Why Omnichannel reality?

Thanks to digital marketing, most of the companies with a virtual store was able to recover from the global pandemic, which forced them to remain in lockdown for months. While those who did not use this practice sank under the bridge. So, companies have understood in the last two years the importance of digital marketing.

Target, best omnichannel retailers has understood this and recorded its most impressive quarter in the second quarter of 2020:

with an increase in sales of 24.3%.

with sales up thanks to the digital section that climbed 195%.

Omnichannel, a unique integration of digital and physical has made this possible for the company. Target found that omnichannel consumers typically spend 4 times more than consumers who only visit physical stores and 10 times more than consumers who only shop online.  By integrating physical and digital channels, the company has achieved huge sales while providing a consistent brand experience.

2. Definition 

Omnichannel is an approach that allows companies to communicate with customers consistently across all channels. Essentially, it is an integrated and consistent multi-channel experience for customers.  

3. Omnichannel vs Multichannel and Single-channel

 VS Multichannel  

The main difference between omnichannel and multichannel is that omnichannel is coordinated while multichannel is not.  

In other words, with an omnichannel approach, all channels work together seamlessly to deliver a consistent experience to customers.

On the other hand, with a multichannel approach, each channel works independently of the others.   

VS Single-channel  

The main difference between omnichannel and single channel is that with an omnichannel approach, companies use multiple channels to reach their customers. With a single-channel approach, companies only use one channel.   

An omnichannel approach is different in that it coordinates all channels so that they work together seamlessly. The goal is to provide a consistent experience for customers, regardless of how they choose to interact with your brand.  

4. Benefits of an omnichannel experience

A. More convenient for customers 

• Accessibility to customer data across all channels is essential to delivering an omnichannel experience. This way, support teams won’t have to repeat themselves.

• 71% of consumers expect a company to share information internally so they don’t have to repeat themselves.

B. Create up-sell and cross-sell opportunities. 

• It was revealed in a report that when customers are offered multiple options for contacting customer service 93% spend more. Thus the omnichannel experience can increase profitability.

• Thanks to omnichannel customer service, agents have a 360-degree view of customer interactions across all channels. This enables them to make intelligent recommendations for up-selling and cross-selling.

C. Help uncover information about customers

• Having an omnichannel experience means enabling customers to connect with the brand across multiple scales and platforms.
• Consistent communication, consumers will turn to these channels to contact you when they need to.
• Solid communication across the omnichannel experience allows you to collect a lot of useful information about your audience.
• This data collection will allow you to improve the experience in the future.
• In addition to improving the experience, it will allow you to personalize customer interactions.
• When customer service teams can respond to customer questions and needs based on recorded data, they increase the chances of long-term customer retention.   

D. Personalized fashion shopping

• Customers are looking for quality products and want products to be personalized to feel special.
• Searching for seamless services, researching the customer’s experience of brand choice and rotating product selection is a great way to do this quickly.
• The right analytics tool will help track things the right way to deliver customer service to their doorstep without too much delay.
• Every purchase will help the brand to advertise it vividly to enhance the transaction in the right way to capture the customer’s mindset.   

E. To gain visibility into the company’s operations. 

• Online and offline platforms converge in the service of shopping and gaining customer trust and loyalty for long-term business growth and expansion is an excellent way.
• To seize opportunities and minimize optional challenges for the steady flow of the e-commerce business model at its best.   
• The omnichannel platform acts as a rescue for the entrepreneur to meaningfully perform front and back-end operations.   

F. Improve inventory turnover

• Omnichannel platform helps reduce unnecessary processes or system gaps that limit business expansion.
• Omnichannel helps industries or organizations to make the process flow fast and optimize the work and inventory management properly. 

5. Trends in omnichannel 

• Social selling 

For some years now, companies have been using social media to attract consumers to online stores. Since 2019 Instagram has launched the purchases directly via the platforms that today serves as additional windows to the brands.  

Statista reports that in 2021 47% of consumers purchased items on Instagram surpassing YouTube and TikTok.

•  BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store)  

BOPIS, a business model that shows no signs of slowing down:

Insider Intelligence predicted that 150 million people in the U.S. would make a purchase via BOPIS at least once in 2021 up 15% from 2020

BOPIS connects digital channels and physical stores. Transparent communication between channels is of utmost importance in order to drive up-selling and cross-selling. 

6. Examples 

DISNEY

Once you’ve booked your trip to Disney, you can use the “My Disney Experience” tool to plan your entire trip, from where you’ll dine to getting your Fast Pass. In the park, you can use your mobile app to locate attractions, as well as see their estimated wait times.

Disney also released its “Magic Band” program, this tool serves as a hotel room key, a storage device for photos taken during your stay, to order your meal, and your Fast Pass.   

SEPHORA

Customers can use in-store tablets to access their “Beauty Bag” account while shopping.

This account allows them to search for item details and virtually try on products using digital software.

STARBUCKS

Get a free rewards card that you can use every time you make a purchase. A reloadable card via your phone on the website, in-store, or the app. Any changes to the card or your profile are updated across all channels, inreal-time. 

AMAZON

Amazon has an app and website that automatically syncs users‘ carts when users are logged in and offers a support experience that gives customers the option to choose the method, they are most comfortable It has an app and website that automatically syncs users’ carts when logged in and offers a support experience that gives customers the option to choose the method.

APPLE

Apple offers devices that communicate seamlessly with each other using the user’s iCloud account.

The user’s messages, photos, and connected devices appear the same, regardless of which Apple device the customer is currently using.  

SPOTIFY

The company has a web app, a desktop app, and a mobile app, all of which can sync when you open them at the same time.

If users are listening to Spotify on their phone, the desktop app will display the current song.

7. Is Omnichannel the future of e-commerce?

Omnichannel has proven time and time again its efficiency and coherence, improving customer satisfaction and making two loyal customers come back. We can therefore conclude that the future of e-commerce is indeed omnichannel.  

It is important to know that omnichannel benefits everyone, both buyers and sellers. Buyers have the right to a positive buying experience and sellers benefit from this way of a larger market share and benefits.

Small and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises alike are increasingly adopting this technology to offer more personalization to their customers through the integration of offline and online channels.  

8. The Future of Omnichannel

Omnichannel is an important asset. Marketing and sales are increasingly correlated. The future is to move quickly, to look at how it would be possible to combine physical and digital retail, to develop seamless experiences that feel unique and to show that brands and retailers really understand the needs of consumers. 

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