The holiday season is right around the corner, and retailers worldwide are gearing up for it. Besides, customers, too, are anticipating steal-worthy deals from retailers. It’s seen that two third of customers shopped when they originally didn’t intend, only because of a discount available. Moreover, 88% say that offers encouraged a first-time purchase from a new brand.While retailers must come up with discounts and offers to captivate their customers, meeting high customer demands in a dynamic eCommerce environment can be intimidating.So how can retailers meet escalating customer demands, beat the fierce competition, and score successful sales numbers?Among many eCommerce strategies, the omnichannel marketing strategy is time-tested. Infact, Shopify has listed omnichannel strategy among the top 3 trends for 2022 in their Future of Retail report. They say:“Retailers must integrate in-store and online experiences or risk extinction.”Omnichannel strategy integrates every touchpoint, renders a consistent brand message, and offers seamless customer interaction. It allows brands to meet their customers whenever and wherever they wish to shop.According to the latest study, 59% of customers are likely to browse a product online but purchase it in-store, and 54% are likely to do the opposite. Omnichannel strategy enables this kind of transaction and fosters customer relationships and trust.While omnichannel strategy comes with endless benefits, implementing the same can be stressful. Thus here are four strategies that retailers can put in place this holiday season and boost their customer experience and sales.
Omnichannel Strategies to Boost Holiday Sales
Brands have opened their doors, and a majority (76%) of customers prefer to shop at physical stores even though eCommerce is flourishing. Thus, an omnichannel strategy will play a huge role this holiday season. While omnichannel strategy could be as basic as enabling the buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) option, it could be as advanced as retailers wish. Thus, here are four strategies to begin with that retailers can implement this holiday season.
1. Create a consistent brand experience
Consistent experience across channels is the heart of an omnichannel experience. So if all channels operate in a silo, all efforts will go in vain. Thus, retailers must strive to create consistent messaging across touchpoints. This includes brick-and-mortar stores, websites, and social media channels. These touchpoints should look and feel the same and must be integrated to provide a seamless experience. Shopify report shows that 53% of brands are investing in tools that allow them to sell everywhere.
2. Offer experiential solutions
Gone are the days when eCommerce stores lacked a personal touch. Retailers are quick to embrace emerging technologies like AR/VR and provide users with a comfortable and delightful shopping experience from anywhere in the world. For example, try-on solutions that allow users to try products virtually from the comfort of their home are quickly gaining momentum. Research shows that:
- Purchasing personal items like cosmetics and eyeglasses with a virtual try-on option makes a customer feel more confident.
- 90% of Americans are currently using or would prefer to use AR for shopping.
- 43% of shoppers that use smartphones to shop expect all beauty brands to use AR.
- Automotive and home decor brands can also offer 3D, realistic and immersive experiences. This assists the buying journey and lets users feel how the product would fit into their lives.
Experiential solutions allow brands to tell richer stories and provide a comfortable shopping experience.
3. Real-time 24x7 customer support with chatbots
Chatbots have been game changers since their inception. Not only do they cater to customer questions/queries around the clock, but they’ve evolved to support buyers’ journeys as well. It’s now seen that 91% of consumers globally want real-time assistance. Chatbots make brands reliable and foster trust. A few more benefits of chatbots for business are:
- It enables a two-way communication
- Quickly answers customer queries
- Supports a shopper’s buying journey
- Are available around the clock
- Increase conversion rates by 82%
4. Implement a channel-appropriate call-to-action
The secret to any high-converting marketing campaign is an appropriate call-to-action (CTA). What’s the goal of a CTA? A CTA persuades audiences to take the next step, to complete some form of conversion. Some examples of a CTA could be subscribing to a newsletter, following pages on social media, or even completing a purchase. Brands must therefore use CTA that is suitable for the channel when implementing an omnichannel strategy. For instance, a newsletter sent through email shouldn't prompt customers to download a mobile app, as emails are usually read on a desktop. A good CTA is something that leads to a logical next step, like directing users to a mobile app from an Instagram ad. Now that we’ve seen some strategies to implement, let's learn what impact these can have on eCommerce brands.
Benefits of Omnichannel Strategy on Store’s Revenue
1. Expands brands’ reach Being present across multiple channels helps the audience recognize the brand and builds trust over time. Thus when shoppers are ready to buy, the process of discovery to checkout is swift. Moreover, when customers know that brands are just a click, message, or email away, it builds unshaken trust.2. Positive influence on the bottom lineWhen brands are present everywhere their customers are, they make it easy for the shoppers to reach out. This ease of discovery and shopping boosts sales and positively influences the bottom line.3. Enhances customer experienceIn 2022 and beyond, brands that put customer experience first will always earn a competitive edge.Retailers can use technology to gain data and insights to connect with their shoppers, provide an impeccable shopping experience, and offer relevant deals.Omnichannel strategy also allows retailers to drive offline sales. Infact solutions like buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) are known to increase AOV. Over 50% of adult shoppers prefer this option, and 67% add extra items to the cart when they can buy immediately.
Conclusion
Branding is no longer about only optimizing a website or making social media posts look aesthetic. Brands must take a holistic approach and provide a consistent experience across all touchpoints. They should enable buyers to shop whenever they’re ready and from wherever they prefer.Brands must be prepared to offer relevant offers at the right time, allow personal interaction with their brands, and offer personalized offers to win customers in this new normal.With Tagalys, retailers can effectively merchandise their site search and category or collections pages. Moreover, retailers can launch campaigns, analyze live engagement, and measure an uptick in footfall.Learn more about how Tagalys helps eCommerce brands by talking to our experts.
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