Online shopping got really popular during the corona crisis. Sales of online stores increased by as much as 40% during this period. But because of the need to shop online, physical shopping lagged behind.
The answer to thrive in both, is multichannel. Multichannel retailers who sold both physically and from their webshop, benefited the most in the recent period. Read in this article why a seamless shopping experience online and offline can improve the customer experience.
Used to Online Shopping
Consumers have seen more and more positive sides to online shopping. Things like the convenience of home delivery, no closing time so you can shop at any time of day, and the often larger collection are things that attract customers.
The online shopping experience has also become increasingly optimized over the years. One of the things that is an ongoing trend, is the use of AI. 86% of companies have invested in AI initiatives. You can use your collected data for creating personalized customer journeys, for example.
Entice to Offline Shopping
With consumers expecting a convenient, customized customer experience, retailers must find a way to entice consumers back to their store. Stores will probably not disappear because of online webshops, but there is definitely some work to be done. Offline it’s also necessary to stay up to date by investing in technological solutions and multichannel platforms.
The developments in the field of technology go so fast that you can always optimize the omnichannel strategy further. So, keep a close eye on the trends and offer your customers the experience of physical shopping and the convenience of online shopping.
A Seamless Multichannel Approach
One way of doing this is by integrating smartphones into the store concept. This way you create a seamless shopping experience. Customers can scan products with their smartphone for more information, or avoid long queues by paying online or afterwards. The good thing about this is that you can also respond to data, and offer a personalized experience offline.
In addition, you can use cameras and AI that manage store inventory. Or monitor where consumers are in the store and how they behave. This allows for real-time response to consumer demand.
Of course, Live Chat plays a big role in the customer experience today. You can easily and quickly ask something via chat. And even in physical stores it can be an additional option to the sales staff present. Do you want to know more about this? Check out our products!
