Omnichannel Ecommerce: Brick-and-Mortar Not Required
Remote working, Zoom classes Zoom classrooms, and remote work - these experiences on the internet have become part of our daily lives. We are more connected than ever before and appears to be able to comprehend the full potential of what that means. It's not like it's "weird." It's normal. And it's no different for retail businesses. Enter the concept of omnichannel online shopping.
You don't need a brick-and-mortar business to be a flourishing company. If you've got a great concept for a product or product, all you'll need is a positive attitude, dedication to work, an ability to be flexible, and an internet connection.
What is Omnichannel eCommerce?
Omnichannel ecommerce is a multi-pronged sales plan that is focused on creating an unmatched customer experience regardless of whether the place of purchase is on a mobile device such as a laptop or the physical store of a retailer. This experience needs to be uniform across every channel including your store's online and even Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, Etsy and many more.
People don't just shop in one place. Also, wherever they're, you should be available.
Although the goal of the selling is to achieve the of the line, it is also important think about what the consumer's journey looks like when they are attempting to buy. How can you be a component of the process?
The Harvard Business Review reports that 73% of clients use multiple channels throughout their purchase journey. This means that when a person chooses to purchase something, it's likely that they've performed a great deal of research to ensure they're making the right choice.
Does your company not just provide the item your client is looking for and provide them with the context and details?
Concentrate on the complete customers' experience. It's not only adding something to their carts or make the purchase. Instead, you should be thinking about how do you make your business an information source and goods, products, or services? How can you accomplish this everywhere you sell on the internet?
The more channels that a client uses, the more valuable the customer is to your company With an average of 23% more returns purchases , and up to 13% higher mean order value.
Omnichannel E-commerce is a way to do business.
What is the reason it's important that e-commerce retailers use different channels that their own?
Let's do an experiment. Take one look at your feed when you open social media. Which items and shops are presented to you?
There are probably too numerous to list. Modern algorithms are so sophisticated that your feed could remind you of things you forgot you were keen on. It's possible that you don't remember when you looked up the most recent skincare trends waiting to be called at the doctor's office, but your feed does. The feed will inform you who's offering the best prices on skincare products right now.
Imagine that your company is that skincare business mentioned above. Perhaps you post an image to Facebook to a blog entry about the top skincare products in 2023. Anyone who is interested may click on that link, take a look at the blog post and move on. But later, they may see an advertisement for your eczema cream, then click to buy the product on Amazon. When they next would like to buy, maybe they go to your website directly and register for a subscription.
There are three channels that customers have accessed: Facebook, your website and Amazon. However, they're all linked to create an effective omnichannel eCommerce strategy.
It is more difficult to develop an effective omnichannel strategy when you don't have the luxury of a physical store?
No and yes. As we've outlined, the world lives online, so the retail store isn't necessary to provide customers with the ability to purchase at any number of points.
There are many benefits to having a physical space even though it can come at a fairly hefty cost and commitment.
However, the main point to remember is it's not necessary to feel that a lack of physical location is a reason to not achieve an omnichannel approach. If you have a physical store that is paired with an online store You shouldn't simply call it a day. There are many other locations to interact with your customers so you're available on the platform that they prefer at the time they're ready for purchases.
The benefits of having a retail location
There are a few distinct benefits to having a physical location. You can, for instance, communicate more intimately with your clients simply by having a space where they can interact with your staff and your product.
If the store you own is located in a location with an abundance of people walking through, you can persuade people to come in to purchase something. You can physically reach people when they are buying. They can show products or provide answers right there.
Additionally, there's a chance for marketingopportunities, like in-person events and product demonstrations. Hosting an in-person reception is a fantastic way to launch a new product.
But, it has become an option of the numerous options that people can purchase. There are benefits to the physical presence of a store, just like there are benefits to having a presence in another online market. But this option comes with a number of downsides and cost.
The advantages of not having a retail location
There are a number of benefits to nothaving an actual retail store. There's no cost for overhead expenses like rental or utility bills or any of the headaches that come with a physical store. You don't have to deal dealing with additional staffing requirements and scheduling.
The focus can be narrowed and budget on online channels that have already been proven. Additionally, you'll be agile, meaning that should something change it is possible to adapt swiftly. A physical location is a heavy investment and one which you're not able to grab and relocate on the spot.
So, let's go back to our initial answer: yes and no! A retail location (or absence of it) is both advantageous and challenging to your omnichannel ecommerce strategy. All it depends on is the products you sell and your target audience.
Tips for an effective omnichannel strategy
If you've figured out the importance of omnichannel ecommerce Let's review some tips for a successful strategy. This isn't necessarily a step-by-step instruction, but more of a checklist to build the most effective omnichannel strategy that you can.
Keep your brand identity and tone consistent across every channel
Think about a brand with a name as well-known as Coca-Cola. If it's a spot on TV that features the polar bears or vending machines in an intersection, or a sign at a diner, its glimmering white and red says something: Coca-Cola.
Develop a brand voice guide and identity to your company, which includes details like specific colors images, fonts, logos, and language. When your business grows and you're faced with millions of different things to think about, your future self will appreciate it.
Select the best selling channels carefully
There's a myriad of channels for marketing that provide different types of target audiences. It will take different strategies for success, however you must choose the channels that fit your business and give each the time and attention that it merits.
It is important to choose a few options to explore, but don't be scared to turn down some that aren't suited to your company or target audience.
Social shopping
Marketplaces
Utilizing marketplaces like Amazon can also provide the opportunity to gain access to more options. Amazon's service called Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is able to handle all of the processes associated with warehouses as well as shipping and the customer with service on orders.
Search
There's a good chance you're doing a considerable amount of time in the search engine optimization. If everything goes as planned that someone searches for something you sell the site you sell - - and only your site will be displayed in a flash.
However, in actuality, users tend to conduct more broad searches and navigating several options to find the right match. Google Shopping presents searchers with choices that is simple to read and contrast.
Ensure your site is mobile-friendly
While every individual and their dog and their dog's pet have smartphones and a plethora of websites don't have the luxury of being mobile-friendly.
Seriously. more than 50% of internet traffic is mobile.
Imagine not catering to all those customers! This is a quarter of the web!
People expect an easy mobile experience on their mobile. This can give you a quick leap ahead of other competitors and enhance the perception that visitors have of your brand.
Also, you should take a an examination of your website across devices of every size including phones, desktops, as well as tablets. Tools such as BrowserStack will help you accomplish this in a digital way, but without having users to be physically connected to different devices.
Check that the images aren't cut off or distorted, that links and buttons can be easily clicked or navigated to navigate, etc. In essence, you want your user experience to be excellent regardless of the device the users have at their hand.
Use customer journey mapping
A customer journey map represents how a person interacts when they interact with your company or product. The process begins when the customer begins interacting with your brand - maybe via an Instagram ad, a blog post, or an influencer. They then either buy something or decide to stop paying attention.
There are many reasons why a customer journey map is vital to designing an omnichannel ecommerce strategy. This allows you to:
- Learn to understand where, when, and the way customers interact with your company
- Identify investment opportunities for different marketing points
- Understand strengths and weaknesses in the purchase process.
- Provide information for future marketing decisions
The mapping of customer journeys also provides you knowledge of your audience's tendencies, who's buying your products and what's driving them to choose your company. This data is essential to ensuring your continued growth in the online retail world and helps you plan future omnichannel ecommerce strategies.
Learn to make the customer journey maps.
Offer seamless customer support throughout all channels
Effective customer service is an investment in the future success of your company. Happy customers write great reviews, tell their friends, and make repeat purchases. In addition, the positive vibe can help keep internal morale good. All of this is part of a longer-term plan for a happy, healthy company.
When you're selling on multiple channels, it can be tricky to provide top-quality service to each customer. It is essential to respond quickly to questions, messages, or requests for refunds on your website, on the selling platforms of third parties such as social media and more.
Enhance your checkout experience
Customers prefer certain marketplaces or platforms due to their familiarity and easy to use. It's often because they don't have to navigate to an additional website or application. In other instances, it's due to the fact that the payment method they use is saved or their checkout procedure is extremely simple.
A successful an omnichannel experience, it is essential to allow the preferred payment method that customers use and making the payment process as simple as is possible.
Conversions can be improved during checkout by doing couple of factors:
Organize your email marketing into a single, smart tool
Regardless of where someone purchased a product or learned about your company, as long as you have them on your list of email addresses, you can follow up with them. Invite them with welcome emails, reach out with discounts, and ask for reviews that can help you generate additional sales.
MailPoet is a great tool for stores. You can create and modify mailers, schedule promotions based on previous purchasing history, or email abandoned cart customers to recapture lost sales, and more. In addition, as with payments, MailPoet brings everything right in the WordPress dashboard. It's time-saving and a clever advertising tool via email.
Continually review and revise your strategy for omnichannel
What are successful companies' traits in common? They're always striving to improve. Not every platform is going to meet your needs. Strategies that do not work for some will provide a significant boost to your business. Don't be afraid of change and don't get too attached to any one item.
From there, explore the available data on your platforms and spend time learning how analytics tools work. It's an investment worth making for your future.
And remember, long-term growth requires patience. Do not spend too much time trying to compare yourself with other sellers. It's ok to know what others are doing successfully, but then work to improve your own efforts. Continue to improve and revise so that you can get a lot further.
Go omnichannel without the physical place
A good omnichannel ecommerce strategy doesn't require a retail location. There are a huge variety of other platforms you can offer your products, from your store to Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Facebook, Google Shopping, and numerous others.
Work towards creating a consistent presence across each selling channel. Make sure you connect with your customers, make sure that they feel appreciated by your company, and do the effort to market and you'll be well on the way to creating omnichannel sales!