Omni-channel logistics
While walking to the train station after a long day at work, your eye catches an advertisement board displaying a stunning maroon dress. Standing amongst the crowd, you begin browsing online on your mobile phone for the same dress. A few minutes later, your purchase is completed. The store checks its inventory to process the order and schedules it for delivery to your home the next day.
Bringing together the different online and offline channels to provide shoppers with a seamless retail experience is the process known as omni-channel logistics.
Through this, merchants can retail and deliver their products to meet customers’ needs and expectations. For businesses, the challenge is to coordinate stock, logistics and distribution functions in the most cost-effective and timely way.
Omni-channel logistics is also about creating a personalized customer experience. Logistics is the key to providing this fulfillment experience that, in turn, builds a loyal customer base.
Rapid technology advances mean omni-channel retailers can now use your GPS location to offer you special, personalized “on-the-go” promotions that can be redeemed in-store when you are physically near the outlet.
With 90 percent of the world’s population expected to be able to access fast mobile Internet connection by 2019, it is highly likely that omni-channel shopping behavior will drive retail growth in the coming years.
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