Consumer complaints about discrepancies across marketing channels continue to be the most significant challenge in promotional efforts
In a rapidly evolving retail environment, consistency in promotions is essential to success, according to Robin Coles, EMEA MD at XCCommerce. The company's recent report, "Promotions at the Speed of Demand," conducted by Nielsen, surveyed 2,000 UK consumers, revealing insights into the expectations and frustrations of shoppers.
The report highlights that prior to the lockdown, 62% of consumers indicated different promotions based on shopping location. This fragmentation can lead to a poor customer experience, with 30% of customers in-store citing delays at till points when processing promotions as their biggest grievance. With the reopening of non-essential retail in the UK on April 12, a cohesive strategy for promotions is crucial.
Robin Coles suggests that automation is the solution to creating and executing coherent cross-channel promotions. Automation allows retailers to build promotions around customer behavior and preferences, increasing customer loyalty and lifetime value. It also enables the execution and management of promotions across channels, ensuring a seamless shopping experience for customers.
However, the implementation of cross-channel promotions into organisations' overall strategies and operations presents challenges related to integration with multiple sales applications. The growing digitization of shopping requires marketing and merchandising teams to work together to increase traffic and sales.
Inconsistent cross-channel promotions are a major issue for 44% of UK consumers. If promotions are fragmented across channels, retailers risk losing customers, especially if the customer has to piece things together themselves. This can lead to a decrease in footfall in stores, as consumers may be deterred by the inconvenience and confusion.
Moreover, 37% of UK consumers find it irritating when in-store promotions cannot be found online, and 62% report that promotions offered online differ from those in-store. These inconsistencies can erode trust and potentially lead to lost revenue for retailers.
A coherent cross-channel promotion strategy can increase return on investment for retailers. By ensuring that promotions are consistent across all channels, retailers can avoid alienating customers and maintain their trust. This consistency is key to success in the changing retail environment.
In conclusion, the "Promotions at the Speed of Demand" report underscores the importance of automation in creating and executing coherent cross-channel promotions. As shopping continues to digitize, it is essential for retailers to adapt to these changes and provide a seamless, consistent shopping experience for their customers.
