This book compiles the current state of knowledge on omnichannel retailing, a new concept in which all sales and interaction channels are considered together, and which aims to deliver a seamless customer experience regardless of the channel. It highlights case studies and examples related to each of the many barriers to an omnichannel approach, demonstrating not just success stories, but also failures. While omnichannel has already been recognized as an emerging retail trend, the articles in this book fill an important gap in research on the topic. Providing readers with essential insights on the omnichannel strategy and its implementation, the book will also stimulate academic discussion on this emerging trend.
The world of retailing has changed dramatically in the past decade. Sales originating at online channels have been steadily increasing, and even for sales transacted at brick-and-mortar channels, a much larger fraction of sales is affected by online channels in different touch points during the customer journey. Shopper behavior and expectations have been evolving along with the growth of digital channels, challenging retailers to redesign their fulfillment and execution processes, to better serve their customers. This edited book examines the challenges and opportunities arising from the shift towards omni- channel retail. We examine these issues through the lenses of operations management, emphasizing the supply chain transformations associated with fulfilling an omni-channel demand. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, “Omni-channel business models”, we present four studies that explore how retailers are adjusting their fundamental business models to the new omni-channel landscape. The second part, “Data-driven decisions in an omni-channel world”, includes five chapters that study the evolving data opportunities enabled by omni-channel retail and present specific examples of data-driven analyses. Finally, in the third part, “Case studies in Omni-channel retailing”, we include four studies that provide a deep dive into how specific industries, companies and markets are navigating the omni-channel world. Ultimately, this book introduces the reader to the fundamentals of operations in an omni-channel context and highlights the different innovative research ideas on the topic using a variety of methodologies.
Omni-Channel Retail and the Supply Chain The days of going to the local department store to buy a television, view the options available, and make a purchase now seem "quaint." The emergence of the internet, smartphones, social media, and other technologies has opened a world of new options for consumers (and businesses) to review, research, and buy online with an ever-increasing array of delivery options. The emergence of e-commerce has resulted in what is commonly known today as "omni-channel" marketing, in which customers engage with companies in a variety of ways, including in a physical store or online via websites and mobile apps. This process puts the supply chain "front and center," as consumers are increasingly demanding and browsing, buying, and returning goods through various channels, not just the traditional "brick and mortar" way. To accomplish this with high levels of service while remaining profitable requires real-time visibility of inventory across the supply chain and a single view of consumers as they continuously move from one channel to another. While this is a boon to consumers, it has made the already complex global supply chain even more challenging to manage. On top of that, the 2020 Covid19 pandemic has accelerated this omni-channel retail trend, as consumers need even more ways to order and additional options for last-mile delivery, such as curbside pickup. Covid19 has exposed a lack of flexibility and readiness, resulting in shortages of everything from toilet paper and meats to personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators. It has been a real-life example of the "bullwhip effect," where variability at the consumer end of the supply chain results in increased variability as one goes upstream towards distributors, manufacturers, and suppliers. This results in shortages, misallocations, and increased costs. No longer can a manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of consumer products just "fill the pipeline" and wait for orders to come in. Now, they must anticipate various purchases and delivery items, while at the same time minimizing costs. To do this is no easy task, requiring a Lean, agile, and responsive supply chain. Until now, there was no existing "playbook" for organizations to navigate their way through this new world. This book describes the impact of omni-channel marketing on the supply chain and logistics functions, and is intended to help management meet the needs of not only today’s ever-changing world but to anticipate what may be required in the future to achieve superior customer service, profitability, and a competitive advantage.
Presents an overview of and draws conclusions from extant studies related to multichannel retailing. Academic interest in this topic has increased dramatically. Thus, an updated understanding of how retailers and consumers influence and interact with each other in multichannel retail contexts is required.
The book is made distinctive by the presentation of practitioner insight allied with academic underpinning to create a powerful new framework of unusual breadth and depth. The book communicates contemporary retail thought from the perspectives of both senior international retailers and expert observers. It is structured around four sections: * Section I : retailing in an international context * Section II: chapters from faculty at Templeton College in Oxford outlining the key issues with review questions, discussion topics, assignments and further reading. * Section III : A unique series of in depth interviews with senior executives in the world's major retailers conducted by the Oxford Institute of Retail Management. Each case is backed up by company and sector information to demonstrate the changing retail and global environment. * Section IV: A summary and overview with further exercises assignments and recommended reading.The book is an innovative and highly effective new text for both students and executives needing to understand the complexities of the latest global developments and thinking.
This book explores omnichannel fashion and luxury retailing with a particular emphasis on the role of computer-mediated marketing environments in determining a consumer’s purchase and post-purchase trajectories. The fashion industry has evolved rapidly over the last few years with the diffusion of fast fashion and luxury democratization, not to mention the advent of ICT and the development of communication. Today, fashion companies face new challenges, such as how to manage brands and how to choose between marketplaces and digital marketspaces. While some companies focus on one channel selection, others embrace the omnichannel choice and look for a balance between the two environments. Whatever the strategy, it is essential to manage these touch-points in order to create interaction between consumers and brands, provide meaningful customer experiences, and to maximize customers’ engagement. An insightful read for scholars in marketing, fashion and retail, this book investigates the triangulation between branding, marketplace, and marketspace and its impact on the organization.
Managing Customer Experiences in an Omnichannel World explores how organizations integrating both the physical and virtual environments for consumers will enable them to effectively manage the customer experience.
Technological innovations, sociological and consumer trends, and growing internationalization are transforming the cultural and creative industries (CCIs). These changes present new challenges for CCIs that require original and inventive answers. Innovation in the Cultural and Creative Industries analyzes the powerful strategies put in place by CCI organizations such as Nintendo, the Lascaux Cave and Daft Punk. The case studies presented in this book cover video games, books, music, museums, fashion, film and architecture. Each chapter is organized around five key points: a theoretical framework that focuses on a specific concept, a description of the methodological mechanism mobilized, a presentation of the industry concerned, the analysis of the innovative strategy and a recap of the lessons and best practices demonstrated by the case.
What is the secret to Amazon's success? What does the ecommerce giant have in store for the future? Explore the disruptive new retail strategies of the world's most relentless retailer and gain valuable lessons that can be applied to any business in the ecommerce sector, with original insight from the company as it continues to revolutionize itself even further. The retail industry is facing unprecedented challenges. Across all sectors and markets, retailers are shifting their business models and customer engagement strategies to ensure they survive. The rise of online shopping, and its primary player, Amazon, is at the heart of these changes and opportunities. Amazon's relentless dissatisfaction with the status quo is what makes it such an extraordinary retailer. This book explores whether Amazon has what it takes to become a credible grocery retailer, and as it transitions to bricks and mortar retailing, investigates whether Amazon's stores can be as compelling as its online offering. Exploring the ecommerce giant's strategies, Amazon offers unique insight into how innovations such voice technology, checkout-free stores and its Prime ecosystem, will fundamentally change the way consumers shop. Written by industry leading retail analysts who have spent decades providing research-based analysis and opinion on retail strategy and enterprise technology use in retail, Amazon analyzes the impact these initiatives will have on the wider retail sector and the lessons that can be learned from its unprecedented rise to dominance - as stores of the future become less about transactions and more about experiences.
This book is devoted to the dynamic development of retailing. The focus is on various strategy concepts adopted by retailing companies and their implementation in practice. This is not a traditional textbook or collection of case studies; it aims to demonstrate the complex and manifold questions of retail management in the form of twenty lessons, where each lesson provides a thematic overview of key issues and illustrates them via a comprehensive case study. The examples are all internationally known retail companies, to facilitate an understanding of what is involved in strategic retail management and illustrate best practices. In the third edition, all chapters were revised and updated. Two new chapters were added to treat topics like corporate social responsibility as well as marketing communication. All case studies were replaced by new ones to reflect the most recent developments. Well-known retail companies from different countries, like Tesco, Zalando, Hugo Boss, Carrefour, Amazon, Otto Group, are now used to illustrate particular aspects of retail management.
