Omnichannel Fulfillment – What retailers need to know.

As a retailer, staying ahead of the competition is an ongoing battle. Given that, one of the ways to stay ahead is to ensure that you are providing your customers with the best possible shopping experience. Subsequently that’s why omnichannel fulfillment is quickly becoming the go-to solution for many retailers.

Omnichannel fulfillment integrates the delivery of products to customers across various channels, encompassing in-store, online, and mobile app purchases. In light of this unified approach, customers receive a consistent shopping experience regardless of their chosen platform. Consequently, the significance of omnichannel fulfillment for retailers becomes evident. To optimize customer satisfaction, retailers must craft a comprehensive fulfillment strategy tailored to meet diverse shopping preferences. Delving into the intricacies of omnichannel fulfillment unveils crucial insights for retailers aiming to enhance their customers’ shopping journeys.

To ensure that you provide the best customer experience, you need to know who your customers are and their needs. This means that you must have a comprehensive understanding of their buying habits and preferences. Hopefully, you already understand who your customers are and what they are looking for, but here are some questions to consider as you build an omnichannel experience.

• Where does the bulk of your sales come from? Online? In-store? Via mobile app?
• What kinds of products are purchased via each channel?
• What are the age(s) and demographic of your primary buyers?
• Where do most of your buyers live?
• What marketing channels are having the most success in conversion and audience engagement?

To provide a seamless shopping experience, you must ensure that your channels are integrated. With this in mind you must have a unified platform that links all your channels, including your website, store, and mobile app. Key features to include in your omnichannel software programs are:

• A platform that can manage all the business’s channels, including order fulfillment, cross-channel marketing, and additional integrations like a CRM.
• Manage and combine customer-facing commerce channels. This would include all POS systems in-store, online, and via social media.
• Deliver functionality for B2C or B2B omnichannel commerce
• Maintain product availability and data across all channels.

If you work with a 3PL fulfillment partner, it’s crucial to first ensure that their software will integrate seamlessly with your platform. Otherwise, you may face significant challenges in managing your fulfillment process. However, if they, like Falcon Fulfillment, provide API integration tools and additionally offer an account manager to assist with implementation and integration, then you can proceed with confidence knowing that the transition will be smooth and efficient.

Because omnichannel fulfillment covers many systems, channels, and customers, creating workflows that cater to an excellent customer experience is crucial. Creating a smooth omnichannel fulfillment experience requires efficient processes. This includes automation and streamlining workflows. Start by reviewing business operations such as marketing and initial point-of-sale.

You must utilize the latest technology to ensure that you are providing your customers with the best possible shopping experience. Generally this includes using a customer relationship management (CRM) system to keep track of customer information, analytics to measure performance, and automation to streamline processes. Here are a few specific ways to streamline processes for omnichannel fulfillment:

• Automate Inventory management (more on this below)
• Use automation in managing the sorting, movement, storage, picking, and packing of retail orders for last-mile delivery
• Evaluate pick and pack procedures for inefficiencies
• Implement effective and easier returns management

One of the most important elements of omnichannel fulfillment for retailers is optimizing inventory. You must have an effective inventory management system to provide your customers with the products they want when they want them. This includes having a real-time view of inventory so that you can quickly adjust your stock to meet customer demand. To this end, automation software, streamlined processes, and ensuring all systems integrate with real-time data help optimize the flow of goods in and out. Check out four ways a 3PL can help with outsourcing inventory management.