Staples Survey Shows Omni-Channel Is A Holiday Must-Have
By Anna Rose Welch, Editorial & Community Director, Advancing RNA
Company offers customers new website, online Holiday Center, and Holiday Council to help cut down on customers’ holiday stress
Staples recently announced the results of its national survey, which revealed that 63 percent of holiday shoppers say finding the right gifts causes extra frustration and anxiety during an already stressful season. Staples also used the survey to determine what kind of gifts people plan to buy, the problems they encounter while shopping, and their shopping habits to better determine how the company could meet those demands. In particular, the survey showed that omni-channel is more important this holiday season than ever, with 2/3 of those surveyed claiming they are just as likely to purchase gifts online as they are to shop in-store.
These responses should be particularly reassuring to Staples, which just invested in several new omni-channel initiatives, including a brand new storefront for Staples.com. The new site boasts quicker speeds and a price-match guarantee to rival other competitive e-retailers like Amazon.com. The company is also looking forward to the near future when it will be releasing a new mobile site and app. Some features to expect from the new mobile site including a quicker checkout process that will only require two clicks and a GPS function, enabling customers to locate the most convenient store location where they can pick up their goods.
While the mobile site and app are still under construction, Staple’s senior VP, Alison Corcoran, is confident customers will find exactly what they are looking for at Staples this holiday season. “At Staples, we make it easy with more ways than ever to find the perfect gifts at guaranteed low prices both in-store and online at the new Staples.com,” Corcoran says. To help cut down on the stress that many customers are reporting in the survey, the company is offering several special holiday initiatives. Shoppers looking for gifts can turn to the Holiday Center on Staples.com, which features an assortment of products and deals, including office gifts, technology for children, stocking stuffers, and party supplies. For those looking to shop in-store, the company is extending its hours starting at 8 PM on Thanksgiving Day.
In addition to the Holiday Center online, the company has created the Staples Holiday Council. This council consists of gift-giving expert, Anna Post; small business expert, Steve Strauss; deal expert, Tara Zuczykowski; technology expert, Carley Knobloch; and organizing expert, Annette Joseph. The council will be providing customers with gift ideas and ways to save on the Staples kick-off holiday Twitter Party on November 7, 2013.
As VP Corcoran says, “Whether it’s picking up a hostess gift, teacher gift, stocking stuffers for kids, the hottest new technology, gifts for the know-it-all co-worker or even a gift for your boss, Staples offers shoppers convenient, affordable options for all your holiday needs.” Armed with its price match guarantee, its new online features, and its holiday council, Staples is on solid footing to help customers find what they’re looking for, or surprise them with what they might not have been looking for, this holiday season.
Click here to read the 2013 ISR Omni-Channel Special Report