Omnichannel businesses are becoming the norm, and the most successful ones develop a consistent brand across all channels. Several retail industry studies indicated that brand consistency (like pricing) influences consumer decisions, with customers spending more at companies that are more consistent.

When channels are integrated, shoppers can start browsing on one channel and make a purchase on another, while having a seamless shopping experience. Differences between the floor and the website, such as how products are categorized, are inconveniences that could push shoppers to look somewhere else.

"Retailers are seeing themselves as one brand instead of a collection of [shopping] channels," Keith Mercier, an associate partner at IBM's Retail Center of Competence, told The Wall Street Journal Market Watch. 

With this perspective, companies seek to integrate their online and in-store retail inventory management systems and POS software, which can help businesses make better stock and sales decisions and improve the customer experience. According to The Guardian, customers expect reliability and consistency, but a survey found half of consumers dissatisfied with how brands presented themselves across channels. 

Integrated ecommerce software and retail management software can help build a comprehensive omnichannel system. The key for retailers is to take advantage of technology and retail customer intelligence to craft a reliable brand that addresses customers' priorities.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, January 17th, 2014 at 3:27 am .