What Is An Omnichannel Model?
The omnichannel model refers to a marketing or retail strategy, which is often employed by direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands to provide a unified and seamless consumer experience across multiple channels and touchpoints.
Under an omnichannel strategy, brands strive to offer consistent and unified experiences to customers, regardless of whether they interact with the brand via online or offline channels.
In today’s digital-first world, a well-thought-out omnichannel retail strategy is essential for D2C brands. This is because customers increasingly prefer a unified shopping experience that allows them to seamlessly move between online and offline channels.
A comprehensive omnichannel strategy consists of physical locations, ecommerce websites, mobile applications, social media platforms and even call centres. The objective behind such a strategy is to provide consumers with personalised and connected experiences regardless of the channel they choose to interact with the business.
What Are The Key Growth Drivers Of An Omnichannel Approach In Ecommerce?
- Rise In Disposable Income: According to Inc42, India’s consumption expenditure is projected to double from $1.5 Tn in 2020 to $3 Tn by 2030, driven by the rise in disposable income across the country, including in rural areas. The growth of the ecommerce industry will be fuelled by D2C brands that have an omnichannel presence.
- Convergence Of Offline & Online Verticals Across Sectors: D2C brands in the fashion and lifestyle sectors were the first to embrace omnichannel retail within ecommerce. However, the rise of multiple delivery models, such as quick commerce, has allowed other sectors like food and groceries to opt for this approach.
- Crucial For Trust Building: Indian consumers still prefer to touch and feel products before making a purchase. As a result, D2C brands need to combine online and offline channels to create a hybrid shopping experience to meet the needs of their customers.
- Competing With Legacy Brands: Large legacy retailers like Tata and Reliance have been increasing their digital presence across channels. This has led to omnichannel becoming a necessity for D2C brands to compete with these behemoths.
What Are The Examples Of Omnichannel Retailing?
- Online-to-Offline (O2O) Integration: D2C brands may have an online presence where customers can not only purchase products but also establish physical stores or pop-up shops to provide customers with hands-on experience, test products and get in-person assistance.
- Mobile Apps: brands launch their mobile apps that enable customers to shop, monitor orders, receive personalised recommendations and remain up-to-date on the latest promotions, creating a direct and personalised engagement channel.
- Social Media And Influencer Marketing: Using social media platforms, D2C brands engage with their audience, conduct targeted advertising and collaborate with influencers to reach potential consumers where they are already spending time.
- Personalised Email Marketing: D2C brands send customised email campaigns to consumers based on their preferences and behaviour, thereby personalising purchasing experience and encouraging repeat purchases.
What Is Omnichannel Distribution?
In the retail supply chain, omnichannel distribution refers to the synchronised administration of inventory and order fulfilment across multiple channels. Omnichannel distribution facilitates the flow of products from suppliers to consumers through all available sales channels, including physical stores, distribution centres and online marketplaces, as opposed to treating each channel as a separate entity.
Ecommerce companies and retail titans in India have adopted omnichannel distribution to efficiently meet consumer demands. With an integrated system, retailers can optimise their inventory. This helps reduce out-of-stock situations and ensures quick and more dependable customer deliveries.
In addition, utilising multiple distribution channels enables retailers to offer more adaptable delivery alternatives, such as ‘click-and-collect’ or ‘ship-from-store’, thereby accommodating a variety of customer preferences.
