4 Tips for Successful Omnichannel Retailing

After a dramatic 50% rise in eCommerce during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, omnichannel retailing is no longer a bonus, it’s a necessity. Providing both an online and physical retail experience to engage and attract consumers, omnichannel retailers like Walgreens, Kroger, and Samsung have broken new ground embracing the use of social media, online marketplaces, and brick-and-mortar stores to help drive revenue. 

While this may seem overwhelming, or impossible, here are 4 tips for successful omnichannel retailing regardless of company size:

1. Understand Your Market And Marketing

The International Data Corporation (IDC) identified three types of omnichannel shoppers: omni/integrated, young mobile, and social networker. The omni/integrated individual is 30-50 years old, affluent, home-oriented but well-connected on the move and at the office. The young mobiles are shoppers younger than 30 who are constantly on the move, but who primarily text and rarely email. The social networkers are primarily young but span all age groups. They are connected by interests rather than age or location. 

Creating a business model that is consumer-focused is an absolute necessity for all omnichannel retailers. By identifying your target audience and tailoring your business model to them, you better your chances for omnichannel retail success. 

However, approaching your audience is no longer about providing the cheapest prices. Retailers must approach their target audience on social media or with a robust online presence to secure both online traffic and intellectual market share. If consumers are seeing, talking about, or reading about your products, they are more likely to select from your assortment of goods specific to their beliefs, needs, or wants. 

2. Utilize All Available Technologies

The omnichannel consumer is at the cutting edge of new technology. Armed with 5G, 85% of Americans now own a smartphone, carrying a vast amount of information in the palm of their hand. Since they are always on the go, if the consumer cannot get what they want in-store, they have no trouble finding somewhere else to buy it. By utilizing available technologies, you can satisfy the consumer and keep them at your store. 

The Art Of SEO

Retailers must utilize various SEO strategies to ensure that when your target audience is searching for products you can provide, they see your name first. A 2020 study found that 68% of all online shopping experiences begin with a simple Google search and 25% of those searching click the very first link available to them. Building your website’s SEO value will not only help organically drive traffic to your website but increase revenue from those looking for quick, easy options. 

Customer Support At Every Turn

Omnichannel retailing isn’t just about providing products on all fronts, but people. Those finding your products on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or even your website should be able to quickly find answers to their questions. Providing FAQ’s, live customer support reps or contact links, and easy-to-access support tickets can help build consumer confidence. Additionally, flexible options including BOPIS (buy online, pickup in store), curbside/driveup pickup, and ship to home offer customers easy ways to get the products they want from you in the way the feel comfortable to shop.  These cross-channel customer support teams help solidify your organization as a trusted retailer. 

Mapping The Customer Journey

The biggest advantage omnichannel retailing has is the data. With shoppers on all platforms, the influx of consumer data and target advertising increases ten-fold. Mapping, understanding, and utilizing this data is vital to delivering the most relevant experience at the right time for your consumers. 

Create A Customized Experience

The last, but possibly most important omnichannel experience is customization. As consumers encounter dozens of online marketplaces daily, ensuring that both your physical and online presence is customizable to the user is vital for keeping users engaged. Allow users to create an account and utilize their shopping habits for personalized product recommendations. When you consider over 70% of online shoppers prefer targeted product recommendations, building a customized shopping experience becomes all the more important. 

3. Have A Knowledgeable Staff

Outfitting your store with new technologies makes it an attractive place to shop for omnichannel customers. However, if you and your employees do not know how to use the technology, or you are not using it to its full potential, it means nothing. Training your staff is imperative. Many people still appreciate the personal service they can only get at a brick-and-mortar store. Arming your staff with competitive technology, and the knowledge to use it creates an amazing service. Associates can work closely with customers and fulfill all of their needs, even if the item they want is not in stock. 

Having a friendly, helpful staff adds the personal element online shopping lacks. Consumers have the ability to utilize apps to find the best deals on the items they covet. A good staff will create an enjoyable atmosphere in the store, so the customer can be satisfied with their purchase, even if they didn’t get the best deal.

4. Create More Time

With a target audience of individuals who are at the cutting edge of new technologies, it is imperative that the omnichannel retailer is always a few steps ahead. However, the manual tasks associated with running an omnichannel empire can make that challenging. Choosing to leverage an integration platform would eliminate the need for manual tasks. 

Limitless platforms like Logicbroker allow you to integrate your website with the systems your business relies on; synchronizing online and in-store data in real-time. This ensures your inventory levels are always up-to-date with your vendors, and you will never again lose a customer because of inventory inaccuracy. 

Logicbroker’s flexible connectivity effortlessly exchanges information with suppliers and trading partners as well and utilizes a cloud-based full-service portal to help automate order processes. By automating the order process, you save time and money, allowing you to allocate additional resources to staying innovative and satisfying the needs of your newly targeted audience.

The omnichannel retailer must have both an online, mobile, and brick-and-mortar presence, and offer customers a way to seamlessly shop each channel. By following these four tips, you can free up resources and focus on what is truly important; providing the best possible shopping experience for your customers.

This article was originally published on August 12, 2013, and was updated on May 19, 2022.