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A Fine Balance

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They may not be familiar with the word “omni-channel,” but today’s empowered consumers want to shop anywhere, anytime–and they expect nothing less than a seamless experience with all their needs accommodated as they shift among mobile, digital and physical channels.

The days when a retailer would build separate strategies for mobile, the website and the store are long gone. The challenge now is to integrate people, processes and technology to present a single storefront to the world – and the entire journey with the consumer’s convenience in mind.

Consumers are making their needs known. They want the freedom and choice of online shopping, balanced with the comfort and immediacy of a physical store. They want to research and select items from their armchair, check out offers when they’re on the move and then try out products in the store.

Achieving this fine balance means full visibility into inventory, efficient management of the supply chain and a solid grasp of customer data.

Retailers need to know where every item is in real-time, and get it to the customer as quickly as possible. That includes having the flexibility to ship from stores. Retailers should make it easy for customers to buy an item in the store and return it online – and vice versa. Importantly, retailers should monitor customers’ interaction history across all channels – including their online behavior and social data – to the point that they are anticipating customer needs.

Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are beginning to make progress, working to deliver a better experience in their digital stores, exploring quick shipping and launching apps. It’s a logistical challenge, no doubt. But when retailers’ digital and physical environments work together seamlessly to help consumers make the best choice for their lifestyle, they reap rewards in the form of customer loyalty.

Is your organization achieving the right balance?

Get the full picture at ibm.com/retail & ibm.com/consumerproducts

Follow us on Twitter: @IBMRetail & @IBMCPG
Join us on LinkedIn: IBM Retail & IBM Consumer Products


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