A Study on the level of Omni-channel strategy usage in offline store based on Consumer Needs Survey of Omni-channel Strategy

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) The crisis of various distributors who have failed to adequately respond to digital innovation in the mobile commerce market is accelerating. To actively respond to this, various retailers are organically connecting online and offline channels to provide customers with a consistent brand experience regardless of shopping channels. The purpose of this study is to analyze the overall consumer perception of the omni-channel strategy and the need for the service and smart furniture in offline stores, so to propose the direction of online and offline channel linkage in offline stores. (Method) This study conducts consumer surveys and case analysis. The main purpose of the survey is to analyze the needs of omni-channel services, offline store environments, and smart furniture. In addition, the case analysis is conducted in order to analyze the scope and level of introduction of the omni-channel strategy based on the omni-channel strategy service derived through the consumer survey results. (Results) The results are as follows. First, all five service items of the omni-channel showed very high levels of consumer demand. However, the services, such as store environment that can emphasize the consumer experience of the product, and provision of the same benefit regardless of shopping channel, show a low level of application in L company. On the other hand, Company S had a partial or insufficient level and scope of introduction to all items except for pickup, exchange, and refund services for online purchased products in offline store. Second, the level of smart furniture application in offline stores of consumer needs is relatively high, but there was no actual application. Company L had a high level of application of smart mirrors(④), simple payment systems (⑥), untact services using robot or AI chatbot(⑦), and personalized services using location-based beacon technology(⑧), while Company S's level of introduction to the item was relatively low. (Conclusions) In the omni-channel strategy, strengthening online and offline connectivity is very important, and consumer demand is also high. Thus, stores with high preference for purchases in offline channels, such as fashion, home appliance, grocery, etc., should strengthen online and offline connectivity. However, since the direction of channel linkage is based on a mobile-first strategy, interactive communication between online and offline should be possible in the future. To this end, it is necessary to expand the application of smart furniture that supports bare-free movement to online(mobile) shopping channels, product search, and purchase within offline stores.