What Omnishoppers Want, Omnishoppers Get

The expectations of shoppers in the omnichannel environment are changing — well, actually just increasing.

Consumers who shop across channels want merchants to offer more digital in-store services to supplement their shopping experiences – no matter where that activity takes place. This includes self-service options, having an interactive kiosk or display and even digital self-service help offerings.

Being able to provide consumers with the types of omnichannel services they desire is shifting from optional to mandatory, that is if they want to keep shoppers coming back for more.

The March issue of the Vantiv Omnicommerce Tracker^TM, powered by PYMNTS.com, explores not just how consumer preferences are changing when it comes to omnichannel, but why.

The availability of digital and omnichannel services like next-day in-store pick up and extended payment options are also in high demand. Not only are consumers increasingly demanding these offerings, but they are also willing to take their business elsewhere if a merchant cannot provide the fulfillment options they expect; a whopping 60 percent made that distinction in a new study.

In the eyes of consumers, loyalty and mobile may make a perfect match. Loyalty-based mobile apps are evolving to ensure shoppers can quickly and easily collect and redeem offers in-store. Not only are certain app offerings able to integrate with payment, but they also enable customers shopping at specific retailers to access loyalty cards, coupons and gift cards during checkout. New research shows that loyalty being linked to mobile devices may also have the potential to accelerate the overall adoption of mobile payments among consumers.

A GLOBAL LOOK AT OMNI

In this ­month’s tracker cover story, we take a deeper look at a few of the key findings within the “Europe and North America: A Study in Omnichannel Contrasts” report from CitiXsys and iVend Retail. We sat down with Vantiv’s VP of Strategy and Business Development Ysbrant Marcelis to gain some insight into his reaction to the report’s claims that European merchants may be doing omnichannel better than those in North America.

Here’s a sneak peek:

Despite the various preferences, when it comes to an omnichannel experience convenience remains a top priority, and deciding factor, for many shoppers.

 The study found that nearly 60 percent of the consumers surveyed, in both Europe and North American countries, felt that eCommerce provides a significantly more convenient experience as opposed to shopping in-store, leaving brick-and-mortar stores with the ongoing challenge of how to provide that consistent and holistic consumer experience across channels.

 Not to say there aren’t merchants who are doing omni well, such as Starbucks and Target, but Marcelis noted that “a lot of the more truly retail-oriented merchants are still struggling a little bit with creating an experience that may start in the store but extend out to an eCommerce environment.”

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To download the March edition of the Vantiv Omnicommerce Tracker^TM, click the button below.

About The Tracker

The Vantiv Omnicommerce Tracker^TM, powered by PYMNTS.com, features industry-spanning research and insights that arm retailers with data to make smarter decisions for enabling omnichannel commerce.