Branding: The Multichannel Shopper

Eddie Bauer scores high in multichannel integration. At its local store in Overland Park, Kan., an in-store Web kiosk with the telephone hotline to the call center is multichannel functionality at its best. But function is different than form. Though it picks up the Eddie Bauer logo and some of its catalog-style imagery, the store essentially feels like any other store in a mall. The service is excellent, but there really isn’t a brand-enhancing component to set it apart from the crowd.