The arrival of the pandemic has caused numerous damage to the majority of the population, and, above all, to many sectors, such as tourism. The closure of many of the companies has caused chaos in business. Decrease in income, loss of customers, low demand … etc. However, now it is time to look ahead and think about the future. We are one step away from normality, we just have to see how we are evolving.
Many of the establishments decided to stock up through the online channel. While others who had both online and offline channels, decided to launch and opt for omnichannel. The fact of carrying out this initiative has led to an increase in all senses, both in customers and in revenues. It is for this reason that today most businesses are innovating, launching new ideas to attract customers.
Omnichannel in Spain
Although it may not seem like it, we are evolving little by little, and in Spain there are already many companies that have chosen to enter this new digital initiative. Some of these are:
Zara
Zara, a fashion chain belonging to the Inditex group, is considered one of the best omnichannel stores in the country. It has taken his time to get here, but in the end he has achieved it, based on a lot of effort and perseverance. The tools that the company carries out to deal with omnichannel are the following:
They have included in their business model the Integrated stock or SINT, which allows them to manage all the stock through RFID tags. This is also known as click and findWith this tool, the user can search for an item in the catalog and, if available, see where a specific garment is located. The click and try, the consumer can reserve a fitting room inside the store. And with him click and go, the user can make the purchases they want through the website and then pick it up in the store.
Also, through the iPod sale, the consumer can buy the product that is not in the store, but with the benefit of paying for it directly at the cash register or with a gift card. Through a Qr the customer can collect or return their product.
Within the fashion and accessories sector, Zara ranks first in having one of the best omnichannel strategies, followed by: Mango, El Corte Inglés, Pull and Bear, Loewe, Adolfo DomÃnguez, Desigual, Uterqüe, Hawkers and, finally , Massimo Dutti.
Mango
Mango, the accessories and women’s fashion chain, has also taken to the pool and created an omnichannel-oriented store. The company, seeing that the entertainment platform TikTok was attracting a multitude of followers, has decided to include in its store an experience related to said platform to attract the youngest, from the age of 11.
TikTok Stage is an area of ​​the store where customers can recreate choreography and take fun selfies. It also offers rest areas, mobile phone charges and an exhibition area. And you may wonder, what does this have to do with the clothing store? Well, the clientele teen You can try on all the looks you want from the store and then, with them on, record a video for the platform or take the occasional photo.
Under the hashtag #mangoteen, the firm aims to promote the creation of content by enabling striking and striking spaces that generate a direct effect on adolescents.
You can find this store at Rambla Catalunya (Barcelona).
Sprinter
Sprinter created a futuristic store in the Parquesur Shopping Center in Leganés (Madrid). The store offers multiple services and sports advice adapted to all users, from those who start from scratch and seek guidance, to those who need something more advanced and seek to go further.
It offers a space called ‘Elevate your training’ where users can perform an analysis of their footprint to find out which is the correct shoe to exercise. It also contains a 3D body scanner to know how is the physical state of the person. With this you can create a training and nutrition plan focused on the needs of the person. However, only Sprinter Club members can use it, of course, completely free of charge.
The futuristic store also includes a program of ‘Second Textile Life’, which allows Club members to deliver their used garments in the container in order to give it a second life.
And finally, ‘Sneaker Bar’, where there are different machines to be able to request a shoe of the size that the user wishes.
Mediamarkt
MediaMarkt, the German multinational of electronics products, was not going to be left behind. In Spain we have 87 physical stores located in all the autonomous communities. Most of them have the advantages of the digital world built in.
Some of these advantages are the following:
- Consumers can see through the website the availability of the product they want in any of the 87 physical stores.
- Buy the product through the application and collect it in the store, which is known as ‘click and collect’.
- Physical stores have a digital label system that allows you to adapt prices.
- Virtual catalogs
The first omnichannel store was incorporated in July 2016 in Barcelona, ​​known as the Digital Store. Includes free workshops, children’s area, gaming area and virtual reality. In addition, it offers a robotic delivery service, thanks to Reddie.
In MediaMarkt it should be noted that it was recently when it decided to become a Marketplace for other companies to sell their products there. The objective of this is to reach all corners of the world and achieve a greater target.
“Omnichannel is essential to have a point of contact and trust with the customer”, he claimed Fernando Valiente, Head of Marketing & Digital at Mediamarkt Iberia, at the Retail Forum event.
These are some of the most successful companies in our country with regard to omnichannel. It is expected that, in the future, both these companies and many others that have just started will considerably increase their number of users and can spread to all corners, both in the country and in the world.
Omnichannel in the world
The companies mentioned above are not only located in Spain, they can be found in the rest of the countries, and, in the same way, with an omnichannel format.
Regarding omnichannel in the world, we can highlight Amazon Go, it is the first physical store of this Marketplace located in Seattle (United States). There are no employees, and no boxes. To be able to buy in this place, you must first download the Amazon Go application on your mobile device. The next step will be to create an account with personal data, including the bank account number. Once the profile is created, a QR code will appear in the app, which you will have to use to enter the store. This code only works if it is shown directly from the application, if it is a screenshot you will not be able to access. In addition, several people can enter using the same code, only that the chosen products will be charged to the customer associated with that QR code.
Carrefour followed the same path as Amazon Go and decided to open a futuristic store in Dubai. This ‘store of the future’ has no cashiers or scanners, it just relies on camera recognition. These cameras capture the products that the customer has taken and add it directly to their receipt. To do this, the MAF Carrefour application must be installed on the mobile device. Once installed, you have to create a profile and enter your bank account details. The moment you add a product to your basket, those in charge of monitoring the cameras deduct the cost of that product from your account. Once the purchase is made, you receive a receipt through the application.