The retail industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the integration of omnichannel shopping and logistics. This approach combines online and in-store experiences, catering to the evolving preferences of modern consumers. As the demand for seamless shopping experiences grows, retailers must adapt their strategies to stay competitive and meet customer expectations.
Both in-store and online retail sales have increased steadily over the past years and are expected to continue to rise to an estimated USD 32 trillion combined by 2026.
With the increase in sales in both online and physical stores, omnichannel shopping, and more importantly omnichannel logistics, are likely to remain for the foreseeable future.2 This is evident in consumer behaviour, with around every second consumer in 5 European countries having researched and/or purchased apparel through omnichannel methods last year.
Omnichannel retail is important to US customers too and what they value the most about it is related to the logistics thereof.
As a result, there is a lot of pressure being placed on retailers to offer a holistic approach to fulfilment, with 1 in 5 consumers wishing for a seamless omnichannel experience when shopping online. This even rises to 1 in 3 among younger generations.
It’s imperative that companies address these wishes in order to keep their fulfilment and returns models flexible and retain their customers, as 33% of repeat customers would stop using a retailer if they had a difficult returns experience, for example.
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