Omnichannel has been an ever-present marketing objective (and buzzword) for the better part of a decade. Even before the proliferation of the internet and mobile apps, brands sought to provide a consistent experience across various touchpoints for consumers to purchase their products. But accelerated digital buying behaviors, combined with the proliferation of mobile devices, means successful brands must provide as many retail “paths” as possible, all while consumers’ expectations only increase. This rapid digital acceleration has led to newer retail-specific terms being adopted such as “phygital” (combination of physical and digital environments) and “BOPIS” (Bought Online, Picked up In Store).
And yet, even these new terms are simply the latest means of defining the importance of brands removing as many roadblocks to purchase as possible. And for those wondering if this trend will subside in the future, it’s worth noting three of the biggest retailers in the country, Walmart, Macy’s and Target have all significantly invested in their omnichannel infrastructure over the last two years to keep up with consumers’ demand.
Combining Omnichannel with Product Personalization
Investment in a product customization program, much like an omnichannel retail strategy, deepens a relationship between brand and consumer. Even better, consider integrating product customization into your omni outlets, establishing an exclusive experience only available through your branded channels: e-commerce, in-store, live events, etc.
Supporting Omnichannel
In supporting an omnichannel retail strategy, product personalization provides additional levels of audience insight and engagement through:
- In-store product customization opportunities, utilizing kiosks and mobile platforms that draft off the e-commerce experience, can allow consumers to start a purchase on one device and finish in-store while also choosing how they want the product delivered to them.
- Differentiating your stock SKUs from other outlets (Amazon, e-retailers) and adding value to the shopping experience, only available from your platforms with an increased margin.
- One centralized platform between e-commerce and retail allows for deep user configuration trend analysis including product preferences across different geographies and audience segments while also facilitating more robust customer service through centralized customer and order information.
- Giving consumers true multi-access points to the brand provides the best chance to truly show the brand’s full potential, particularly when integrating across events, e-commerce, and retail. Efficiencies and adoptions in fulfillment provide greater options for consumer service, providing further differentiation from competitors.
- Increased data sharing between retail and e-commerce provides unique re-marketing opportunities for custom products that have been abandoned, driving consumers to the final retail transaction of their choosing.
Spectrum can help you sharpen your competitive edge
Forward-thinking brands are investing in comprehensive omnichannel strategies at scale, giving them significant competitive advantages. These custom product omnichannel strategies are best served when complemented with accelerated custom product production via in- or near-shore factories. When fully optimized, custom multi-channel integrations streamline company-wide operations, resulting in faster production times, reduced waste and emissions. Additionally, we see overall higher customer satisfaction, increased time engaging the custom experiences, time in-store, etc. Imagine the ability to give your biggest fans the exact products they want, personalized to their liking on the digital device of their own choosing, and delivered in whatever manner they like. It’s a reality that many of our clients are already enjoying, and we’d be happy to show you how the Spectrum product customization platform can help take your omnichannel strategies to the next level.