Page 36 - May2021

Special Feature: Omni-channel retailing

Retailers Bet Big on

Omni-channel

In recent years, retailers and brands have been busy
testing and investing in new omni-channel capabilities to
better meet customer expectations. Covid-19 accelerated

the implementation of these capabilities explains Yanna
Sigenlaub, Vice President of FitForCommerce.

s lockdowns and mask mandates became the new study uncovers significant gaps in how malls are responding
normal, consumers relied on online shopping and to customer demands for omni-channel services, resulting in
pickup services for essential goods, and retailers subpar mall shopping experiences.
Aand brands were forced to rely on digital and omni- The benchmark study found that despite the accelerated
channel services to stay in business. increase in retailer adoption of omni-channel services, just
The FitForCommerce Omni-channel Retail Index revealed 11 per cent of malls highlight Click & Collect and Curbside
that services such as Click & Collect/BOPIS and Curbside Pickup locations on their online mall parking maps. This clearly
Pickup quickly went from nice-to-have differentiators to critical illustrates a missed opportunity to meet shopper expectations
survival tactics. Before the pandemic, 66 per cent of retailers and for seamless and convenient shopping experiences and to
brands offered Click & Collect/BOPIS services (not including the support retailer tenant services. Malls should take advantage
grocery category). Shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic started, of this low-cost investment that is fairly easy-to-implement, yet
the adoption increased to 76 per cent, today the number is provides great added value to both mall shoppers and tenants.
even higher. Not even on the long-term roadmap of many Only one in four indicate which retail tenants offer omni-
retailers, Curbside Pickup services skyrocketed. In 2019, just 4 channel services such as Click & Collect and Curbside Pickup in
per cent offered Curbside Pickup, today the service is offered their website directories, and enable directory filtering by same
by 58 per cent of retails and brands in the FitForCommerce criteria. In today’s retail reality, access to omni-channel services
Omni-channel Retail Index. is a top priority for shoppers. Malls should invest in making it
So, how does this align to malls and meeting places? Already as easy as possible for shoppers to find the retailers that meet
struggling to stay relevant, malls faced significant challenges in their needs by clearly communicating all omni-channel offerings
2020 as well. However, new data suggests that the majority of on the mall website and mobile app, both for the mall and
malls are still trailing behind when it comes to omni-channel retailer tenants.
services and properly supporting tenant omni-channel efforts. Of the malls benchmarked, 52 per cent provide visitors with
FitForCommerce recently completed a benchmark of information about additional Click & Collect options such as
60 leading malls across 28 countries in 7 regions, covering pickup desks, lockers, returns areas or concierge transactional
approximately 1.5 million sq m GLA and 17k+ units. The services on their websites or mobile apps. These options are in
high demand by shoppers,
and while it is encouraging
that an increasing number
of malls offer these
additional services, it
is equally important
that malls properly
communicate the
availability of centralised
return locations, click &
collect lockers, pickup
desks, etc., at all visitor

36 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2021