In an ‘omnichannel’ world that includes apps, websites and social media, as well as in-store activity, retailers have to maximise the shopper experience without overwhelming or even losing their audience.
“Consumers expect to move seamlessly between online and offline channels, with the ability to research, compare, purchase, and return items across different platforms,” says Colette Devey EY Ireland consulting partner and consumer sector lead.
Shoppers want consistent and tailored communication across all channels, whether it is through email, social media or in-store interactions. “They expect to see real-time stock levels across all channels, so they can choose where and how to buy the product, and there is a demand for various fulfilment options such as same-day delivery, click and collect and easy returns,” says Devey.
EY’s most recent Future Consumer Index survey indicates that when it comes to shopping online the Irish consumer is happy for product researching and selection to be carried out autonomously, with fewer than one in five believing it is important to have human interaction during these stages of the shopping journey.
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However, we still want to be able to access and engage with people if an issue occurs, such as product returns and refunds or post-purchase for queries or complaints, which just under two-thirds of us rate as ‘very important’.
“Retailers are responding to these trends by integrating their sales channels to provide a unified shopping experience, ensuring inventory and customer data are synchronised,” says Devey.
“They are implementing consumer data platforms [CDP] to collect and manage customer data across all touchpoints, enabling one single view of the customer and allowing for targeted marketing and services. We have seen increased investment by retailers in omnichannel customer support solutions including chatbots, social media support and cross-trained, in-store staff.”
The key is “guaranteeing that all digital interfaces are intuitive and easy to navigate to prevent customer frustration,” she cautions.
Retailers must ensure there is balanced communication by using customer data to send relevant, timely communications “without overwhelming customers with too many messages,” she adds.
At Three’s retail stores, customers can buy online and choose specific pick up times or locations, requiring seriously efficient back-end systems to provide a seamless experience for customers
Click and collect is perhaps the clearest example of omnichannel in action.
“It not only drives online sales but also brings foot traffic into physical stores, where customers might make additional purchases,” explains Ronan Gibney, director of sales at Three Ireland and Three UK.
At Three’s retail stores, customers can buy online and choose specific pick up times or locations, requiring seriously efficient back-end systems to provide a seamless experience for customers.
In-store technologies, such as digital kiosks, interactive displays and smart mirrors or screens, are increasingly used.
“Some retailers I recently visited in the US use smart mirrors in fitting rooms, which can suggest additional items based on what customers are trying on. In Three, we have introduced digital catalogues with interactive screens across all of our stores allowing customers to browse the full product range and check stock availability in-store,” says Gibney.
While virtual and augmented reality (AR) are not a major feature just yet, the direction of travel is clear. “Ikea does this well, allowing customers to visualise furniture in their own space before purchasing. Similarly, AR tools in beauty retail, enable virtual make-up try-ons,” points out Gibney.
Advanced inventory management systems ensure stock levels are accurate across all channels.
This leads to higher customer satisfaction as products are readily available when needed, while also allowing retailers to analyse customer data, enabling them to understand buying patterns, preferences and trends.
“This insight can be used to optimise product offerings, pricing strategies and marketing efforts, ultimately improving the customer experience. Using Google Analytics, along with specialised retail analytics platforms like RetailNext, which Three uses, helps retailers gather actionable insights from customer data, driving more informed decision-making,” says Gibney.
Underpinning all is a strong customer relationship management system that helps retailers tailor communications, offer personalised promotions and maintain strong customer relationships.
“The key is to use technology not just for operational efficiency but to create meaningful, personalised and seamless interactions that keep customers coming back,” says Gibney.
Payment experience is important too. “Customer demand and behaviour differs greatly among retail sectors. A supermarket shopper buying a week’s groceries might prefer to use a handset to scan barcodes as they move through the store, to track their spending and save time by packing their items as they go,” says Paul Dunne, head of sales in Ireland at Elavon Europe.
“Alternatively, if shoppers are just buying a few items, they might prefer a self-checkout kiosk rather than queue at a checkout conveyor belt. The retailer might offer a number of different checkout options within the same store, giving customers the choice.”
In a clothes shop, pharmacy or luxury retail setting, shoppers typically expect more interaction with store staff. Yet even high-street retail is embracing mobile payments and self-checkout technology to remove the pain point of queues.
“Digital innovations such as automated collection points for online shopping orders and self-checkouts at fitting rooms are at the cutting edge. But mobile point-of-sale solutions that effectively bring the till to the customer, wherever they are in-store, also eliminate queues and enhance the customer experience,” he says.
Elavon research suggests consumers will buy from wherever is easiest. For retailers, that’s a competitive opportunity.
“Make sure you offer different ways to pay, and make it a smooth, seamless process. This might be offering a self-checkout kiosk, self-scan and pay, paying at a traditional till or a combination of those different methods,” says Dunne.
It might also involve decoupling of the payment process from the delivery of service, where customers order their items and pay for it, freeing up staff from the administrative process of payment. “This is frequently already available in larger chains, but we see no reason why it won’t increasingly be taken up in smaller businesses, in both retail and hospitality,” he adds.
