Editor’s Note: Are Your Customers Getting the Best 
Possible Cross-Channel Experience?

Creating a seamless cross-channel experience is likely your goal. But your customers may not be experiencing that, at least according to a March study from Forrester Research: US Online Retail Forecast, 2009 To 2014.

While the report said mostly positive things about the state of the U.S. online retail market — specifically that it grew 11 percent in 2009 to reach $155.2 billion and is forecasted to reach $248.7 billion by 2014 — it has some bad news about retailers and how their cross-channel experiences translate 
to consumers.

"Despite more shoppers incorporating the online channel in their path to purchase, multichannel shopping experiences often leave much to be desired," the report said. "While 82 percent of online consumers are satisfied with buying experiences that begin and end in a store, satisfaction drops to 61 percent for consumers who begin their research online and purchase in a store."

What are some of the disconnects across channels that disappoint customers? Check out this scenario, according to Sucharita Mulpuru, vice president and principal analyst of Forrester and co-author of the report: A consumer starts researching a digital camera on a retailer's website, assuming the product will be in stores. But when the consumer gets to the store, the product may not be available, or it may be sold at a more expensive price, or it may only be available at a different location than the one the consumer visited. Store associates may even contradict information the consumer found online.

"Usually those are the sources of frustration for customers," Mulpuru said. "Lack of consistency across channels, and the fact that the website didn't forewarn customers that prices could be different or that inventory may be web-only, etc."

How can cross-channel retailers rectify these disconnects? "The best way to make sure customers aren't disappointed is to try to provide more inventory visibility across channels," Mulpuru said, citing J.C. Penney's "Know Before You Go" initiative, which launched on jcp.com in 2007. The feature, aimed at shoppers who research online before visiting stores, offered merchandise availability at local stores and the ability to view weekly sales circulars online.

Women's apparel retailer Ann Taylor also has local inventory visibility, Mulpuru said, and Wal-Mart mentions on its site if prices in stores are different. Another, perhaps simpler idea, Mulpuru suggested, is telling consumers on websites when items are 
web-only.

Blue Dot Specials
One way retailers can communicate inventory availability across channels is via a new Google service for mobile called Product Search, which tracks local inventory. I read about this new tool on the Google Retail Advertising Blog last month.

Here's how it works: Consumers searching for a product sold by participating retailers can look for blue dots in the search results to see if it's available in a local store. If you see a blue dot, you can tap on the adjacent "In stock nearby" link to visit a seller's page, where you can see whether the item is in stock or has limited availability near you.

To access the service, U.S. consumers with iPhones, Palm webOS phones or any Android-powered devices must go to Google.com in their mobile browsers, tap on the "more" link and select "Shopping." Or, you can look for the "shopping results" section in universal search results when you search on Google.com.

Some pretty big cross-channel retailers have signed up for the service, including Best Buy, Sears, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm. Retailers who would like to participate can contact Google. The search behemoth also suggested that interested retailers prepare by making sure their Local Business Center data are up-to-date and Product Search data are in great shape. In other words, retailers should keep their inventory information as up-to-date as possible, whatever channel. If that means you'll get key placement from Google, I'd make sure to do it.

Enjoy!