My son wanted to buy sneakers, found a pair online at 20% off with free delivery, and added it to his cart. Wanting to try them first, we visited the brand’s nearby store.
The fit was great, but the store wouldn’t honor the online discount, had no visibility into the online cart, and advised us to purchase online instead.
This disconnect highlights where many brands fall short—they’re present on multiple channels but lack integration.
True omnichannel isn’t just presence; it’s about delivering a seamless experience across every touchpoint.
An omnichannel contact center can help bridge this gap by ensuring customer interactions across online or offline are connected, consistent, and informed
What does omnichannel really mean in e-commerce?
Omnichannel is about creating a connected shopping experience where customers can move effortlessly between online and offline touchpoints without having to repeat themselves or feel like they’re dealing with different brands.
Let me give you an example.
You buy a laptop online, and you pick it up from an offline store. With a solid omnichannel strategy, this is how the process looks:
- Syncs the online order with the in-store POS system so staff knows about the pickup.
- Sends a confirmation email to you with pickup instructions and relevant add-on recommendations.
- Updates the customer’s purchase history, which would help personalize the offers in the future.
Customers would absolutely love this experience.
Why some e-commerce brands are failing with omnichannel?
Here are a few reasons:
Siloed systems
Do you run separate systems for your website, app, and physical store?
In this case, the inventory data won’t be synced, and you will have disjointed information. For example, customers might see a product as ‘in stock’ online but find it unavailable on the app and in-store.
This disconnect does not provide trust to the customers.
Inconsistent messaging
I am very sure that you, as an e-commerce brand, have different promotional strategies on various platforms. However, they have to be consistent.
For example, you run a ‘buy one get one’ offer on your Instagram feed, but the same offer is not available on your website and mobile orders.
This would annoy and confuse your customers.
Lack of personalization
You are a loyal customer of a brand from whom you have been buying a specific organic perfume for the past six years. However, you start to receive generic email promotions on various other chemical-based perfumes.
The platform hasn’t taken your preferences and history into consideration in its promotions.
Customers would feel like they’re being spammed rather than engaged, leading to unsubscribes and lost sales.
Data siloes
Let us assume you collect feedback separately across different channels like website, in-store, and social media interactions.
If they are not consolidated and if they exist in siloes, then you don’t get to have a unified customer view. With siloed data, you miss out on opportunities to personalize recommendations and drive repeat purchases.
How do you get your omnichannel strategy right in e-commerce?
Here are six things that you must do to get your omnichannel strategy right.
#1 Integrate systems
Connect your CRM, ERP, POS, and all customer information systems to ensure that customer data is unified and accessible across all channels.
#2 Consistent branding
Maintain the same look, feel, and tone across websites, apps, emails, and social media to avoid confusing customers.
#3 Data-driven personalization
Use analytics to identify customer preferences and personalize recommendations based on past purchases or browsing history.
#4 Unified customer view
Consolidate interactions across all channels and create a single profile for each customer. You would have a single view of customer interactions across all channels and interfaces, which would allow you to offer targeted marketing and personalized experiences.
#5 Scalability
Ensure that you address every customer query regardless of the load. Your platform should be able to scale up and down the resources as well as the functionality based on business needs.
#6 Analytics and Reporting
Monitor customer feedback across channels to identify common pain points and adjust processes to improve overall satisfaction.
Impactful omnichannel strategy – A case example
The biggest hurdle for any e-commerce platform is shopping cart abandonment. One of the biggest culprits in shopping cart abandonment is the clunky and tacky nature of the checkout process.
I am talking about one of the well-known examples in e-commerce, which has mastered the checkout process for better customer experience.
I am referring to Amazon, and I have been shopping with them for more than 10 years now.
This is how it goes:
- After selecting a product, I have the option to add it to my wishlist, store it for later, or add it to my cart.
- It stores the address each time I enter a new delivery address, saving me the trouble of typing it again.
- It lets me remain logged in on a variety of platforms, including tablets, laptops, desktops, and smartphones. I can use any of these devices to access information.
- In addition to offering me a variety of payment methods, including Netbanking, credit card, debit card, buy now pay later, Amazon Pay Wallet, UPI payments, and cash on delivery, it displays all the bank offers for which I am qualified and that I can readily access.
- Free shipping and quicker delivery are benefits of being a Prime member.
In addition, I can choose to use a one-click checkout. All I have to do is enter my CVV number using the payment method I saved.
Do you offer this kind of experience on your e-commerce platform?
Today, competition in e-commerce is fierce, and customer expectations are sky-high. Getting omnichannel right can be the difference between a one-time buyer and a lifelong customer.
Your customer may interact with you for various reasons. For instance, they may want to chat with you about a product return, call about a missed delivery, or may need help with the installation of what they have bought; your job will be to ensure that the interaction is connected, consistent, and customer-centric.
If you want to convert every touchpoint into a positive experience, you will have to think about omnichannel and that starts with investing in the right cloud contact center solutions that unify communication and drive a truly integrated customer journey.
Also Read: Omnichannel Marketing and Digital Messaging: The Key to CX Success
