Omnichannel with Shopware 6

Whether in local stores, online stores, Amazon and eBay, or via social media. Over many years, shopping has been taking place via a number of different sales channels. There' s almost no dealer who uses just one strategy these days. Now how do you manage multiple sales channels right? Is omnichannel THE solution? Is the whole thing possible with Shopware 6?
(I admit, this is pretty obvious. If it would not be possible, this article would not exist 😉)

First of all, let's clarify what exactly an omnichannel is. Omnichannel describes a business model that entails all channels. The omnichannel is supposed to optimize the customer experience. Customers benefit from the fact that they can be in constant contact with the company via multiple channels at the same time. An omnichannel strategy can also provide an optimum solution for the interaction between online and offline commerce.

There are some successful companies which realized the omnichannel concept already. These include: Disney, MediaMarkt (or Saturn), Decathlon and Tchibo.

Find everything you need to know about omnichannel in connection with Shopware 6. This article will teach you what a successful omnichannel strategy looks like.

Let's start with the basic differences between the multi-, cross- and omnichannel.

Multi- Cross- and Omnichannel - What’s the difference?

These three terms get used incorrectly very often. Basically, the systems are similar. We list a definition for each channel below.

• Multichannel
  A multichannel is when a company is using more than one channel at a time. But they aren't linked to each other. If the company for example uses a website, Google Shopping, and a YouTube channel, and none of these channels are linked to each other, then it's a multichannel. Only the management of the products, performance on the corresponding channels, inventory and orders are managed centrally in a Shopware instance. Your customers are limited here to the relevant channel.
• Crosschannel
  It' s called crosschannel when an initial linking has already taken place among the channels. A well-known example that is used by some physical stores: A customer makes a product request online, orders the product online, and picks it up at the local store.
• Omnichannel
  The principal of omnichannel is this: All channels are fully integrated with each other. This way, the customer should be able to communicate with the company in any way he wants to. The customer doesn't have to change the medium he uses. When the sales channel is changed, every conceivable level of information should be the same as on the channel before.This can be broken down into many different situations. For example, if a customer has added a product to the shopping cart on the website, the customer should also be able to find it in the shopping cart on the smartphone app. It should also be possible to switch the support channel from telephone to chat at any time. So in practice, we are not just talking about sales channels here, we' re also talking about communication channels.Simply said, an omnichannel should be fully adapted to the needs of the customer. After all, the customer is of utmost importance. The fewer problems your customer has completing a purchase or interacting with you, the more likely he is to buy from you. Moreover, the quicker he will decide to conduct a purchase.We probably all know this moment: We' ve discovered something in a store we didn't know yet. Now we want to buy something there. But during the checkout there are problems; we need to change the device, the payment option is not available and BANG we are NOT interested in buying anymore. That would be too much effort. We don't necessarily want this product. So do something for the user experience. At the end of the day, you are helping.

We' ve now cleared up what an omnichannel is. Why should you take an omnichannel approach? Well, let's clarify the key benefits.

Benefits of an Omnichannel

Customers prefer different shopping channels. That means they'll interact with your business wherever it's most convenient for them. The benefits are therefore obvious:

• Raise your Customer Experience
  Your customers will be more happier because they can choose which channel they use. This can ensure that you can target new groups more specifically. More people will find out about your store.
• Raise your Conversion Rate
  By making your products available on different channels, your clients get the feeling you are more trustworthy. As a result, they are more likely to order from you.
• Save time
  Your clients can save time! They can order products online, pay online and pick them up in the store, for example. That saves delivery time and shipping costs as well.
  
  Okay, now we' ve also cleared up the benefits that really make the difference. Now, you're probably wondering about how successful omnichannel management works. Let's clarify that in the next section.

Succesfull Omnichannel-Management

Personalization, networking, consistency, the question of switching channels, and the appropriate CRM system. All these things play an important role in your omnichannel management.

• Personalization
  Anyone who has spent any time in marketing knows that clients love personalization. People like to be identified as an individual and not just a number. For example, your support staff could have an overview of the items your clients have already bought. In order to guarantee an optimal personal consultation.
• Networking
  As already stated, your channels need to be connected to each other for an omnichannel. On each channel, you need to link to the other channels. You have a physical store and an online store? - All the items available in the online store should also be available on the website. In addition, the product pictures should look like the item in the shop.
• Consistency
  Watch out for your CI! Because of the cross-linking, it would be even more obvious if it doesn't match on different channels. Prices, products and generally your presentation should also be the same on all channels. Be sure that your product descriptions, etc. are the same on all channels. But don't forget to make your channels responsive. Only mobile optimized pages woo the customer.
• Channel switching
  Do NOT insist on changing channels in your processes! This can be very annoying and unsatisfying for your clients. Only allow a channel switch as a discreet option. Make sure that all processes and all questions can be used and found easily on every channel.
• CRM-Solution
  Save all data locally. This way, you can access all important data independent of the platform. For this, you need a separate tool, which can be very expensive.

Now having clarified the basics, let's give you the answer to the most relevant question: How can you follow the omnichannel strategy with Shopware 6?

Omnichannel with Shopware 6 

Shopware 6 the perfect solution to your omnichannel strategy of your e-commerce!
It allows you to combine images, videos, blog posts and social media easily. In addition, Shopware allows the connection of ERP systems, allowing for the integration of other useful functions. 

Realize omnichannel commerce with Shopware for maximum flexibility. Shopware allows cross-channel and cross-device shopping experiences. In addition, you will find a wide range of useful apps. These apps will guarantee your omnichannel success.

Here you can connect other shops to your Shopware Store

Everything in Shopware is controlled centrally! You are able to control and change all of your content centrally. It doesn't matter for which store, Google Shopping, Amazon or eBay. Do you have a local store? Perfect! Shopware also offers POS which is an integrated payment system with Shopware 6. POS let's create a smooth shopping experience. It' a seamlessly integrated solution in your online store. Through a central database and real-time balance of inventory, you profit as well online as offline from the integration in Shopware 6.

Another big advantage Shopware offers you is the Flow Builder. You can use it to define and execute individual processes. And all this without having to write any code!

However, there are also general challenges when it comes to the creation of an omnichannel. A few of the most common points are technical hurdles and a high level of complexity in the implementation. In many cases, this is due to a lack of time, money, or staff. After all, implementing an omnichannel requires a lot of know-how. It takes a lot of time to acquire this know-how. Because of these problems, very few retailers are currently using omnichannel. Even the omnichannel approach is generally seen as important.

However, it is a real shame that only so few actually follow the concept. Most retailers who have already adopted omnichannel have experienced an improvement in user experience. They have also been able to boost their sales, brand awareness and reach significantly. All in all, omnichannel commerce is a simple, future-proof and profitable concept. As an " all-in-one platform", it has perfect scaling possibilities.

Why you should go Omnichannel

Through much change in retail and especially the always growing technical change, companies are confronted with big challenges in order to be able to reposition themselves. Customers are mobile, time- and location-independent, which means they always choose which channels they want to shop on. You can make it more comfortable for your customers and support them in their purchase decision by being present on multiple channels. And by offering a seamless shopping experience, you can make it more convenient for them. So, as an e-commerce business, you need to be present where your customers are. Because these platforms are often different, omnichannel is the best solution.

This is the current state of progress, but purchasing trends will continue to change over the next few years. This makes it even more important always to be in tune with the times. Not that you miss this topic completely.