Omnichannel is a way customers can shop across different platforms, such as buying online and picking up in physical stores. With the shift to online platforms and the increased usage of mobile devices, this shopping experience has become more popular. This article will provide essential steps to create a seamless omnichannel retailing experience.
Steps to create the omnichannel retailing experience
Start things separate
First, you should start with a physical store and an online platform separately. Building from the ground up is always more sustainable than starting from the top.
Before making any advancement, it is essential to maintain a good operation in each of these channels. Your physical store should already run smoothly with sufficient stocks. Likewise, the online channels have to be user-friendly with a good delivery service.
Connect your physical and online presence
The next step is to connect your physical and online stores, such as a website, mobile app, or social media accounts. You should also identify your target customers’ most favorite channels first, in order to make the most efforts in building them.
Find a suitable entry in each channel that can connect with the other. For example, a customer can make an online purchase and pick it up in a physical store. A POS system can synchronize this type of transaction, regardless of the platform it takes place. As a result, your employees just need to view the report generated by the system and take any action needed. In this case, you might want to check ConnectPOS, a POS system that can support businesses in click-and-collect activities. With real-time synchronization and great PWA Consumer Apps, retailers can easily track transactions across multiple platforms.
Create a unified look
An omnichannel retailing experience means expanding the shopping activities into several channels. To maintain consistency between those channels, you should use the same display elements, such as style, message framing, images and fonts. In this way, customers can identify your brand immediately and feel like the shopping experience is seamless.
Moreover, a unified look also means a consistent way of communicating with customers. Therefore, you should train your staff carefully and minimize disparities between online and offline customer service.
Ensure customer data is secured
Self-checkout grocery kiosk and contactless payment concept. Vector flat character illustration. A female customer person pay by smartphone in the self-service supermarket. Design for ad, web banner.
Because an omnichannel retailing experience requires business activities across multiple platforms, there is a need for the security of customer information. Details such as their home address, phone numbers or full name should be used wisely. You should not share this information with any third party and protect them carefully from any scammer.
Personalize customer experience
Customer data should only be used to create a better service, such as developing personalized content or advertising. With the information they provide, you can identify their demographics and specific needs (e.g., what products they are looking for in a specific season).
In fact, 44% of customers in a study have stated that they are willing to share their information for more personalized ads. Therefore, a great omnichannel experience should balance privacy and personalization.
Customer data should be used to create a better service, such as developing personalized advertisements
Wrapping up
A great omnichannel retailing is a potential way to expand shopping activities across different platforms. We hope this article can help you grow your business and develop a better customer experience.
ConnectPOS is a point-of-sale provider that can help businesses to maintain a great omnichannel shopping journey. Contact us if you have any questions.
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