If brands and retailers want to keep up with consumers (and competitors), they have to crush their omnichannel retail experience.
Salsify’s “Consumer Research 2022” report found that consumers across the U.S., Great Britain, Germany, and France now shop regularly across several touch points and channels before finally making purchasing decisions.
This data reinforces that brands and retailers need to offer a consistent, positive, and seamless experience across every customer touch point.
We’ll cover five outstanding omnichannel retail examples from big retailers that are crushing their brand’s omnichannel experience. You can draw from experience and infuse their strategy into your own.
1. Target Boosts Experiences With Reward
Image Source: Target
One of the best omnichannel retailing examples is Target’s integration of its Target Circle and RedCard rewards program.
Target integrates its app, website, and in-store experiences with the Target Circle and RedCard rewards programs to make shopping and redeeming rewards easy for customers — no matter where they shop.
The Target Circle program eliminates the need to cut physical coupons or present a rewards card because it stores all customer information in one location that shoppers can easily access.
It doesn’t matter where Target Circle customers are shopping (e.g., online, in-store, in-app); they can receive rewards, scan coupons, and redeem rewards.
Additionally, the RedCard program is integrated with Target Circle, giving customers extra savings and access to exclusive offers.
Target Circle also keeps track of all account activity, allowing customers to order online, place pick-up orders, or return items in-store or online.
Long gone are the days of tracking down paper receipts to make returns. Target Circle members can simply provide customer service with their Target Circle phone number, and the representative can complete the return.
Customers can also earn a community support vote with every trip to a Target store. These community support votes are influential in Target’s philanthropy efforts. By allowing Target customers to have a voice, the company elevates its omnichannel experience beyond retail.
2. Sephora Drives Engagement With Omnichannel Content
Image Source: Sephora
Sephora recently started using the Google Analytics 360 Suite to understand its customer journey better. eTail reports that Sephora found 70% of customers who visited Sephora’s website before going to the store purchased within 24 hours.
This data showed that customers were using multiple platforms to shop for Sephora products and also that online content was influencing in-store purchases. This data also proved that top-notch omnichannel retail experiences were essential to boost sales.
Sephora creates an excellent omnichannel shopping experience in several ways, but one of the most impressive is its use of enhanced online content to help educate online shoppers and replicate the in-store shopping experience.
With excellent product photography, stellar user-generated content (UGC), online contour classes, virtual try-on offerings, and multichannel how-to videos, Sephora matches the in-store shopping experience, making it possible for online shoppers to pick the correct products.
And customers who want to learn more about Sephora products they researched online can step into any Sephora location and get help from an in-person makeup professional.
3. Walmart Boosts Sales With Omnichannel
Image Source: Walmart
If you want to talk about successful omnichannel retail examples, you have to include Walmart. Walmart’s push toward improving its omnichannel retail strategies increased its digital sales from 6% to 13% from 2021 to 2022, according to Yahoo! Finance.
This increase in sales is mainly due to its rewards program, Walmart+, which encourages users to use Walmart’s app for online and in-store purchases.
Walmart+ works similarly to Target Circle. It sweetens the omnichannel shopping experience with the following benefits and integrations:
- Free shipping for online orders;
- Free delivery from local stores for things like groceries and essentials;
- Fuel points that offer Walmart+ members discounts at Walmart gas stations;
- Coupons that can be used in-store or online;
- Early access to product releases and special shopping days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday; and
- Mobile scan-and-go, which allows customers to scan products while shopping in a Walmart store and pay for everything through the app, so they don’t have to wait in a checkout line.
Additionally, Walmart offers all of its shoppers omnichannel services like in-store pickup for online orders. And local Walmart stores will price match if shoppers find a lower price for an item on the Walmart website.
4. Warby Parker Leverages AR To Help Shoppers Find the Perfect Frames
Image Source: Warby Parker
Warby Parker was one of the first eyeglass companies that recognized how difficult it is to find the right pair of glasses, especially when shopping online.
This retailer offers a quiz to help personalize the sizing process and also provides a virtual try-on with augmented reality (AR) technology. This way, customers can find glasses that fit their lifestyle, face shape, and fashion sense. The brand also offers to ship five frames (at a time) to users so they can try them at home for free.
The consumer can keep the pairs they like and ship the rest of them back. It’s also possible to pop into a Warby Parker store and return unwanted pairs. All stores can also handle orders, resizing, lens fittings, and frame replacements.
5. Amazon Spearheads In-Store and Online Experiences
Image Source: Amazon
With over 230 million unique monthly U.S. visitors alone, according to Statista, Amazon has ensured its app and online website are in sync. Users can go to their accounts and track past orders, create registries, and share wishlists.
Amazon has also integrated its logistics into its app and website. Users can track packages and even leave feedback on how packages should arrive at their doorstep.
The ecommerce giant has also integrated its app and website into brick-and-mortar locations:
- Amazon Prime members get 5% off at Whole Foods;
- Customers can pick up and drop off packages at Amazon hubs, lockers, and drop-off locations; and
- Users can also walk into an Amazon Fresh store and walk out with what they need without going through a checkout line. Everything a customer walks out with is charged directly to their Amazon account.
Use These 5 Omnichannel Retailing Examples To Elevate Your Offerings
Shopping in today’s fast-paced digital landscape means customers are everywhere. And if you want to capture more customers, you have to make it easy for customers to shop with you across all touch points and platforms.
This task can be challenging for ecommerce retailers — especially when they’re selling a product that consumers like to touch, taste, or smell. Thankfully, there are several ways retailers can provide an unmatched omnichannel experience.
As you fine-tune your strategy, look to the five excellent omnichannel retail examples listed above.
