Multi-Channel Retail
Customer shopping behaviour is changing at a rapid rate, as technological advances develop, broadband speeds at home and out of the home get faster, smartphone sales increase and hardware becomes cheaper and more accessible to the masses. Where consumer’s experience of a brand or retailer was once confined to a store alone, now customers are likely to engage via multiple channels in addition to the bricks and mortar stores, including: online, via a branded or transactional website or micro sites, via catalogue, mobile, social networking sites, blogs, Kiosks and e-mails.
eCommerce sales continue to surge forward year on year, with a prediction that online expenditure will increase by more than 56% to £35bn by 2014. (data courtesy of Verdict). In the last year, mobile has gathered pace with retailers reporting traffic of between 2-12% via the mobile channel and Morgan & Stanley predict that by 2014, sales via a mobile device will overtake sales from a PC. High street retailers have been quick to release web or app solutions, featuring browseable catalogues, commerce (M&S famously sold a sofa worth £3.4k via their mobile web solution), ‘New In’ sections, gps and push notifications for promotions. HTML direct marketing promising vouchers and offers has become increasingly prevalent, as has the ability to link directly to a brand or retailer by social networking on Facebook and Twitter, or through groups & blogs. ASOS has been particularly successful in this regard, reporting that more than half of their traffic origin now comes from their Facebook page and releasing a European Facebook commerce site.
The ‘Super Shoppers’ of today, no longer operate within a single channel. They are looking for a total brand experience that is seamless, consistent and complimentary, no matter what the channel. With news that the average multi channel retailer spends more than any other consumer and Verdict reporting that 14 of the top 20 ‘most used shopping sites’ belong to physical retailers, it is clear that traditional retailers must have a clearly defined and integrated multi channel strategy to attract and maintain customers. Businesses need to review and evaluate whether their websites and channels are equipped to deliver to this new ‘Super Shopper’ through multichannels and ensure that their software platforms, CMS or PIM, marketing channels and digital marketing is robust enough to deliver to their increasing and demanding customer base. Retailers who embrace these changes will be the success stories over the next decade.
Portaltech Reply can work with you to develop how you market, sell and serve your customer across all customer channel touchpoints: in store, online, mobile, printed catalogue and customer services, analysing your needs and providing recommendations and solutions.
The Multi Channel Solution: The hybris platform
At Portaltech Reply, our extensive experience in multi-channel consultancy, retail and eCommerce, has resulted in the development of our QuickLive commerce accerlerator for the hybris plaform. This scalable eCommerce solution integrates and unites all your commerce channels and third party technology suppliers into one easy to manage platform.
The hybris commerce accelerator includes:
- Integrated multi channel retail functions
- A Superior Content Management System and Product Management System, that manages all data cross channel
- Multi Language, Multi Currency and Multisite Capabilities
- Cross Channel stock management
- Fulfilment Operations (Warehouse Management)
- Merchandising & Searchandising
- Mobile commerce – apps and web
- Interactive Flash merchandising
- Personalised customer group merchandising and recommendations
- Social Commerce (Reviews & Ratings)
Whether you’re seeking multi-channel consultancy services for a new website or an existing one, Portaltech Reply can help. We’ll provide the expertise and the technology to improve your business, saving you time and money, while working to increase your website conversions and revenue.
