The omnichannel shopper is demanding a few things, are you ready to respond?

Consumers are more connected to data than ever.  They have the ability to research any product they want at any time of the day and virtually just about anywhere there is a signal.  The power of information changes behaviors as well as expectations and a recent report by Displaydata confirms that there is a dynamic shift in how consumers in the US look at omnichannel shopping.  There are a few interesting stats and an infographic below that truly shows what consumers think.

• 97% of consumers shop online because of the convenience and the belief that they are getting a better deal from a wider choice of products.
• However, the store still wins out, because over 83% of US consumers still make most of their purchases in stores, but a whopping 85% of consumers in the US will do some form of web-based research before visiting that store.
• Despite the preference for in-store purchases, Displaydata found that there we some specific challenges with omnichannel consumers in the US.  First, 42% think that retailers offer different prices online and offline and that 47% think that online promotions offered are no available through offline channels.

These numbers should give email marketers some pause because as they head into the busy holiday season.  The email team needs to  ensure that there are some alignment with offline channels if even to test incremental lift or a new attribution model around email’s influence to the offline world. I get that its sometimes hard to play nice with all of the other channels out there, but at some point, you guys are going after the same customer and a seamless and rewarding experience across all interactions with a brand are expected by today’s consumer.

(infographic courtesy of Displaydata)