What is my Omni-Channel potential?
Omni-Channel or Multi Channel retailing, is now the necessary art of engaging customers consistently across every point of contact you have with them. For some this just means making eCommerce visible in store. For others this could mean completely changing their selling strategy by closing stores or opening smaller showcase ones. This is hard graft but you need to work out where you think the customers of your product will be in the future and whether you are in the right place to serve them:
It appears that in future Digital will be part of the process of selling for all retail sales, whereas it only plays a part in research or selling in two thirds of all purchases today. The keys to your Omni-Channel potential lie in:
- Who are your customers and where are they shopping? How fast are they changing behaviour by channel?
- Mobile. Mobile eCommerce, via either tablet or smartphone, is now the most commonly used digital device, having overtaken desktop in the past year.
- Stores role. Do you simply need to showcase your product physically or do you need a full range of stores to sell from nationwide. There are lots of new Digitally enhanced store experiences now, from having tablets to make assisted sales to having geo-located promotions driven to your mobile.
- New markets and technologies. What emergent technologies can you sell on? Some people can sell from a store backed up by Facebook selling. What methods would suit your customers?
This is a complex and technical picture that needs careful planning and investment to protect market position.
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How can I develop omni-channel marketing?
Omni-Channel marketing should back up your Omni-Channel retail strategy. Just because there is now a wider selection of ways to make your marketing message count, all elements of customer marketing need to stay consistent with your brand.
What marketplaces should I sell on?
For many the choice of which Marketplaces they sell on comes after the decision to sell online. For most however the consideration of Marketplaces should have started with some more fundamental questions.