Creating An Integrated Omni-Channel Retail …ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/02/70/16/00001/Creating...

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Creating an Integrated OmniChannel Retail Experience Capaldo 1 Creating An Integrated Omni-Channel Retail Experience Samantha A. Capaldo The University of Florida July 20, 2014 Advisor: Dr. Steven Kirn

Transcript of Creating An Integrated Omni-Channel Retail …ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/02/70/16/00001/Creating...

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Creating  an  Integrated  Omni-­‐Channel  Retail  Experience                                                                                                                                      Capaldo     1  

Creating An Integrated Omni-Channel Retail Experience

Samantha A. Capaldo

The University of Florida

July 20, 2014

Advisor: Dr. Steven Kirn

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Creating  an  Integrated  Omni-­‐Channel  Retail  Experience                                                                                                                                      Capaldo     2  

Creating an Integrated Omni-Channel Retail Experience

In today’s tumultuous world, characterized by an unpredictable economy and

ever-evolving technology, retailers’ target markets are changing, and it is imperative for

retailers to take both notice and action. A new trend is exploding throughout the

shopping environment, that of omni-channel retailing, or the integration of any and all

shopping channels – brick and mortar sites, television, catalog, internet websites,

smartphone applications, tablets, radio, direct mail, and telephone orders – to create a

seamless, consistent experience for each and every customer anytime, anywhere, and

anyway they want to shop. This new trend is being prompted by the increasing

demands of consumers to get whatever they want, exactly how they want it, whenever

and wherever they choose. The desire of consumers to have shopping at their fingertips

– and on their terms – is changing not only the environment of retailing, but the world as

we know it. For retailers to stay competitive and maintain loyal customers, they must

take notice of consumers’ new demands for convenience, accessibility, reliability, and

control.

As the Internet grew in popularity in the 80’s and 90’s, many retailers found

themselves with lagging sales despite increasing foot traffic. They were losing actual

sales to an emerging trend called showrooming, defined by Maribel Lopez (2012) of

Forbes magazine as “the act of viewing merchandise in a physical retail store without

purchasing it there, and then purchasing the product online or from another retailer.”

The exponentially evolving Internet, coupled with major advancements in handheld

technology (smartphones, tablets, netbooks), threw the retailing industry into a new era,

one in which they started a few steps behind. Gladson Ltd, “the leading provider of …

services for the U.S. consumer packaged goods industry” with a database “widely

acknowledged as the most complete [and] accurate” for retail consulting has found that:

• Over 80 percent of shoppers make their purchase decisions before

leaving home.

• More than two-thirds of U.S. consumers that are shopping for food

want access to more nutritional information.

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Creating  an  Integrated  Omni-­‐Channel  Retail  Experience                                                                                                                                      Capaldo     3  

• Over 50 percent of smartphone owners use their device while

inside stores to help guide their purchasing decisions

(Gladson.com, 2014)

The desire for more information, easier access, and the best deal possible

prompted traditional brick and mortar retailers to look for ways to counteract the sales

impact of showrooming. They began to open their own “online storefronts” with little or

no idea what consumers really wanted. Many retailers offered the same products online

as they did in store, like Bath and Body Works, while others (like Costco) took the

opportunity to expand their product offerings, selling everything from food to diamond

rings in store, and cars to coffins online (“7 Surprising Things You Can Buy at Costco,

2011). However, integrating the purchasing channels and creating an online presence

just wasn’t enough. Although retailers began to listen and adapt their strategies to

consumer preferences, they were still just scratching the surface of the many

challenges and opportunities technology had in store for their industry.

As online shopping became even more commonplace, another new trend began

to emerge. The ability to customize; customize the product, the platform, the price

(eBay), the whole experience. Soon consumers began demanding not only easier

access to information and better deals online, but they also wanted certain products

(both personalized and specialized through sites like personalcreations.com) at certain

times (instant music and video downloads via iTunes), and in certain places (delivered

to their homes in two days from Amazon or in a Best Buy store the next day). Retailers

quickly found that integrating the purchasing channels was only the first step in their

new journey for customer loyalty, and that the key to a competitive advantage in today’s

world of retailing is creating a “customer experience”:

• 90% of North American firms viewed customer experience as important or

critical to 2010 plans

• 80% of firms would like to use customer experience as a form of

differentiation

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Creating  an  Integrated  Omni-­‐Channel  Retail  Experience                                                                                                                                      Capaldo     4  

• 71% of business leaders believe that customer experience is the next

corporate battleground

• 85% of business leaders agree that traditional differentiators alone are no

longer a sustainable business strategy (Temkin, 2010)

Just as brick and mortar stores like Trader Joe’s take customers on a journey

through their stores, retailing in today’s age of technology is about bringing consumers

along for the ride of retailing, allowing them to feel that they are in control, their opinions

count, and they matter to the organization.

Adaptable companies, ones that managed to weather the storm and are still

going strong, have embraced this new era with omni-channel retailing, creating a unified

customer experience throughout their entire enterprise – brick and mortar locations,

online storefronts, traditional advertisements, social media, customer relations, product

assortment, mobile applications, etc. – all in the efforts to make the shopping

experience as convenient, simple, unified, and meaningful as possible, in the hopes of

converting potential patrons into customers and customers into loyal clients.

Consumer expenditures – either through acquisitions of products or use of

services – are what keep the economy (and world) afloat. Retailing is a $4.5 trillion

business in the United States, with less than 6% of those sales attributed to e-

commerce (U.S. Census, May 2014), making online shopping an aspect of our

economy with phenomenal potential, and something all retailer’s should take notice of.

This data, coupled with innovative technology and consumers’ growing desires, makes

it obvious that creating a consistent, effective, and user-friendly customer experience

across all platforms not only helps retailers create a competitive advantage and strong,

loyal customer base, but it is also imperative to grow and sustain brands in today’s

highly volatile market. It presents a challenge, that for the most efficient and adaptable

companies can easily become a new, fantastic business opportunity.

In today’s age of instant access to almost anything, consumers not only know

more, but they expect more too. This movement of the empowered and demanding

customer requires retailers to rethink (and reshape) the way they do business. A

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change of this magnitude calls for (among many other things) renewed strategy, design,

inventory, marketing, pricing, and service.

Suggestions For Integrating All Channels and What They Entail

Throughout the years, merchants have tried a myriad of methods to integrate

customer experiences. The major retailers in the United States have been trying

different types of channel integration and each is carefully monitoring the results. From

offering same-day pickup to customized product offerings, companies are constantly

experimenting with ways to leverage technology for the advancement of not just their

shopping experience, but their entire brand. They are finding ways to create an omni-

channel experience that not only meets customer needs, but anticipates and exceeds

their wants as well.

The 2013 Omnichannel Readiness report shows that retailers not utilizing omni-

channel strategies “say they’re missing out on 6.5% of revenue—which translates to

$65 billion being left on the table” (Binns, 2013). The stakes are high for retailers who

aren’t finding ways to get their people and processes in place to provide excellent

customer experiences in any and every way that customers interact with their business.

As creating an omni-channel experience is a complex, exhaustive enterprise renovation,

each company approaches the challenge differently, typically highlighting their already-

known (and well-leveraged) brand strengths. Here a few strategies some of the top U.S.

retailers used to transition from just brick and mortar stores to omni-channel empires:

1. Easy in-store and online returns.

• This requires eliminating all platform silos to facilitate easy

communication between all departments of the company. Retailers

have found that using their brick and mortar locations for the return

of online purchases is a winning approach. It improves customer

service with the ease of returns, and also boosts customer

satisfaction with the ability to help disgruntled customers and

resolve their concerns. The opportunity to fix a customer complaint

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Creating  an  Integrated  Omni-­‐Channel  Retail  Experience                                                                                                                                      Capaldo     6  

is of paramount concern to companies, as the White House Office

of Consumer Affairs found that a “dissatisfied customer will tell

between 9-15 people about their experience [and] happy customers

who get their issue resolved tell about 4-6 people about their

experience” (Digby, 2010). Companies have also found it improves

their bottom line. Research supports that customers will spend

additional money when they return merchandise to a brick and

mortar location. The ability to return an item to a physical location

both allows the customer to shop for replacement items, and

entices them to shop for either new or complimentary merchandise

(Dart & Sambar, 2013).

• Kohl’s is a great example of a company offering easy online returns

at their brick and mortar locations. They have a “no questions

asked – hassle free” return policy on all products. Whether

purchased in-store or online, customers can return anything at any

Kohl’s customer service desk. This easy return policy makes their

online marketplace valuable to both suburban customers who don’t

have access to Kohl’s stores, but also to urban consumers who

have a choice where and how they shop. The requirements are

minimal: bring the product, packing slip, and payment form, and

Kohl’s will do the rest (Kohls.com, 2014). The goodwill earned from

the ease of in-store returns is compounded by the convenience of

shopping further. One department store found that when they

“offered in-store returns, customers spent an extra 18% on top of

their original order when they were in the store returning the [initial

purchase]” (Dart & Sambar, 2013).

2. Free same-day in-store pickup.

• This requires an efficient supply chain and store configuration.

Redesigning operations to enable same-day pickup involves

seamless logistics and smooth migration of products to stores,

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Creating  an  Integrated  Omni-­‐Channel  Retail  Experience                                                                                                                                      Capaldo     7  

between stores, and with suppliers/warehouses. A strong supply-

chain partnership can help facilitate this. By partnering with other

enterprises involved in the creation, marketing, and delivery of their

products, retailers can have an easier, more direct line of

communication with both their supply chains and customers. The

ability to work closely with its partners eliminates redundancy in the

creation process and closes gaps in communication, both of which

can help shorten production times, provide more efficient delivery,

and allow multidirectional transportation throughout all parts of the

company and its supply chain. Another opportunity in-store pickup

offers retailers, is that of increased customer satisfaction and

therefor sales. By picking up their merchandise in a physical store,

customers have the ability to see the item, touch it, try it on, make

sure it works as needed, etc., all of which reduce the “risk” of

purchasing an item the customer has never actually seen in person.

Reducing these unnecessary “hassle risks” can translate to more

satisfied customers and less returns to process (therefor less cost

to the retailer for repackaging, reshipping, and fulfilling a new

order), both of which help raise profits in the long run. Lower

“buying risks” can also help increase retailer conversion rates of

browsing shoppers into actual buying consumers, which is

potentially invaluable for future sales, loyalty, and branding.

• At the beginning of the smartphone revolution, Best Buy initially

suffered greatly from showrooming. Instead of falling to the

challenge, however, executives saw it as an opportunity. In 2011,

Best Buy estimated that “40% of customers visit[ed] its outlets with

no intention of buying anything at all” (Fraser, 2012). They realized

that their customers researched products either online or in-store

and then looked for the most affordable, convenient way to

purchase them. David E. Cook, Best Buy’s director of IT systems

strategy, notes that 78 percent of every in-store sale was

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conducted online. Essentially, their customers were creating their

own omni-channel transactions, and it was up to Best Buy to

convert that into the experience they wanted the customer to have.

In order to grasp the customers who desired both the lowest price

and immediate satisfaction, Best Buy made it their mission to

embrace the customer experience across all mediums, instead of

focusing on how/where the customer was purchasing from them.

They accomplished this by having better integration within their own

company – advocating more seamless communication between

departments – and with supply-chain partners. Through their online

store, customers can purchase anything they want, and often pick it

up the same day in the store of their choice. Best Buy’s meticulous

inventory tracking and control systems also allow customers to

check store product availability throughout the country, enabling

them to see if, when, and where their desired item is in stock. While

they recognize building and maintaining an infrastructure this

detailed is “a complex undertaking,” they have done a great job of

integrating their online, warehouse, and in-store inventory systems

to provide both free and/or same day in-store pickup (O-Heir,

2012). They are saving their customers time, money and

unnecessary trips (if their nearest store is out of stock). Consumers

have a plethora of options, including the ability to have an item

shipped to their home, to the store, directly from a warehouse, from

another store, or even to store in another state where friends/family

can pick it up for them. Some stores even have reserved parking

for Store Pickup, making the shopping experience even more

enjoyable and convenient (BestBuy.com, 2014). An efficient,

seamless in-store pickup option eliminates the uncertainty of

inventory shortages, provides the comfort of a large retailer’s

support (as opposed to buying from an online retailer that never

allows for face time if something goes wrong), and allows for

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increased cross sales per customer as they could shop more while

picking up their online purchases.

3. Continuity of atmosphere, product, pricing, and sales.

• Customers love sales, but only if they are easy to understand and

the benefits are readily available. Consumers also expect

consistent customer service. With the advanced tracking

techniques of technology, customers assume that no matter how,

when, or where they shop, the company should know all about

them, what they bought, and where they bought it. Aspect

Software conducted a research study and found that “91% of

consumers expect that when they contact customer service for the

same issue, the agent [should] pick up where they last left off”,

however less than 40% have been able to, and that “80% of

Americans think brands need to make a big change in how they

provide customer service” (“Consistency Essential To Omni-

Channel CRM”, 2014). Fostering and maintaining a dependable

image and relationship with customers requires companies to have

strong customer service people, systems, and plans in place.

Consistency among all channels makes the shopping experience

more straightforward and enjoyable, allowing for easy access to

retailers’ products at home (on a computer, TV, etc.) on the go

(smartphone, tablet, etc.), or even while in-store shopping (Dart &

Sambar, 2013). The more stable a customer feels about a

company’s products, pricing, and policies, the more likely they are

to not only trust them in the future, but to seek them out as their go-

to retailer(s).

• Apple is an outstanding example of a company heavily invested in

a consistent, reliable customer experience. The opening of the

Apple’s retail stores (the first two locations opened May 19, 2001 in

McLean, VA and Glendale, CA) brought a whole new dimension of

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delivery and service to a company already considered one of the

leaders in its industry (Apple, 2001). No matter what store you walk

into or what toll-free number you call, you get consistent products,

prices, and customer service each and every time. With (all

identical) stores open and thriving, Apple’s ACSI (American

Customer Service Index) jumped from 73 in 2001 to 87 in 2013

(and continues to grow), putting them well above their competitors

in the personal computing category, with an average of ACSI of just

80 (ACSI Index, 2013). With no variation in the product selection

(limitless, often menial options), pricing, or outlets, there is little

room for misunderstanding/error and no guesswork involved in

shopping with and/or at Apple’s stores. Apple has done so well with

its branding that customers often pay double for their products,

proving that not every consumer is worried solely about price, and

some things – like peace of mind – can be priceless (Ogg, 2010).

4. Seamless customer profile integration and rewards program.

• With continual advents in technology, customer databases are

becoming more sophisticated, but the expectations of customers

are increasing as well. By giving their personal information to

retailers, consumers expect companies to know both who they are

and what they like or dislike. Increased use of credit cards and

Internet cookies (bits of text websites store on users’ hard drives to

track their activities) allow companies to keep track of our browsing

and spending habits (Brain, 2011). Knowing the capabilities of

retailers, and for allowing them to exploit this data, consumers

expect companies to have a complete profile of their customers. It

can be as simple as knowing their preferred colors, sizes, most

purchased items, method of payment, etc., but to consumers, a

specialized, integrated profile is the small price retailers should pay

for the wealth of information they gain from their customers. Easy-

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to-use, uniform smartphone and tablet applications, incentivized

loyalty programs, and advanced analytical algorithms all help

companies track, learn, and tailor sales efforts to certain customers.

Personalized advertising can also have a huge effect on the bottom

line. Delivering tailored ads and discounts to patrons can increase

shopping trips and build brand loyalty, both of which boost sales.

• Crate & Barrel is dedicated to their customers and have increased

their sales channels to include brick-and-mortar, a direct mail

catalog, and an online e-commerce website, but they aren’t

stopping there. In 2004, they took their database management in-

house and began using software to “integrate its customer data

across all channels, including direct mail promotions, stores,

catalogs and website. Crate and Barrel also plans to use the

solution for event-triggered communications to provide customers

with the most relevant offers” (“Crate & Barrel Selects Unica…”,

2004). The company is dedicated to understanding their customers’

shopping experiences and expenditure patterns to insure they are

investing their marketing dollars to “maximize their budget and drive

greater revenue.” They are investing in software that “determines

how much fractional credit should be given to each marketing touch

point that contributes to a conversion, regardless of where the

ultimate conversion occurs” (“Crate & Barrel Selects Visual IQ…”,

2014).

• Starbucks has seen wild success with its omni-channel loyalty

program, which offers (among other things) mobile payment

technology integrated into its rewards program. By utilizing a

smartphone app – along with creating a “Starbucks Currency” – the

company is recognizing increased sales and continues to enhance

how customers can use their loyalty programs beyond the norm.

From mobile ordering to digital tipping to being able to gift a Twitter

friend with coffee, Starbucks is spearheading the way for fast food

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retailers to integrate their distribution channels, loyalty programs,

and payment forms to enhance the entire customer experience

(Joseph, 2013). The coffee giant “now generates over three million

mobile transactions each week in the U.S. [alone], accounting for

approximately 10% of total [domestic] sales” (“5 Ways to Crack the

Code for Omni-channel Loyalty”, 2013).

5. Customer Involvement – Customer Reviews and Social Media

• Social media and online reviews have opened up a completely

new aspect of marketing and retailing. With easy access and

seemingly immediate contact, customers feel even closer to

companies, and therefor their voice should not only be heard, but

count. Allowing customers to feel involved in the design of their

shopping experience and selection of products can build brand

loyalty and also give retailers a brand new, advantageous

perspective on their company – one that never existed before the

Internet and social media; the unfiltered view of the consumer.

• While many companies still try to figure out how to use Social

Media to their benefit, Taco Bell has embraced it via Twitter. They

are “hitting the mark with Millennials” and saw an 8% increase in

same-store U.S. sales from 2011 to 2012. To make followers feel

special, Taco Bell uses social media to “give followers a sneak

peek at products like Doritos Locos Tacos before they’re available”

(Morrison, 2013). They don’t just target customers for promotions

though; Taco Bell also regularly follows their most loyal customers

and sees “every day [as] a new opportunity to engage with fans.”

Whether by sending vouchers for free menu items or by asking

their superfans to “put a ring on it” with custom-made Taco Bell

rings (Horovitz, 2013), their strategy of building customer

relationships through social media is already paying off, and many

others could stand to take notes.

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Benefits Of Embracing Omni-Channel Retailing

Like it or not, the future of all retailing is embedded in the omni-channel customer

experience. In the past, one channel (typically either brick and mortar stores or catalog

sales) was sufficient to appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers. That is far from the

case now — the emergence and continual growth of new technology has driven us

away from the traditional storefront and catalogs, to online retailing and smartphone

purchasing applications, and now to combinations of all of these shopping media, with

systems integration and consistent promotions as necessities. Although most retailers

are noticing the new trend of empowered and involved consumers, the majority of

companies are still catching up to the game, with 55% of retailers citing “that their

investments have been driven by customers already expecting mature omni-channel

capabilities” (“Consumer Desires Vs. Retailer Capabilities…”, 2014). Simply waiting to

learn from the triumphs and failures of others only puts retailers at a bigger

disadvantage. A 2009 IDC Retail Insights report found that omni-channel shoppers will

spend “between 30 to 60 percent more with [a] brand if [the company] is willing to

embrace his/her shopping habits” and that “omni-channel shoppers are more likely to

not only exhibit strong loyalty, but also to influence others via their social networks and

online activity” (Winter, 2012). There is an awful lot to lose in this game, and the only

way for organizations to have a fighting chance is to start embracing omni-channel

retailing now, finding ways integrate the customer (and their experience) into every

aspect of the organization, from hiring practices to supply-chain relationships. For many

companies, the investment in infrastructure will be large, but increased customer

awareness and visibility are forcing companies to make changes. Everything is about

the entire customer experience now, and that can have huge impacts on not just the

retailing industry, but also the world as a whole. Here are just a few of the infinite

possible benefits of embracing omni-channel retailing:

Customer Benefits

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Creating  an  Integrated  Omni-­‐Channel  Retail  Experience                                                                                                                                      Capaldo     14  

With Moore’s Law – the law that “overall processing speeds will double every two years”

(MooresLaw.org, 2014) – in full effect, technology is advancing tenfold, causing the way

consumers shop to change faster than ever. “Customer expectations have skyrocketed

when it comes to the digital experience” (Yu, 2014). Here are some recent statistics

about technology use in today’s omni-channel shopping age:

• 35 percent of Android/iPhone users check their mobile phones before

even getting out of bed (Sheppard, 2014)

• 62 percent of disgruntled consumers look for support via social media

(Sheppard, 2014)

• 27 percent of consumers will no longer buy products/services if they don’t

get a reply to a complaint (Sheppard, 2014)

• 42% of customers plan to make the majority of their future purchases

online (Solmssen, 2012) – prime candidates to convert from shoppers to

buyers.

• 90 percent of consumers are using more than one device before

completing any task – including purchasing (Yu, 2014)

• 4 out of 5 consumers of online retailers are using smartphones to shop

(Yu, 2014)

• One department store found that customers who shopped exclusively on

its website browsed an average of just three times a year, while customers

who shopped exclusively in-store shopped an average of 7.5 times a year.

But customers who shopped both channels shopped an average of 1.7

times a year online and 7.3 times a year in the store, to get a total of nine

times a year. (Dart and Sambar, 2013)

Customer satisfaction and loyalty is becoming even more important as shoppers

have limitless choices and an abundance of information available whenever and

however they need/want them. A Nielsen survey showed 84 percent of respondents are

“more likely to visit retailers with marketing programs that reward members with

purchase incentives” (Estopace, 2013). Understanding which reward programs work

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best for each industry will help companies form incentives that will garner more

business and create brand devotion. After all, loyalty is influenced by marketing

strategies and measured by relationship quality (Farazmand, Green, Grodzki, & Li,

2012). Consumers want easy, consistent access across all channels – in-store, online,

mobile apps, social media, catalog, phone, TV, and radio – by providing this, listening to

their customers, and applying what they learn, retailers can not only offer their patrons

more, but they can also gain insight into how to best structure their organization for their

target market(s). “There is a strong link between the way consumers describe their

loyalty habits and the way they subsequently buy — so even comparatively small shifts

in what consumers say can manifest in big changes in what they do” (Estopace, 2013).

Despite the obvious need for retailers to integrate into a seamless omni-channel

customer experience, a recent Zendesk study found that “87 percent of consumers think

brands need to work harder to create a seamless experience” (Yu, 2014). This leaves a

huge gap for organizations to fill. By embracing consumer habits/guidance and unifying

all aspects of their organizations to enhance the “customer experience” – whether

through offering a multitude of shopping channels, sending out targeted messages and

promotions, or addressing customers directly via social media – omni-channel retailers

have the potential to not only win the game, but also to create new strategies and

competitive advantages for themselves and their industries.

Organizations

As mentioned briefly earlier, the ability to improve the customer experience (and

therefore sales, satisfaction, and loyalty) can have a huge impact on an organization’s

conversion rates and bottom line. The five suggestions discussed earlier for creating an

integrated omni-channel customer platform are just the tip of the iceberg of what is

required to create and maintain a seamless customer experience. Although the task is

daunting, the rewards a company can reap from creating a favorable omni-channel

experience are huge. Major retailers who have successfully embraced this new trend

are seeing significant pay-offs. For example:

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• Starbucks – widely regarded and respected as an omni-channel

master – never earned an ACSI below 76 (ACSI, 2006-2014) and

has:

o Over 11,000 Pinterest followers (Solmssen, 2012)

o A branded YouTube channel (Solmssen, 2012)

o 70 million Facebook fans with 50 million in the U.S. alone,

garnering over 31 million “Likes” (Banerjee & Chua, 2013)

o Over 2 million followers on Twitter (Banerjee & Chua, 2013)

• A study of five leading international retailers showed 87 percent

“feel their multi-channel strategy will lead to an increase in

revenue” (Estopace, 2014).

• In 2009, McKinsey & Company noted, “consumers who shop

across a number of channels annually spend about four times

more than those who shop just in one channel” (Popat, Stine, and

Westenberg, 2012). That is an incredible amount of potential

revenue left on the table by single channel retailers.

• A 2014 Accenture study found “Ninety-three percent of retailers

cited that enabling ship-from-store had resulted in a positive or

significantly positive uplift in online revenue, 77% cited it had

reduced or significantly reduced their fulfillment costs, and 88%

cited it had improved or significantly improved their customer

satisfaction metrics” (“Customer Desire Vs. Retailer Capability…”,

2014).

As illustrated above, there are plenty of advantages to companies who embrace

the omni-channel retailing environment. Whether through social media, increased

buying platform options, or exceptional customer service and interaction, integrating

their business practices can, and if done successfully, will improve organizations’

bottom lines – not just through heightened sales and increased conversions, but

through deflated costs as well.

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Technology is greatly changing the retail landscape in every way possible. It has

reduced the ability for geography and consumer ignorance to shield retailers from

competitors, the market, and the economy. Omni-channel retailing extends the

marketing reach of a brand and can introduce consumers to products and companies

they may never have known about otherwise (personalized products via Etsy, a friend’s

favorite bakery in another state through Facebook, or even rare collectibles thought to

be extinct on eBay). Consumers have access to more retailers, information, and

services, all of which translate into more options than ever (Brynholfsson, Hu &

Rahman, 2013).

The challenge for retailers now is how to stand out, reach out, and make the

customer choose their brand, preferably every time. By focusing on their core strengths

– hassle-free returns like Kohl’s, a stable, superior product and service like Apple, or

logistics like Best Buy – and evolving them to fit today’s age of information and

technology, companies can not only make it through this game changer, but they can

even learn and grow from the new opportunities and possibilities facing retailing today.

Charles Darwin once said “it is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive,

but those who can best manage change”, so with innovation, perseverance, input from

customers, and strong, versatile business plans and processes, retailers can get ahead

of the game, before they risk being kicked out of it entirely.

Although integrating to a seamless omni-channel customer experience might

seem like a daunting adversary, the benefits are real and measurable. From higher

sales and decreased costs to stronger brand loyalty and a competitive advantage, there

is just as much to win in this game as there to lose. After all, “the risk of doing the same

old thing is far higher than the price of change” (Clinton, 1993).

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