WHY OMNI-CHANNEL IS THE FUTURE OF E-COMMERCE

At the moment, Omni-channel is perhaps one the hottest trends in supply chain management. CPG (consumer packaged goods) manufacturing is one of the areas where omnichannel fulfillment has had the most significant impact. With more manufacturers looking to sell directly to the consumers, the line between B2B and B2C is getting blurry with each passing day. Manufacturers can now reach consumers directly, thanks to the emergence of additional commerce channels such as Omni-channel.

WHAT IS OMNI-CHANNEL?

By definition, Omni-channel is a multi-channel way of selling merchandise aimed at providing a seamless shopping experience for the customer. Whether they are making a purchase from a brick-and-mortar store or online via a smartphone or computer. Omni-channel differs from multi-channel in that the Omni-channel experience integrates many channels in the back end to provide an overall smoother, more seamless experience.

WHY THE HYPE?

The growth in popularity of Omni-channel in e-commerce is attributable to shoppers’ increasing desire to do their shopping how, where, and when they want. Omni-channel allows businesses to deliver this experience. Consumers are increasingly spending time interacting with brands at a personal level on social media platforms. Marketplaces like eBay and Amazon are able to provide quick, reliable shopping experience with additional perks such as free shipping and fast processing.

FREEDOM OF SHOPPING

The emergence of e-commerce solutions and technologies such as courier tracking software and courier dispatch software facilitates the delivery of a seamless experience. Consumers want to take advantage of this, and they won’t be sticking to a single channel. Freedom of shopping will be the key driver of the future of Omni-channel in e-commerce.

INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION AND DATA ANALYSIS

Multiple communication channels allow companies access to several data streams. Big data analytics help businesses to understand, quantify, and review communication with their clients. Companies can track the preferences of their customers over multiple channels through their Omni-channel strategy. This helps them deliver a more personalized, high-quality shopping experience.

IMPROVED EFFICIENCY

The development of an Omni-channel strategy helps a business to increase efficiency. This, coupled with the adoption of a courier software or a courier management system, helps improve clients’ experience. With such software, a business can provide additional perks — free or faster shipping of merchandise — on top of the seamless shopping experience provided by the omnichannel approach. This allows these businesses to sell their products everywhere without the complexities or added costs that would typically accompany the provision of services at this scale.

Any company can take advantage of Omni-channel, just as long as it has the technology to roll it out. However, this approach requires a deep understanding of the target market and their shopping habits. Find out the channels that your clients favor the most and then come up with a plan to achieve Omni-channel personalization.