Retail's breadcrumb trail

Retailers have eagerly embraced the idea of what they call the `omni-channel' strategy: their attempts to sell to people not just in physical stores but through the online channels. Being able to offer customers a homogenous shopping experience relies heavily not only on the systems and IT architecture but on the data that lies beneath. This approach demands seamless integration of systems at both the front end and behind the scenes and has seen huge investment from retailers. Product availability, information accessibility, promotional relevance, ease of checkout and effective fulfilment are all key components of a competitive and omni-channel strategy. A recent survey of 4,000 people by Mindtree underscored these points. The survey showed that shoppers expect a seamless experience across channels - 70 per cent say they combine onlineand in-store purchases. In addition 90 per cent will share personal information for a better experience and 17 per cent will spend more if the overall experience exceeds expectations.