Area and online sales were considered incompatible and even competed for a long time. Many brand manufacturers asked themselves whether to invest in a high-performance online brand shop or qualified brick-and-mortar specialist shops. With the Connected Retail concept, successful brand suppliers are now breaking new ground. In this way, they can combine the advantages of both sales channels and open up entirely new synergies. And customers, specialist retailers, and brands all benefit from this equation. For cross-channel integration to succeed, however, robust systems and well-thought-out strategies are required.
High-quality presentation and competent advice are a central part of the brand strategy for many manufacturers of exclusive branded goods. In addition to online sales, they rely on qualified stationary Retail. Franchise and store-in-store concepts ensure interested parties and customers receive the best possible advice on-site. To further optimize product availability and the shopping experience, it is essential to think across channels and involve specialist retailers in online strategies.
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The direct connection of the specialist trade to online sales makes it possible to give customers access to the inventories of the dealer network via the online shop. This increases availability and customer satisfaction. And that should be the goal of every connected retail concept because only satisfied customers trust a brand and will gladly return to one of the stationary stores or the online shop.
An excellent example of successful integration is Schöffel-LOWA GmbH. An impressive success story until the Corona crisis forced Retailers to close their shops. The Schöffel-LOWA managers reacted quickly and, together with the e-commerce specialists from Arendicom GmbH, set up an online shop to support franchisees and specialist retail partners. This decision has proven to be the right one even after the end of the pandemic. Because the heart of successful online marketing is a new form of networked inventory management, which has developed into an additional source of revenue.”
By being able to offer the stocks of the Schöffel-LOWA stores and some retailers in the online shop, we increase their sales by a reasonable percentage. In particular, high-demand models can be sold in the brand’s online shop if a dealer has stock and can deliver. At the same time, it is ensured that no dealer is left with his supplies. Customers, dealers, and manufacturers benefit equally from this. As a result, this leads to more customer satisfaction and higher sales.
In particular, high-demand models can be sold in the brand’s online shop if a dealer has stock and can deliver. At the same time, it is ensured that no dealer is left with his supplies. Customers, dealers, and manufacturers benefit equally from this. As a result, this leads to more customer satisfaction and higher sales. In particular, high-demand models can be sold in the brand’s online shop if a dealer has stock and can deliver. At the same time, it is ensured that no dealer is left with his supplies. Customers, dealers, and manufacturers benefit equally from this. As a result, this leads to more customer satisfaction and higher sales.
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Schöffel-LOWA relied on the expertise of long-standing partner Arendicom GmbH. The Tutzingers are experts in the internet marketing of high-quality branded goods and specialists in connected retail concepts. Marcus Krehan, founder and managing director of Arendicom, knows what is essential: “It is crucial to keep an eye on all process steps right from the start: from the implementation and maintenance of the online shop, including customer communication, to logistics and payment processing.
Brand manufacturers and specialist retailers then only need to process the incoming orders. In this way, additional sales can be realized with minimal effort. Therefore, for brand manufacturers, the question arises as to whether it makes more sense to develop their tailor-made solution for integrating the online brand shop and area sales, including all processes, or to rely on the support of experienced specialists. For anyone who wants to get started quickly, it is advisable to examine both options thoroughly and secure qualified advice, at least in the concept phase.
Because the advantages are apparent: Customers want the largest possible selection and maximum flexibility when making a purchase. Naturally, both can best be realized in the well-assorted brand online shop, which can be reached around the clock. At the same time, sustainability is also gaining importance when shopping online. The partnership-based integration of local trade increases the availability of goods because the stocks of the brand stores can be accessed. In addition, transport routes can be shortened, and CO 2-I improves the balance sheet. Online shopping is becoming “local” and can be combined with attractive on-site service offers.
Close multi-channel cooperation offers customers an optimal customer experience that combines the advantages of the online shop with the strengths of local trade. Customer communication can be personalized across all channels in connection with a central CRM (Customer Relation Management). In the spirit of a customer-centricity strategy, it is ensured that customers only receive relevant offers and information. This strengthens brand loyalty in the long term.
Connected Retail offers a wide range of advantages for the brand: First, a consistent CI-compliant appearance can be ensured in all sales channels. High-quality presentation and competent advice supporting a quality-oriented brand strategy and making a brand promise tangible for customers. At the same time, trading partners can react flexibly to local needs.
Such a network principle can only work if it is well managed and if it means as little additional work as possible for retailers. Because especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers, area sales have to economize on their resources. The aim is to use all the possibilities of digitization to achieve a maximum degree of automation.
Connected Retail offers attractive opportunities to increase customer satisfaction and sales significantly. For this to succeed, intelligent concepts are needed to optimally adapt all processes and services to brand online shops and space-based sales requirements. For brand suppliers planning steps in this direction, it is advisable to rely on the support of experienced experts, at least in the conception phase, to tap all the potential of networked sales.
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