The rapid rise of ecommerce doesn’t mean the end of brick and mortar. Rather, we’ve seen a powerful opportunity arise – for businesses to connect their online and offline shopping experiences into a seamless omnichannel brand experience. Here are our seven steps to success.
1. Get the strategy right
To thrive in the omnichannel world, you need to make the most of the opportunities available.
For example, mobile targeting allows retailers to drive in-store campaigns online. Some businesses push out the same old marketing messages to everyone, and see little return as a result. But those who have adapted target each audience with tailored messaging – like emailing VIP customers about a new product before it's available to the public. This is the kind of thinking that opens up opportunities.
2. Inventory matters
When merging online and offline, inventory levels are make or break. Promote an in-store offer with online ads, and the product needs to be available when shoppers arrive at your store. Planning is key. And if a product does go out of stock, let your customers know straight away so they don’t make a wasted trip.
3. Plan promotions carefully
No one wants to buy something one day, only to find the same item in the sale the next. To build brand loyalty, it's important to keep your online customers informed about in-store offers so they always get the best deal possible.
4. Use mobile to enhance in-store
When used to its full potential, mobile can pull online and offline experiences together and take the effort out of traditional shopping through data collection and location-focused services. For example, geo-targeting is a great way to highlight local stores to relevant website visitors.
Marks and Spencer’s 'Mobile, Pay, Go’ iPhone app feature lets customers scan products on their phone and pay using Apple Pay. Without the need to queue, or even go to a till.
“Digitally-enabled stores that offer a seamless customer experience are a crucial part of our transformation and our ambition to be a digital-first retailer”
Retail Operations and Property Director, Marks and Spencer
Customers are starting to expect features like these as standard. The key to winning customers is to constantly evolve – 60% of consumers say that retail brands will have to keep up with new technology to improve their experiences. If you don’t, your competitors almost certainly will.
5. Make every space count
Successfully merging a physical store and online shop means drawing on the strengths of each space.
Your physical store should draw your audience in with compelling shopping experiences. Brands like Nike and JD Sports are proof that this kind of in-store interactivity works. According to Mindshare, 51% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that offer interesting or different stores.
Online, the likes of Nordstrom now offer ‘Try Before You Buy’, where customers can order products to try on at home before deciding whether to buy them.
6. Make customer service 24/7
A unified brand experience brings the ability to respond to all of your customers' wants and needs around the clock.
Chatbots, automated messaging and other technology-powered experiences offer the kind of instant shopping interactions modern consumers expect.
7. Continue the conversation
An omnichannel allows you to build loyalty by linking online and offline channels to keep customers engaged throughout the buying journey. This could be through a welcome email, loyalty or reward incentive, or even an interesting product tutorial.
Ready to future-proof your business with an omnichannel approach?