What is Multi Channel Retailing?
Multi channel retailing is the practice of selling products across multiple sales channels, such as physical stores, eCommerce sites, mobile apps, social media etc. An example of retailers who use the multi-channel approach is Fabletics and Nobody’s Child, who all sell offline and online.
Shoppers have the flexibility to make purchases through each channel available, yet it’s the collective effect of these channels that shapes their decision-making process.
Types of Retail Channels
- Physical Stores. The classic brick-and-mortar retail stores where consumers can directly step into the store and purchase products, such as M&S, Lakeland and Wickes.
- eCommerce Sites. The ever-growing online shopping landscape offering convenience, accessibility, and wide-ranging product options, such as The Very Group, and N Brown.
- Direct-to-Consumers D2C. Brands bypassing traditional distribution channels and selling directly to consumers, often through their own websites or online marketplaces, such as L’Oreal, and Estee Lauder.
- Social Media. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok present opportunities for social commerce, leveraging influencer marketing and targeted advertising.
- Mobile Apps. Dedicated apps offer enhanced functionality, personalised recommendations, and loyalty programs.
Retailers can employ multiple combinations of these channels to establish their multi channel presence, tailoring their approach to their target audience and product offerings.
Understanding Multi Channel, Cross Channel, and Omni Channel
Multi channel, cross channel, and omni channel retailing are all strategies to provide customers with various options to purchase products. Each approach has its distinctions. Choosing the right approach depends on specific business goals, resource availability, and target audience behaviour.
- Multi Channel Retailing
As mentioned previously, multi-channel retailing refers to the practice is the process of selling products across multiple sales channels, such as physical stores, eCommerce sites, mobile apps, social media etc. - Cross Channel Retailing
Cross-channel retailing describes the experience of a shopper who has used a combination of several different channels for the same purchase. For example, if you shop on Argos’s website, select a product but complete the purchase in-store. - Omni Channel Retailing
Similar to cross channel, omni channel retailing allows you to deliver a seamless and integrated customer journey across the various channels. The main difference is that omni channel integrates marketing efforts, data, and strategy under one umbrella while cross channel does not.
Taggstar, Your Partner in Multi Channel Retailing
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