While brick-and-mortar stores add apps to reach customers on tablets and smartphones, e-commerce retailers are exploring ways to establish traditional storefronts, says Frank Kaufman, a partner and National Retail Practice Leader at Moss Adams LLP.
“The hottest topic these days is the omnichannel approach. Retailers want to engage customers at all points,” says Kaufman. “It’s about how you push information to consumers. That could be through text messages, social media, or signing them up for a geo program so you can identify their location and send a coupon to their phone when they’re near your store.”
Smart Business spoke with Kaufman about retail trends and the impact the Marketplace Fairness Act could have on the industry.
What does it take to implement omnichannel retailing?
Historically, brick-and-mortar stores were slow to embrace the Internet until there was a compelling argument to do so. It’s now evolved to a scenario where you have multiple avenues to engage the consumer at all points.
People are buying merchandise using smartphones, they don’t need to use a computer. With that in mind, how do you push information to consumers? It’s not just through traditional ads, but also texts and tweets.
Walgreens conducted a study that illustrated the effects of omnichannel. They measured annual sales at a base of $1 for traditional customers at stores. They found when that same customer goes online at some point to place an order, that goes to $2.50. And if they can get that person to load an app on a tablet or smartphone, that customer spends $6.
They go even further by giving the app the ability to map out the shortest distance to walk to find items in the store. Shoppers can get curbside service as well.
Pacific Sunwear enhanced the shopping experience by giving sales associates tablets. If a customer likes a garment, the associate can pull up a dozen other items that go with it and find them for the customer. Sales made through the tablets increased 50 percent over purchases at the registers. It’s all about giving extra value for someone coming into the store, making the experience better.
Why are e-commerce businesses interested in opening brick-and-mortar stores?
Even Amazon.com has said it’s going to find locations. One trend is buy today, have today, where you can buy online and pick it up at the store. It comes down to serving an immediate need. Even with Amazon Prime and free shipping, Amazon still can’t get items to the customer today. But the online retailer said it will not move forward until developing a model that’s different and unique to Amazon from the customer experience standpoint.
What impact will the Marketplace Fairness Act have on the retail industry?
The act, which requires online and catalog retailers to collect sales tax at the time of transaction, will ultimately pass; it passed the Senate in May and the House has it. The challenge is not getting agreement, but how to put it into effect. It’s not about having 50 states, it’s really 680 different jurisdictions and trying to determine where a sale has occurred and who gets the tax revenue. A company in California sells an item to someone in Ohio and it’s shipped from a business in New York — who made the sale?
However, what we’re finding is that it will not alter purchasing habits significantly, except for high-priced items involving $200 in sales tax or more. Studies show the impact on buying decisions is ridiculously low, less than 2 percent. Amazon went along because it knows it doesn’t matter — the convenience it can provide makes sales tax a non-factor.
It’s going to be a zero sum game because people will spend at the same level, it’s just that a portion of the funds will be redirected through the government channels and more money will go into local communities.
Whether consumers buy online or in stores, they are doing their homework. About 50 percent of purchases in stores have been researched online. It’s all connected. The goal for any consumer product company is to get an app on a smartphone, the device people have with them 24/7. Then combine that with a store where they can get it now. ●
Frank Kaufman is a partner and National Retail Practice Leader at Moss Adams LLP. Reach him at (949) 221-4055 or [email protected].
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