Omnichannel marketing may be at the top of retailers’ wish lists, but it’s still just a wish for many. Although nearly half of companies surveyed for a recent study by Forrester have a dedicated omnichannel team, the vast majority, a whopping 94% in fact, report that they still struggle with obstacles such as technology and infrastructure that bar successful omnichannel execution.
The study, commissioned by consulting company Accenture and e-commerce management provider Hybris Software, surveyed 1,205 shoppers and 256 retailers in France, Germany, the U.K., and the United States and found a resounding disconnect between the omnichannel experience customers expect and the one they’re given.
Of the surveyed consumers, 71% value in-store inventory information and 39% say they aren’t likely to patronize a brick-and-mortar retailer if its website doesn’t supply in-store inventory. However, 40% of retailers are struggling to integrate such back-office technology across multiple channels and 68% offer no inventory information at all.
Additionally, half of consumers want in-store pick-up, but less than 36% of retailers offer it. When offered an in-store pick-up option, 41% of customers expect purchases to be ready within an hour. Fifty-five percent of retailers meet that expectation.
