Omnichannel, understood as providing customers with a consistent sales experience, is one of the major e-commerce trends. But how to create successful omnichannel strategy? And how to use excellent product experience to deliver more revenue? Read the full article to get the answers to all your questions.
Omnichannel Starts with Multichannel
It may sound a bit strange that the omnichannel discussion starts with multichannel, which of course is another of retail industry favorite buzzwords. However, it makes sense if you think about it for moment.
Brands and retailers must deliver targeted content to an ever-growing set of direct, social, and marketplace channels. At its core, omnichannel is defined as a multichannel sales approach that provides the customer with an integrated customer experience.
Poorly orchestrated omnichannel approach will create the same experience as no omnichannel approach at all. Click To Tweet
So, how do you want to build this seamless customer experience in all your sales channels when you don’t have enough sales channels to begin with? The answer is simple – you can’t. Not until you implement good multichannel marketing strategy and offer customers the choice to buy wherever they prefer to browse and shop for products.
To close the omnichannel gaps, make sure that:
- All sales touchpoints are identified
- A company-wide point of reference for product information is established
- All marketing and sales channels are synced
- Product description inconsistencies are eliminated
Harmonize Your Product Information
Creating seamless omnichannel experience for your customers is impossible without investing in your organization’s technology capabilities. Even if you have an excellent in-house IT team, you might not yet have the skillset or vision, or access to the technology needed to kick off an omnichannel transition and see it through to completion.
The backbone of any robust multichannel or omnichannel strategy is Product Information Management (PIM).
PIM platforms are designed to support quick and easy accessing, preparation, mastering, and protection of product-related data. Moreover, thanks to easy integration with other systems (ERP, your webshop, MDM portals), effectively used PIM quickly becomes the heart of every successful retail business. Not only can it store product information, but it is also packed with lifesaving features such as Digital Asset Management (DAM), multi-language support or bulk editing of content.
Product Information Management platforms are the perfect solution for both marketers and e-commerce managers who want to save time, boost teamwork, and expand more easily to new market channels. Click To Tweet
Does your business use a quality PIM platform yet? If not (or if this is the first time you’ve heard of PIM), you might need to hire experts. Their guidance can help in choosing the most effective solution for your company. One which scales well and allows you to quickly develop and integrate with a range of third-party software tools.
When considering PIM software, draw up a checklist of what it should be capable of, such as:
- operating in the Cloud (SaaS service)
- ensuring easy integration with other systems (based on APIs)
- enabling a wide cross-department collaboration
- having quality translations and localization tools
- having a powerful Digital Assets Management
- ensuring a widget-based dashboard and real-time analytics
Conclusion
In omnichannel, every customer interaction improves the overall experience of your product and brand. As the customers are placed at the center of your business, your marketing activities should be smartly aligned to their actions, no matter if they’re performed online or in real life.
Interested in product information management, but not sure where to start? Contact our advisors to learn how a PIM solution can boost your e-commerce strategy.
