According to the 2016 Digital Commerce Survey released by Boston Retail (download a free copy of the report here), 72% of North America’s top retailers plan to offer “buy anywhere, ship anywhere” within the next five years. And half will be taking it a step further with capabilities that offer truly holistic “start anywhere, finish anywhere” commerce within the next 5 years, which includes the ability for consumers to research, purchase and take delivery of items anywhere, anytime.
Why digitizing the store is a vital element
The solution begins with the digitization of retail brick and mortar. By bringing the convenience of ecommerce into the store, the benefits of commerce anywhere become reality.
Much sought after investments include the following:
- Endless Aisle
- Ship from store
- Buy online, pick up in store
- Reserve online, pick up in store
- Home delivery
- Return anywhere
From a retailer’s perspective, it's complex.
1. Shrinking stores with an objective to drive more revenue per square foot while reducing inventory gaps with improved fill-rate and inventory availability.
2. As well as finding ways to leverage their existing retail capabilities and physical stores to differentiate their offering and experiences.
Welcome to the paradigm shift
The inherent shift in customer expectations has created a pressing need to connect the digital to the physical across the shopping journey. The channel-centric approach to commerce has evaporated with the ‘era of ecommerce’ behind us. The new reality calls for the convergence of online shopping and brick and mortar to deliver the unified commerce experiences that today’s customers demand.
I invite you to download this complementary report to see if your digital commerce priorities are aligned with the top retailers in North America.
