Omnichannel

The staying power of buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) comes down to two simple facts: consumers are demanding it, and retailers need it. JDA Software’s 2017 Consumer Survey found that 50 percent of consumers had used BOPIS in the previous 12 months, a 43 percent increase over two years ago. But what about retailers? A new study by…

A key trend to emerge from Total Retail's second annual Top 100 Omnichannel Retailers report was that retailers are allowing their customers to access, earn and redeem their loyalty points across the different channels in which the retailers operate (e.g., online, store, mobile, app, etc.). Of the 100 retailers analyzed for the report, nearly three-quarters…

Let’s face it: omnichannel was a cool buzzword 10 years ago. With the acceleration of disruption and change, being “omnichannel” isn’t going to bridge the gap between tomorrow’s leaders and laggards. Nordstrom is a notable example of a retailer with a forward-thinking approach. I worked there in 2008, so I can attest that Nordstrom was…

A key theme to emerge from Total Retail's second annual Top 100 Omnichannel Retailers report was the difficulty brands have in implementing systems that enable customers to easily return products across channels — e.g., buy online, return in-store. Of the 100 retailers analyzed, 16 retailers had cross-channel returns with no exceptions; 62 percent of retailers…

Last month, Chico’s FAS, parent company of Chico’s, announced it would begin selling the brand's apparel and accessories on Amazon.com. In just over the week that Chico's products have been available on Amazon, the brand has seen a positive  ripple effect, including more foot traffic in its stores. "Customers may have been introduced [to the…

Since the industrial revolution, retailers have occupied physical storefronts, the hub of traditional consumer engagement. But with today’s integration of the digital experience, online customer experience is the differentiating factor that encourages brand loyalty. New research by NTT DATA Services analyzed the digital and physical customer experience of 15 enterprise retailers to determine where friction…

In the era of e-commerce and its on-demand convenience, there’s a question we hear quite often: Is today’s omnichannel environment killing the physical store? The truth is that many traditional retailers are failing, with physical stores closing in significant numbers. However, it’s also true that certain retailers are alive and flourishing. The winners in avoiding…

The Vitamin Shoppe made a significant leap in this year’s rankings of the Top 100 Omnichannel Retailers, an annual report from Total Retail, coming from 15th place last year all the way to a share of second place in 2018. How did the company do it? By improving pricing consistency across channels and adding more…

With big names in retail like Toys"R"Us, Kmart and Gap closing down hundreds of stores this year, it’s easy to start believing the retail industry has reached a point of no return. Bundled with the rise of mobile commerce, age-old brick-and-mortar retailers are struggling to keep up as the dawn of the "retail apocalypse" is…

Hyperbolic headlines have been fueling the "retail apocalypse" fire. With e-commerce giants like Amazon.com seeing its net sales increase 38 percent in the last quarter, it’s tempting to fan the flames. However, stores aren't relics of the past; they’re a secret weapon for retailers. To stay competitive, retailers must provide engaging shopping experiences that are consistent…