What does omnichannel mean?
Omnichannel marketing is an overarching strategy that aims to create a seamless and consistent experience for customers. Regardless of which marketing channels are used to interact with the customer.
In contrast to multichannel marketing, where companies only use very specific marketing channels to reach customers.
Omnichannel is about connecting all important channels and creating a uniform approach. Many sales channels are used across the board in online retail.
An omnichannel approach for retailers with retail stores is to use “Connect Store“, “Click & Collect” and “Return Store“, for example.
Why do I need omnichannel?
The year is 2023, a digital world in which it makes an important difference for companies whether they actually use multiple omnichannel channels for customer communication.
In order to sell more successfully as a company, omnichannel requires well thought-out marketing communication. It serves to acquire new customers and takes into account the handling of complaints.
Omnichannel also plays an important role in the market launch of new products and services. Especially in the B2B sector, where press relations and webinars are often used to arouse the interest of potential customers.
An important aspect of omnichannel marketing is the creation of a loyal customer base. By utilizing neuromarketing techniques and using retail and commerce software applications, companies can ensure that their customers have the best possible experience and remain loyal.
2 examples:
1) This allows food sellers to use consumers’ connected devices and shopping lists as a sales channel.
2) You can also offer a live streaming event with a well-known person, which consumers can join at any time and ask questions.
How can I implement omnichannel effectively?
To effectively implement omnichannel in retail, companies need to invest in a DXP software that makes it possible to track the shopper journey in order to effectively utilize resources such as payment methods and point-of-sale devices.
Another important point that makes a big difference is advertising and public relations (PR). With the aim of defining the corporate strategy and strengthening the company’s brand.
Product management software (PIM) can be used to supply point-of-sale devices with up-to-date data in the omnichannel online channel. Retailers can use it to centrally manage and update their product data.
Marketing approaches include social media channels and other digital marketing channels. Video or podcast networks are often free and offer an easy way to reach customers. However, if companies are targeting an international audience through high-reach channels, they should check the pronunciation and meaning of words in the dictionary.
The use of video, audio content with transcripts can help the marketing strategy approach resonate better with customers. Manufacturers and retailers should be aware that they need to tailor texts and articles to their customer group.
To get the best touchpoints and impact from the omnichannel campaign, incoming signals from consumers need to be captured. Amazon Marketing Cloud ➚ offers an analysis tool for this.
What are the best-known retail and commerce management tools?
Well-known systems for enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) and product management software (PIM):
Product management software
- Akeneo
- Plytix
- Syndigo
- Salsify
- Sales Layer
- Container
- Catsy
- Creative force
Customer relationship management:
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- weclapp
- CentralStation
- SAP
- Lime
- TecArt
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
Merchandise management systems
- Xentral
- KundenMeister
- Billbee
- microtech office+
- DreamRobot
- JTL
What is the difference between omnichannel and multichannel?
Omnichannel encompasses a company’s entire marketing approach. This is where all strategies are defined, planned and implemented across the board.
The term multichannel means “multiple channels”. In multichannel, only very specific sales channels are used.
These are often channels such as:
- Amazon,
- Otto,
- Zalando,
- or eBay.
But also many other channels:
- Allegro,
- Limango,
- Etsy,
- Avocadostore,
- Cardmarket,
- Pinterest,
- Rakuten,
- Shöpping,
- BrickScout,
…and:
- Groupon,
- Fruugo,
- Yatego,
- DAPARTO,
- PARTIeHABer,
- Autoteile-Markt.de,
- and store pharmacy
Using multichannel in dropshipping
Online retailers do not always have to have their own goods in order to sell them online. This allows sellers to integrate products from wholesalers into their online store and offer them online via other multichannel channels.
The wholesaler sends the order from a fulfillment center directly to the end customer. Returns can be sent back to the fulfillment center or directly to the seller. The seller must expect that he must first refund the money to the customer himself and only later receive the refund from the wholesaler.
Retailers can use so-called PunchOut systems and transmit data via OCI or Ariba.
B2C dropshipping provider
- Alibaba (mixed articles),
- Alidroship (mixed),
- BANGGOOD (mixed),
- BigBuy Europe (miscellaneous),
- DefShop (fashion),
- DHgate (mixed),
- GlowRoad (mixed),
- Griffati (fashion),
- Modalyst (Mode),
- Nedis (mixed articles),
- Printful (print textiles),
- Printify (print textiles) and
- Sunrise Wholesale (furniture, garden tools and sporting goods)
B2B PunchOut catalog channels
- PunchCommerce,
- CROWDFOX,
- ITscope
- Amazon Business Punchout
- SAP Ariba
- Conrad OCI (electrical),
- eppendorf (Medical Products)
- icecat.biz
What advantages do online retailers have when they use multichannel?
The advantage is obvious. There are already millions of potential buyers on the marketplaces. Retailers only have to offer their goods there and make sure that they are found. It is best for retailers to sell across all channels. Amazon and Otto are also the largest search engines for products on the Internet. Being found here boosts sales and branding.
How can my articles be found better on marketplaces?
Achieving more visibility for your own products is almost similar to optimizing for the Google search engine. You must decide on a main keyword or a combination. They use this term in the title, in headings and in the product description.
Amazon has introduced a new metric since 2023 to re-evaluate product pages of Amazon Sellers. These should contain informative content with the defined keywords.
Another factor is genuine and good reviews. Mentions and explanatory pages on the Internet as well as links to the product pages are also important.
What does cross-channel mean?
One current topic is the use of
cross-channel
. During the sales process, customers can switch to another sales platform on which the product is also offered by the retailer and continue the transaction seamlessly. This is a very high added value for the customer journey and strengthens customer loyalty. The use of cross-channel can significantly increase sales.
For example:
A customer wants to buy barefoot shoes. He found it on Amazon and added it to his shopping cart. Now the customer wants to check whether the barefoot shoe is also available on Otto. If he finds the item here, he can continue the transaction seamlessly. This enhances the personal customer experience, with the aim of avoiding sales abandonment and achieving a better rating.
How do I manage my articles in the multichannel?
To do this, you need centralized control of your articles. If they had over 1000 different articles and always had to create and update them manually on each individual platform, they would be busy all day.
This is why product management systems are necessary. However, some store applications also allow you to manage items on other sales platforms in parallel to the online store.
Multichannel provider
- Afterbuy
- plentymarkets
- Nekom
- Tradebyte
- Miracle
- Sellercloud
- Skubana
- Shoppingfeed
Store provider with multichannel solutions
- Shopware
- Magento
- CosmoShop
- Wix eCommerce
How is the data from the multichannel transferred to the fulfillment center?
Incoming orders, quantities, various items with product data must be sent to the
Fulfiller
must be transferred.
This is done via fulfillment software that provides various API interfaces. Either the data is retrieved from each individual sales platform or it is bundled in a warehouse or ERP solution and retrieved from there by the fulfillment provider. The data must be transferred in both directions so that the order status and quantities can be updated. The stock quantity or reservation of items is particularly important to avoid overselling.
Disadvantages of multichannel?
You should not rely solely on the multichannel. Sales platforms have domiciliary rights. This means that they can move their products to the back of the search results at any time or even exclude them completely. Both can mean a fatal slump in sales for online retailers.
It is therefore advisable to gradually and sustainably build up your own online store with good branding. This allows you to link directly from platforms such as Pinterest to your online store.
FAQ – Häufig gestellte Fragen
What are neuromarketing techniques?
These are techniques that unconsciously guide the behavior of prospective buyers. Triggers can be signal colors such as orange. But also certain words such as “discount” or “offer”. Certain smells, a sense of well-being and tactile stimuli can entice people to buy.
What are retail and commerce management tools?
Translated into German, the term means “administration tools for retail and trade”. This refers to an application that makes it easier to manage and update the product range. Customer relationship management or product management systems can be used for this purpose.
What is DXP software?
From CMS (Content Management System) to WMS (Web Experience Management System) to DXP (Digital Experience Platform). A lot of content was managed with CMS. With WMS, marketers started to create suitable personas for the target group.
In the case of DXP, customers are addressed directly via a portfolio of software solutions. This can be a chat tool on the website, interaction via social media accounts or via an app on the smartphone. Everything serves to promote customer relations, to get in direct contact with customers in order to be able to respond more quickly to questions or opinions.
What is a Fulfiller?
A fulfiller handles the entire order processing for companies. The path leads from the automatic order call-off directly to the warehouse, where a warehouse employee picks the items with professional packaging and then completely fulfills the order including shipping.
What is a customer journey?
The customer journey is the process that a customer goes through to find, buy and use a product or service. It is the totality of interactions that a customer has with a brand, from the first contact to the purchase decision and beyond.
A company should define all possible points of contact with the customer in order to be able to assess the success of a customer journey.
What does picking mean?
Putting together different items for an order.
How does PunchOut work?
A manufacturer’s product catalog is linked to the company’s ERP. This is a simple product procurement solution for companies.
What is Connect Store?
Connecting the brick-and-mortar store with the online business. For example, a grocery store can also offer its products via its online store.
What is Buy online, Return Store?
Some customers get information online, but want to try the product in the store. You can buy the item in the online store or take it directly from the store.
What is Click & Collect?
Customers can buy items in the online store and collect them themselves from a defined collection point. This can be the store or another pick-up location. In some cases, customers save on delivery costs and often want to receive the product on the same day.
