New Report Takes Stock Of Current Omni-Channel Retailing Practices
By Hannah Ash, contributing writer
Report Shows Where Retailers Are Strongest, Where Development Is Headed
Newly released research this week serves as a state of the union for omni-channel retailing today. "The Global Cross Channel Retailing Report: Entering The Omnichannel Era" is the sum of Ebeltoft Group´s Global Cross Channel Survey; it showcases where retailers in Europe and the US are right now — and indicates where they may be heading. The report indicates that U.S. and U.K. retailers are leading the way for omni-channel development.
According to Ebeltoft, 64 percent of retailers surveyed currently offer “Click and Collect” shopping options, indicating that more and more retailers are rushing to offer customers the ability to browse at home and pick-up their purchases while they’re out. Retailers who aren’t yet offering that capability have been partnering with services that do offer it, such as Instacart. Connected store capabilities’ are up fifteen percent over the year 2012; development for new capabilities remains moderate at 37 percent. The biggest strides happening right now in omni-channel development are Social-Local-Mobile (SoLoMo) cross channel capabilities with a 59 percent level of development in strengthening social media, local shopping, and mobile capability.
The report cites retailers such as Sephora, Walmart, and Nordstrom as being leaders in omni-channel initiatives. For social development, Sephora recently rolled out a shopping-based social network called Beauty Board that integrates its products with a community that’s all about beauty. Nordstrom’s Free Shipping and Click and Collect programs are strong while Walmart is making large strides toward developing seamless mobile shopping. These initiatives appear to be paying off: Sephora saw a 150 percent increase in mobile shopping last year alone. Johnna Marcus, director of mobile and digital store marketing for the beauty retailer, comments, “The customer who shops across channels is a lot more valuable. Our app and website are really to help the consumer. We’ve figured out how to use the mobile experience to customize the shopping experience.”