TRENDING: How Digital, eRefills Help Small Pharmacies Play Big

Tech-savvy consumers have come to expect the ease and speed of omnichannel features offered by online retailers.

In response, retailers ranging from brick-and-mortar behemoths to young, independent upstarts are investing in mobile and online features, offering a more convenient and enjoyable experience worth returning for.

In the latest Omni Usage Report, PYMNTS explores recently debuted tools and tech from retailers and merchants, designed to give customers the convenience they crave.

Around the Omni Usage World

A large part of meeting consumer expectations often comes down to expediting the shipping process. According to industry research, an astounding 99 percent of consumers say fast delivery is “important” to them when making purchasing decisions.

And, as expectations of shipping speeds continue to rise, the biggest names in the space are exploring how to get online purchases into customers’ hands as quickly as possible.

Macy’s, for one, is trying pickup lockers, a system already offered by companies like Amazon. The company is adding the lockers to select stores in New Jersey after originally debuting the technology in the Chicago area, along with a few other locations.

Meanwhile, Walmart is putting its faith in pickup towers. The company recently said it would add towers to 500 stores in the U.S. by the year’s end, raising the total number of locations offering towers to more than 700 retail stores.

Target, meanwhile, seems to have its sights set on same-day package delivery. The retailer recently announced it would slash next-day delivery fees on its Target Restock program, reducing delivery costs from $4.99 to $2.99 per order.

To find the rest of the latest Omni Usage news, as well as the biggest headlines from around the space, check out the Tracker’s News and Trends section.

Investing in Convenience to Win Over Pharmacy Shoppers

To keep up with big players, more small and independent businesses in the health space are investing in digital features and delivery services.

In a recent interview with PYMNTS, Brian Zone, owner and founder of Long Island Apothecary, a new independent pharmacy in Commack, New York, discussed how omnichannel features have become table stakes for small pharmacies. Zone said customers often can’t or don’t want to leave their homes while sick to get what they need, making convenient, personalized service crucial to success in the industry.

“If you’re sick, you don’t want have to go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription,” Zone said. “If you’re leaving a doctor’s office or urgent care, you don’t want to have to rush to a pharmacy to pick it up. You’d rather just have it delivered right to your house, so you don’t need to do anything else.”

To read the full story, download the latest issue of the Omni Usage Report.

About the Tracker

The Omni Usage Report™ features industry-spanning research and insights that arm retailers with data to make smarter decisions for enabling omnichannel commerce.