Claiming that there is no such thing as a “multichannel shopper” on the surface may sound like a bold statement.
After all we are irrefutably more connected than ever before, right? In fact Gartner forecasts that 6.4 billion connected things will be in use worldwide by the end of this year.
A figure which is estimated to hit 20.8 billion by 2020.
The trouble is “multichannel shopper” is a misleading and confusing term that needs to be debunked, as it doesn’t truly address what brands and retailers need to be focusing on in order to deliver value for their customers.
The issue is we are constantly being bombarded with article after article claiming that brands need to invest in an omnichannel strategy, and with it recognise the changing habits of the “always on” shopper.
Yet, little detail on exactly what this means in principle is often expressed. Retailers need to avoid simply classifying shoppers as a particular type, or isolate their view of them to an individual channel.
Customer don’t behave in this way, so nor should brands.
This brings us back to the term the “multichannel shopper”. Packaging customers in this way ignores any degree of personalisation and suggests that there is a universal way to engage with them.
The fact is, there isn’t. Every customer is different. They each have their own set of requirements and characteristics which shape their own individual journey.
Retailers who fail to acknowledge the dynamics of their customers therefore run the risk of missing out on opportunities and ignoring what their customers are actually saying.
They also need to recognise key behavioural traits and respond accordingly, then be prepared to adapt as customers display different buying signals.
To achieve high levels of sustainable engagement, brands need to increasingly invest in developing solutions and experiences which are highly relevant to the individual needs of the consumer.
That may sound obvious, but it remains a big issue for brands, particularly in the retail space, especially amongst apparel retailers.
An omnichannel strategy is merely a vehicle through which to bolster interactions. In the retail sector, whilst there is no denying the fact that it’s important to ensure the communication between the customer and the brand or store is fluid, retailers need to realise that it is not a linear relationship which can be controlled.
Along that journey will be key moments of truth, if retailers can identify these key milestone in the path to purchase, they will be able to positively influence them and add value to their customer’s lives, but they can’t be forced, they have to develop organically.
If shoppers are interacting with brands across a wide range of platforms, they are invariably generating large amounts of data. They are also communicating a core set of behaviours and requirements which need to be effectively addressed.
Capturing this information and building a rich understanding of what motivates and influences your customers can transform the way you conduct yourself as a business.
Adding value is also crucial to transforming the brand/customer relationship, but in order for this to manifest itself into a better overall experience both on- and offline, retailers need to work with technology partners and utilise their data accordingly.
Ultimately this approach helps retailers build strategies around their customers individual needs rather than an idealised version of what they believe will add value to their lives.