Why Store Owners Need Omni-Channel Ecommerce In 2014 ??
Another buzzword to contend with? Isn’t multi-channel ecommerce enough? The answer is not so simple. Omni-Channel Ecommerce offers a different and enhanced experience to customers and improves sales if the fundamentals are understood well. If implemented in a fragmented manner, it essentially remains a multi-channel with a different name. Let’s look at Omni-Channel Ecommerce phenomenon more closely.
Evolution of Omni-Channel Ecommerce
Online stores have been in operation for nearly a decade. Initially, they were simply web stores which could be accessed through the internet. There were initial hiccups, mainly in shipping and delivery. At this stage big brands operated their brick and mortar stores independent of their online setup. There was no effort to cross pollinate customer experience. This led to stagnation in sales – both from online and in-house stores.
In the past couple of years, we have witnessed a boom in sales of tablets, mobile phones and smartphones. Customers have started experiencing and exploring products and services while on the move. This necessitated the creation of multi-channel Ecommerce. Customers could now view products through multiple channels – internet, mobiles as well as traditional stores.
The predominance of social media has brought in another level of complexity in marketing strategy. Customers are looking at informal channels to gather feedback about products and services. This forced brands to setup a presence on Facebook and Twitter. This was the final stage of multi-channel Ecommerce. The time was ripe for the entry of Omni-Channel Ecommerce, where diverse channels had to be integrated to provide a uniform customer experience through diverse media.
How has customer engagement changed in recent times?
Frankly, marketers are still grappling with the monumental changes which are taking shape in the outside world. Customers are no longer loyal to brands and the past theories of marketing no longer work in practice. Fidelity of customers has flown out of the shop window and now resides in unknown places. Buyers are browsing at the products online and purchasing from traditional brick and mortar outlets. The inverse is also happening – people browse for products and get the feel of products in shops and buy online. People are making purchase decisions while commuting, in pubs, at restaurants and other places. Not necessarily at home or at work.
Emergence of Omni-Channel Ecommerce
Customers expect a uniform experience everywhere – in shops and online stores. Omni-Channel Ecommerce delivers perfectly on this count and therefore store owners need Omni-Channel Ecommerce. It’s no longer a question of whether brands desire to implement Omni-Channel marketing. It has become a necessity and the trend will continue through 2014.
Customers must be able to make purchase decisions online or through mobiles, compare rates and features, get feedback through social media, buy from a traditional store and get the product delivered at home. The purpose of Omni-Channel Ecommerce is to fulfil this chain of engagement efficiently.
Conclusion
Omni-Channel Ecommerce will definitely go viral in 2014 and store owners need to accommodate this requirement to enhance customer interaction and for fulfillment. This requires an infusion of resources in creating an effective backend which would cater to Omni-Channel Ecommerce.
