Long gone are the days where shopping only meant spending hours interacting with brands and products at brick and mortar stores. Shopping might start in-person, but 32 percent of shoppers say they went online to buy an item after seeing it in the store, according to statista.com.
The evolution of consumer shopping behaviors combined with the advancement of online marketplaces has created almost-endless opportunities for the consumer shopping experience. Here we explore how three brands embrace omnichannel marketing and use it in unique ways to reach customers.
If you want an example of an omnichannel magician, look no further than Neiman Marcus—the fashion giant that has successfully built an interactive brand experience across multiple unique touchpoints. It started with the establishment of an innovation lab dedicated to identifying technologies that consider the many shopping channels available to consumers, and tapping one to drive more business to another. One such technology is the “Snap. Find. Shop.” mobile app, which is a convenient shopping aid that lets shoppers snap a picture of items they like, then the app will search its online inventory for the same or similar item, which the shopper can purchase directly through the app.
Among the hundreds of print promotions Neiman Marcus produces each year is its Christmas catalog, aka “The Book,” which is as legendary as the department chain itself. The 300-plus page Christmas catalog features the most extravagant and sometimes unusual gifts that can’t be found elsewhere. The contents of “The Book” garner media attention each holiday season, perpetuating Neiman Marcus’s best-in-class reputation.
There’s something pretty cool about having a brick-and-mortar shop come to you. Warby Parker, the billion-dollar online eyewear retailer, was started from scratch in 2010 by four MBA students after one left his glasses on a plane and found it impossible to find an affordable pair of glasses readily available online. Warby Parker’s unique process meets the customer need for a premium experience without the premium price, and the brand has experienced serious success since its inception. It has since opened brick-and-mortar stores in major U.S. cities, successfully adding a channel to their omnichannel expertise.
World-renowned fashion landmark (with only a single brick-and-mortar store) Bergdorf Goodman takes print catalogs to a whole new level. Their BG Magazine is written to serve as a holy text of fashion and culture moments by featuring the season’s most groundbreaking designers, striking fashion stories shot around the world by renowned photographers, and articles by respected social observers providing context for fashion trends. Every aspect of the publication shouts luxurious quality, from the feel of the paper to the print production—effortlessly perpetuating the brand’s exquisite reputation. And naturally, after receiving their luxurious BG Magazine, customers can easily access the store’s online catalog to make one of those omnichannel purchases we know and love.
