-to-end composable digital experience software, is partnering with Microsoft to support retailers as they transform their business. The Sitecore OrderCloud connector (preview) is uniquely positioned as the first partner-developed commerce platform integration in Microsoft Fabric, which can help retailers speed up their ability to deliver AI-enabled digital experiences.

Unifying data for actionable AI insights

For retailers to truly deliver personalized experiences through generative AI for their customers, the first step is to break data silos within their organizations and get a holistic understanding of their data estate. A unified data platform is the key to unlocking deeper insights and gives retailers the ability to drive more meaningful experiences for customers. Retailers can open the door to next-generation retail data solutions and more actionable insights with a unified data estate. Achieving data compatibility is also the first step to getting value from AI investments. With retail data solutions in Microsoft Fabric, we are giving customers a single place for all their data analytics.

Retailers can build an AI-ready data estate with retail data solutions in Microsoft Fabric by:

• Unifying retail data from disparate systems: Simplify retail data integration and use the same copy of data without needing to move it from its original source.
• Creating new shopping experiences: Accelerate time to market with application templates purpose-built for the most common retail use cases and powered by AI.
• Reimagining retail with next-generation AI: Use custom models to improve shopper recommendations, optimize product placement, store layout, and more.

Partners like Sitecore connect to and build on top of the platform to further help retailers overcome data incompatibility and unlock new capabilities in Microsoft Cloud for Retail. Sitecore offers an ecosystem of diverse solutions designed to enable retail customers to power commerce and orchestrate content intelligently. The Sitecore content-to-commerce portfolio is built on Microsoft Azure, using the cloud platform’s ecosystem of scalable storage, automation, and application deployment across the globe. Sitecore’s OrderCloud connectivity in Microsoft Fabric gives customers instant access to AI-enabled commerce, as well as data and analytics tooling and more, to empower leaders to enhance and scale the delivery of these channel-less commerce experiences customers expect.

Unlocking the power of AI to enhance digital experiences

The Sitecore OrderCloud connector in Microsoft Fabric helps retailers unify product, customer profile, and order data seamlessly across digital channels on a common industry data model—making it easier to take advantage of AI-powered enhancements, analytics tooling, and commerce and business administration capabilities. This ultimately helps brands deliver the unified, channel-less experience that meets today’s shopper expectations.

“We can’t forget what AI stands for—Artificial Intelligence. To effectively employ AI in your retail business, you need to equip AI with your customer data, product information, and business transactions to start. This is what Sitecore and Microsoft built together for retailers: Every customer, every product, every transaction, every channel and touchpoint—all of your data available in Microsoft Fabric in real-time. This enables retailers to adopt AI at disruptive rates, delivering transactable, AI-powered experiences, such as shopper copilots or conversational commerce.” 

Jake Hookom, Vice President of Product, Sitecore OrderCloud

Traditionally, commerce platforms only served foundational needs like launching a storefront, automating operations, and reducing friction. The focus has shifted, catering to customer demand for seamless, authentic shopping experiences that do more than just sell a product. Customers want personalized experiences that both assist and delight. Sitecore OrderCloud helps retailers use cloud-native and composable architecture that easily evolves, scales, and helps harness the power of application programming interfaces (APIs) to support a full tech stack. Adopting a channel-less approach for customer experience is crucial, and AI is indispensable for efficiently delivering interconnected, personalized digital experiences—making it a strategic necessity for brand success. Together, Microsoft and Sitecore are dedicated to delivering AI-powered enhancements that will lead to: 

• Improved consumer engagement: By automating asset creation for advertising and campaigns, innovating with smart, user-generated content, and managing brand presence and representation across channels. 
• Intelligent marketing and store operations: By improving customer experience through more in-depth analysis of customer calls and complaints through automated summaries, and by enhancing employee experience by automating report generation and workforce scheduling for store managers. 
• Streamlined back-office management: By improving response time and accuracy of internal communications, IT and HR helpdesk tickets, and procurement matters. 
• Automated innovation: Automating everything from product descriptions to marketing emails, onboarding training, and enablement of employees. 

Discover retail solutions 

• Learn more about Sitecore OrderCloud connector today.
• If you are a partner and would like to start working with Microsoft Cloud for Retail, please fill out this form for more information.  

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Source: Microsoft Industry Blog