Adapting to Omnichannel Retail: How Market Research Can Ensure a Seamless Customer Experience

  • August 20, 2024

  • Eyes4Research

The current retail environment is fast-paced, and the lines between online and analog life continue to blur. Consumers expect a seamless experience, whether they are browsing a B2C brand’s website, using a mobile app, or walking into a physical store. The shift toward omnichannel retailing presents both a challenge and an opportunity for retailers. 

The B2C brands that can deliver a consistent and unified experience across all touchpoints stand to gain customer loyalty and increase their market share. But how can retailers ensure that their omnichannel strategy meets consumer expectations? 

This is where market research becomes indispensable. By leveraging insights drawn from comprehensive market research, retailers can understand consumer behavior, preferences, and pain points across channels. This understanding allows them to fine-tune their omnichannel strategies to ensure a seamless and engaging customer journey. 

Why a Seamless Omnichannel Experience is Important

Before diving into how market research can facilitate omnichannel success, it’s important to understand why a seamless experience is so crucial. In an omnichannel environment, customers interact with a B2C brand through various channels– from online storefronts to social media, and mobile apps to physical stores. A fragmented experience across these touchpoints can lead to frustration, cart abandonment, or worse, switching to another brand.  

For instance, imagine a customer who sees a product on social media, adds it to their cart on a retailer’s website, and then decides to complete the purchase in-store. If the in-store staff is unaware of the online promotion, or if the product isn’t available in-store as indicated online, the customer’s experience is disrupted. This lack of consistency can damage trust and discourage future purchases. 

In contrast, a well-executed omnichannel strategy ensures the customer journey is smooth and uninterrupted, regardless of the channel. Achieving this level of cohesion requires deep insights into customer expectations and behaviors– insights that can only be gained through effective market research. 

How Market Research Drives Omnichannel Success

Market research plays a pivotal role in helping retailers understand the nuances of consumer behavior across different channels. It allows retailers to address critical questions such as: 

  • How do customers interact with different touchpoints? 
  • What are the common friction points in their journey? 
  • What factors influence their decision to purchase online versus in-store? 
  • How do promotions, product availability, and customer service impact their overall experience? 

By answering these questions, market research provides retailers with a roadmap to create a truly omnichannel experience for their customers. Here’s a quick look at how it can be done: 

  • Identifying Customer Preferences Across Channels: Through surveys, focus groups, and behavioral data analysis, market research can uncover how customers prefer to shop. Do they like to browse online but purchase in-store? Or do they prefer a fully digital experience? 
  • Mapping the Customer Journey: Market research helps retailers map out the entire customer journey, identifying all the touchpoints a customer interacts with before making a purchase. By understanding this journey, retailers can ensure that each touchpoint is consistent and contributes to a positive overall experience. 
  • Detecting Pain Points: Through customer feedback and sentiment analysis, market research can reveal the pain points that customers encounter across channels. Whether it’s long wait times for in-store pickup or confusing website navigation, identifying these issues means that retailers can address them proactively. 
  • Testing and Validating Omnichannel Strategies: Market research provides a platform for testing and validating different omnichannel strategies before committing to a full-scale implementation. This could involve A/B testing different website layouts, piloting new in-store technologies, or gauging customer reactions to new mobile app features. 

The Role of Custom Online Panels in Enhancing the Omnichannel Experience

One powerful tool in the market research arsenal is custom online panels. These panels, like the ones designed by Eyes4Research, consist of a carefully curated group of participants who provide ongoing feedback on various aspects of the retail experience. For retailers looking to perfect their omnichannel strategy, custom online panels offer several key advantages– here are a few: 

  • Continuous Feedback Loop: Custom online panels allow retailers to gather continuous feedback from a representative group of customers. This ongoing dialogue helps retailers stay attuned to changing consumer preferences and quickly adapt their strategies. 
  • Targeted Insights: Unlike one-off surveys, custom online panels can be tailored to focus on specific customer segments or channels. For example, retailers can create panels specifically for online shoppers, in-store customers, or omnichannel users. This targeted approach ensures that the insights collected are relevant and actionable. 
  • Testing and Iteration: With custom online panels, retailers can test new initiatives, such as website updates, or in-store promotions, before rolling them out to the broader market. Panel participants provide real-time feedback, allowing retailers to refine their strategies and avoid costly mistakes. 
  • Building Customer Relationships: Engaging customers through custom online panels can also strengthen brand loyalty. Customers who feel that their opinions are valued and acted upon are more likely to remain loyal to the brand. This can be a powerful way for brands to differentiate themselves in an immensely competitive retail landscape.

For retailers who want to deliver a seamless omnichannel customer experience, market research is not a luxury– it is a necessity. Understanding consumer behavior, identifying pain points, and testing new strategies, means retailers can create a cohesive experience that creates happy and loyal customers and drives sales

Custom online panels offer a unique opportunity to collect ongoing feedback that can guide omnichannel strategies. By investing in these tools, retailers can stay ahead of the curve, continuously improve their offerings, and build stronger relationships with their customers. 
Read more about the retail industry on the Eyes4Research blog. Eyes4Research also has everything you need to collect high-quality insights from consumers. Our panels are comprised of B2B, B2C, and specialty audiences ready to participate in your next research project. Learn more about our specialty panels here.




About the author:

An industry leader and influencer – Rudly Raphael specializes in all aspects of research logistical design involving quantitative methodology, implementing internal system infrastructure to streamline business processes, channelling communication and developing innovative research solutions to ensure Eyes4Research remains a competitive force in the marketplace. An entrepreneur, inventor (patent holder), blogger and writer – his articles have been published in various magazines such as Medium, Ebony Magazine, Business2Community, and also cited in various journals and academic publications.