Why omnichannel is here to stay

Brick and mortar retailers have faced unprecedented challenges throughout 2020 and 2021. Many businesses have not only had to close their doors for more than half a year, but when open there have been limitations on the type of in-store experience they have been able to provide their customers.

On the other hand, ecommerce has flourished, with consumers choosing to spend more online even when restrictions have been lifted. According to data shared by IMRG, total online sales in the UK grew by 36% in 2020.

Retailers who are quick to react to their customers' changing behaviours are being driven to where customers have gone, focusing on selling across a variety of channels, known as omnichannel retailing.

It’s never been more important to go omnichannel — offering a seamless way for customers to purchase items and connect with your brand both digitally and in your brick-and-mortar store. Here’s how you can use omnichannel retail to grow your business.

Drive customers in store by allowing them to buy online and pick up in person

Estimates suggest that as much as 75% of potential online sales are lost due to potential customers abandoning their online shopping cart. Studies have shown that the number one reason cited by consumers for abandoning a digital shopping cart is unexpected or unfairly high shipping costs added to the bill at checkout.

Companies that can offer the ability to buy online and pick up in store have a better chance of turning leads into sales and beating the shopping cart abandonment problem. They also benefit from introducing customers to their in store location and allowing them another opportunity to shop in person.

Expand your customer base with a robust online strategy

One benefit of omnichannel sales is the ability to expand your customer base beyond your local area. Using online promotions and flexible shipping options, you can target people around the world. PrestaShop enables currency conversion so you can present the items on your website in multiple different currencies while still accepting payment in your local currency.

Online sales also cater to customers outside of business hours, making your products available 24/7. By offering online sales you're not restricting your potential customers, as they can browse your product on your ecommerce website at any time of day.

On your PrestaShop store, it’s important to accept many different types of payment methods and allow your customers to store their card details for fast checkout. This helps create loyal customers online, even if they’re not near your in-store location.

Gather detailed sales data and keep your POS and PrestaShop store in sync

The best way to get a unified view of your omnichannel business is to connect your PrestaShop online store directly with your point of sale. This way you can see unified reporting from across your business. The following features will enable you to sell online and in store seamlessly.

Keep your sales in sync

Look for a payments module that can sync your sales across all channels in a single view. You should be able to filter your data to see when and where each item is being sold. This allows you to run promotions, change product placement, or modify pricing based on your real-time data.

Manage your inventory in store and online

For omnichannel retailers, it’s important to have a clear view of your inventory for online and in-person sales. Set up your PrestaShop store so that your inventory updates when you make a sale, which eliminates the need to manually track and update.

The Square module enables all of these features and more, allowing you to effectively sell online and in store.

It’s clear that a robust omnichannel strategy is no longer just the future of retail — it’s arrived in force. Use these tips to expand your business both in person and online.