Omnichannel Strategy: The Best Examples of Successful Brands

An omnichannel strategy is a marketing and sales approach that integrates all of a brand’s communication channels (website, social media, physical stores, mobile apps, etc.) to create a unified and consistent customer experience. Unlike a multichannel approach, which treats each channel independently, omnichannel aims to provide a seamless experience where the customer can switch between channels fluidly and without interruption.
 
This chart highlights the diversity of channels used for online shopping worldwide as of April 2024. It illustrates the importance of an omnichannel strategy, where marketplaces, physical stores, retailer websites, and in-app purchases coexist to provide a seamless experience tailored to consumer expectations.

Several brands stand out for their innovative and effective omnichannel strategies. Here are some examples of brands that have successfully implemented this approach to deliver a high-quality customer experience.

1. Starbucks

Starbucks is a perfect example of a brand that has successfully integrated an omnichannel strategy. The Starbucks app allows customers to order in advance, pay via their phone, and earn rewards, all while providing a seamless experience between the mobile app and the physical store. Additionally, the brand uses personalized notifications to engage with its customers, fostering strong relationships and brand loyalty.

2. Sephora

Beauty giant Sephora also excels in omnichannel. In addition to its physical stores, the company has heavily invested in its e-commerce site and mobile apps. The brand offers a personalized and seamless experience both online and in-store by linking user data across all channels. Moreover, the company leverages Google LIA, enabling a successful web-to-store strategy, a crucial component of a strong omnichannel experience.

The figures below reveal the true strength of Google LIA at Sephora, a Lengow client:

• Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS): Sephora saw a 3.9x higher ROAS by integrating in-store sales into LIA campaigns.
• Increase in average in-store order value: A 13% average increase for customers who visited the website less than a day before their in-store purchase.

3. Nespresso

Facing omnichannel challenges, Nespresso took steps to centralize and harmonize the management of its product feeds on an international scale. With a presence in more than 80 countries and numerous digital touchpoints, the brand needed to ensure a smooth and consistent customer experience across all channels.

This approach allowed Nespresso to optimize its visibility, particularly on Pinterest, increase traffic to its website, and better position itself in new markets. By unifying its distribution channels and optimizing its offer distribution, the brand ensures an effective presence at the right time and on the right channel, strengthening consumer engagement between its website, mobile apps, and physical stores.

Innovation plays a key role in the success of omnichannel strategies. Brands that successfully captivate their customers are those that integrate new technologies and ideas to make the experience more engaging and seamless.

• Advanced Personalization: Technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning allow brands to offer ultra-personalized customer experiences. For example, Amazon uses purchase history-based recommendations to tailor the online shopping experience.

• Click and Collect: Many brands, such as Carrefour and Fnac, have integrated the “Click and Collect” function, allowing customers to order online and pick up their products in-store. This offers great flexibility while encouraging in-store visits.

• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): Some brands use AR and VR to offer immersive experiences to consumers, particularly in retail and fashion, where virtual try-ons are possible (such as with Sephora’s app).
  

In a business environment where online and offline interactions overlap, it is essential for companies to ensure a consistent presence across all channels. Lengow’s NetAmplify plays a key role in enhancing this omnichannel experience.

NetAmplify enables businesses to centralize and optimize the management of their product feeds, facilitating the distribution of relevant ads on more than 400 advertising channels across 70 countries. This broad coverage ensures increased product visibility both on online platforms and in physical stores.

With NetAmplify, businesses can:

• Optimize product visibility: By adapting product feeds to each channel’s specific requirements, ads perform better and effectively reach targeted consumers.

• Reduce advertising costs: By improving ad relevance and eliminating unnecessary distributions, businesses optimize their return on advertising investment.

• Increase online and in-store traffic: By integrating solutions such as Local Inventory Ads (with Google, Criteo, or Facebook), NetAmplify promotes web-to-store strategies by informing consumers of product availability nearby, driving store visits.

In summary, NetAmplify provides businesses with the tools needed to effectively synchronize their online and offline strategies, ensuring a seamless customer experience and strengthening their position in a competitive omnichannel market.

Brands that succeed in omnichannel are those that create a smooth and consistent customer experience across all touchpoints. With tools like NetAmplify by Lengow, which centralize and analyze customer data, businesses can refine their omnichannel strategy and offer a personalized, optimized experience. Continuous innovation and adapting to new consumer expectations will be the keys to success in this field.