marketing driven ecommerce

E-tail vs Retail

The Mail on Sunday reported on the slowdown in high street during the run up to Christmas. Figures quoted in the paper included - a 2% drop in spending on the high street in the last 3 months to Christmas.However overall spending increased 2.8% during this period, showing a substantial rise in online sales. The major etailers, including Sainsburys & John Lewis are reporting up to 40% increases in online sales.

The article goes on to discuss both the disadvantages (postal issues meant some gifts didn't arrive for Xmas) and advantages (saves time and money) of the ecommerce channel.

eCommerce is an excellent complimentary channel to an already established or growing retail arm. However it is important to note that integration between the channels can be a significant boost for your business. As well as driving shoppers to both channels it offers you the opportunity to enhance your customer service. The facility to return online products in store is a significant boost for your ecommerce site. Plus the chance to repeat purchase without returning to your store can be the makings of a loyal customer.

As a business you need to ensure that your channels are aligned and that both offer the same levels of customer service and branding. Failure to do this will confuse and annoy customers from the stronger channel. Systems and process integration is vital in delivering a seamless customer experience.