Increasingly, the distinction between internet and store-based shopping is blurring as shopping across channels becomes the norm and retailers look for ways to exploit the trading opportunities available through offering a multichannel shopping experience. Consumers are now internet shopping savvy and have come to expect a consistent experience whichever channel they choose to shop. However the growing demands and expectations of this more empowered consumer are simply not being met. For many traditional bricks and mortar retailers, the challenge has been to adapt to the changing retail landscape, with many simply adding channels to existing operations and failing to fully integrate them due to legacy issues. With consumers’ expectations and competitive pressures increasing it is imperative that retailers develop long term multichannel strategies, investing in new technology and incorporating new services in their propositions.
Published: August 2009 - Global. |
