Omnichannel commerce: For a seamless shopping experience throughout the customer journey

Omnichannel commerce explained briefly

In multichannel commerce, as well as in omnichannel commerce, companies use different sales channels. The key difference between the two approaches lies elsewhere: in the interaction between the sales channels used. A multichannel strategy also involves multiple channels, but these are treated separately from one another. Omnichannel commerce, on the other hand, is based on synergies between the individual sales channels. The aim is to create a consistent and, above all, seamless shopping experience for the customer across all online and offline channels, i.e., along all conceivable touchpoints of the customer journey.

Stay up to date on personalization: Sign up for the epoq newsletter. Register now!

Why omnichannel commerce is more than just a buzzword

Customers no longer come into contact with just one sales channel during their customer journey, as a recent study from 2017 shows. 46,000 customers were asked which channels they had used when shopping in the past 14 months. Seventy-three percent said they used several different online and offline channels. This also illustrates the increasing convergence of online and offline. By comparison, only 20% of respondents were purely offline shoppers, while 7% shopped exclusively online.¹

It is therefore not surprising that companies that already implement an omnichannel strategy enjoy greater customer satisfaction and increased customer loyalty. But the higher sales figures of active retailers also speak in favor of omnichannel commerce. According to the study, the value of a customer increases with each additional channel. The above-mentioned study found that customers who used more than four different channels spent 9% more money than customers who only used one channel.¹

Personalization via omnichannel commerce

Today, customers have countless touchpoints with retailers across numerous sales channels. In the context of omnichannel commerce, it is important to connect and design these channels in such a way that customers enjoy a consistent and seamless shopping experience—from searching for information to making a transaction to after-sales service!

Potential sales channels in omnichannel commerce

The possible combinations of individual sales channels are virtually endless. For this reason, we have prepared an example approach below to show you what omnichannel commerce can look like in practice.

In our example, we start with Max, who wants to buy a new wristwatch. Whether he orders it online or buys it in a brick-and-mortar store is irrelevant to him at first.

Conclusion: 360° presence thanks to omnichannel commerce

Our example shows that the possibilities in omnichannel commerce are virtually limitless! The important thing is to engage with customers at every conceivable touchpoint—regardless of when they use the individual channels during their customer journey. If you succeed in doing this, you will not only benefit from happier and more loyal customers, but you can also look forward to higher sales.

Source: ¹ Harvard Business Review