Over the last year, Microsoft has shown an interest in developing vertical cloud solutions, starting with the launch of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare. Now, the company is back with its second vertical cloud service. Called Microsoft Cloud for Retail, the solution provides a bundle of cloud tools for retail customers.
Like the Healthcare solution, Microsoft Cloud for Retail is a vertical cloud solution, meaning it is oriented towards enterprise.
Also, like the first service, this new offering provides access to Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Dynamics 365. Furthermore, it also provides access to Microsoft Advertising. The idea behind this service is to provide organizations with an “end-to-end shopper journey”.
Coming Soon
So far, Microsoft has only announced the platform, with no word on a launch. That means we also don’t know how much Cloud for Retail will cost enterprise customers. As a guide, Cloud for Healthcare costs $95 per user each month. We guess the new vertical cloud solution will cost somewhere in that region.
“Microsoft Cloud for Retail aims to connect experiences across the end-to-end shopper journey with integrated and intelligent capabilities. By bringing together disparate data sources across the retail value chain, we will enable retailers to realize the true value of their data by enriching core business processes and turning data into actionable insights.
“This retail-specific cloud service will center around driving accelerated time to value by unlocking the power of Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Microsoft Advertising. All brought together by a common data model and built on a platform of security and compliance.”
It is worth noting the service is an add-on, so users must have licenses for the platforms includes Azure, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Microsoft 365. Interested retailer companies can stay up to date with the progress of the Cloud for Retail here.
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