I just returned from the retail industry’s largest trade show and the message from the NRF 104th Retail’s Big Show was crystal clear: Get ready to provide a seamless customer experience, from POS to mobile to web to inside your store.
Session topics ranged from Big Data to security to trends to watch in the coming year, but across every conversation we heard one distinct message. Consumers today want a consistent, personal experience no matter how they choose to interact with your brand.
And here’s the kicker—they aren’t thinking about how they buy, they’re just buying.
You may be delivering a world-class experience in-store, on mobile or via the web but if every channel isn’t integrated, you’re going to lose.
POS was a big topic of discussion this week, and hybris software and OneView Commerce have teamed up to offer a single platform of shared services that drives all commerce transactions, removing barriers that have stymied retailers in the past.
During a session titled, “A Single Platform of Shared Commerce Merges Digital and Physical Channels,” Rick Chavie, vice president of omnichannel at hybris software, said that POS “must be a seamless part of a great in-store experiences.”
Following on Chavie’s remarks, Linda Palanza, chief operating officer of OneView Commerce, pointed out that mobile is a remarkable and powerful tool, but that there is still a use for the standard POS, combined with other systems that can help create memorable in-store experiences.
Research presented during that session indicates that 30 percent of retailers plan to revamp or replaces their POS during 2014, and 63 percent want a unified transaction engine.
Mobile was everywhere at NRF 2014, and if you’re still not sure how powerful it is for your business, consider that Sephora reports a 200 percent increase in mobile sales in 2013. But while m-commerce is on the upswing, the message was clear that the mobile shopping experience must be integrated.
In other words, strive for an omnichannel experience.