Abstract
Introduction
An increasingly empowered consumer is now internet shopping savvy and has come
to expect a consistent experience with whichever channel they choose to shop.
With consumers' expectations and competitive pressures increasing, it is
imperative that retailers develop long term multichannel strategies, investing
in new technology and incorporating new services in their propositions.
Scope of this research
- Analysis of how the development of multichannel operations has impacted
the way in which consumers shop.
- Overview of what the modern consumer has come to expect from their
shopping experience.
- The difficulties that have arisen through the creation of multichannel
retail operations.
- How retailers can respond to these difficulties and help foster the closer
integration and experience consistency between channels.
Research and analysis highlights
A more empowered and demanding consumer expects a high level of shopping
experience regardless of which channel is utilised. It is thus essential that
retailers link channels as much as possible, creating a consistent
cross-channel experience.
To attain a heightened level of integration across all channels it is
essential to invest in unifying both front of house and backoffice operations.
In turn this will allow easier and more effective fulfilment strategies and
multichannel management of customer data.
New technology such as instore kiosks and more advanced visual imagery online
will facilitate the integration of different channels. It is also important
for retailers to implement multichannel services such and click & collect, not
only to strengthen integration but to enhance convenience credentials.
Key reasons to purchase this research
- Understand the impact that changing consumer habits have had on their
demands and expectations.
- Identify the issues that retailers face when developing multichannel
operations and the strategies that they can employ to overcome them.
- Understand what role new instore and online technology can have in
achieving closer integration and consistency of experience.
Table of Contents
VERDICT VIEW
- CATALYST
- SUMMARY
- KEY MESSAGES
- Consumers are increasingly demanding a seamless and constant shopping
experience
- In dealing with challenges such as multichannel fulfilment and attaining
a holistic view of customer data it is imperative that retailers replace
legacy systems
- Implementation of new technology and multichannel services will aid
closer integration
ANALYSIS
- Evolution of how consumers shop
- Mobile phones
- Kiosks
- Catalogue
- Demands of cross-channel shoppers
- Consistency is key
- Flexible fulfilment
- Service
- Multichannel interaction
- Business intelligence
- Problems on the road to integration
- Legacy operations
- Fulfilment challenges intensify
- Retailers' management of data
- Consistency of experiences
- Resolving problems and achieving multichannel integration
- Fulfilment
- Advancing the customer relationship through channel integration
- Use of technology to create consistency in shopping experiences
- Instore
- Online
- Mobile phones and handsets
FIGURES
- Figure: Use of remote shopping channels by age group 2008
- Figure: e-Retail expenditure forecast and y-o-y growth 2008-2013
- Figure: Year-on-year growth in online shopping population 2003-2013
- Figure: Online spending share of retail 2003-2013
- Figure: Demands of cross-channel shoppers 2009 - past and present
- Figure: Click & collect penetration - pay online or instore 2008
- Figure: Multichannel interaction - product research 2008
- Figure: Fulfilment options online 2009
- Figure: Development of the customer relationship 2009
- Figure: The use of technology to create experience consistency 2009
- Figure: Good use of video 2009
- Figure: Good use of visual merchandising 2009
- Figure: Good use of interactivity 2009
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