Multi-channel retailing explained

An integrated system is key

Sometimes known as "brick, click, and flip", multichannel provides you with more opportunities to interact with your customers as well as offering the customer more ways to buy.

Multichannel retailing can take your business to another level - however you need to optimise your systems or you may end up with an unmanageable mess and alienate your client base.

With separate systems, there is a danger that each channel will compete with the other in a way that loses business overall. Customers may be discouraged if they are bombarded with mixed messages on price, availability, delivery and stock information from each channel. Without co-ordination of stock control you may experience stock-outs and missed orders and valuable time will be soaked up keeping multiple systems up to date.

The harmonisation of the channels create huge improvements in purchasing, customer service, stock control and ultimately sales. An integrated system is the key to providing a seamless customer experience.

The most fully featured multi-channel solution available today

Sparkstone Retail provides the flexibility to meet the sophisticated needs of today's customers, for example:

• Business customers (B2B) and Consumers (B2C) can purchase through all channels.
• Vouchers and promotions can be redeemed across all channels.
• Credit account balances and credit limits can be reviewed in tore and payments taken on account.
• Special orders can be taken at the shop.
• Multiple ecommerce sites can be used to target segments of the market using different branding for example, luxury and budget markets.
• Information from all channels can be sent to the ecommerce site for best-sellar information , online customer accounts showing all purchases etc.
• Goods can be purchased on line and picked up or returned to the store.

Multichannel benefits

Sparkstone Retail manages customers, products and orders from multiple channels using a single easy to use interface.

• Stock control

  One single stock management system that supports multiple sites, locations and channels. Stock can be used for multiple divisions or can be reserved for just one part of the business.

• Pricing

  Set up multiple price lists and promotions across all of your different business channels so that you can differentiate between markets and customers to your best advantage.

• Purchasing

  By automatically consolidating all special orders, mail & telephone order and web orders with your branch requirements you can obtain the best deals and terms from your suppliers.

• Customer database

  Sparkstone Retail gives you a single view of your customers and their needs – no matter how they purchase from you. Once you target your sales and marketing efforts to meet those needs you will see a dramatic increase in sales and improvement on your marketing spend.

• Integration

  The key to building a business is to systemise all of the key processes so that when you add new staff all they have to learn is the system.And when you add a new route to market, a new branch or a new division all you should need to do is buy additional modules or users so that your core system continues to service the whole business.

• The key

  Sparkstone Retail is the key – an extensible full featured, high value for money system that goes wherever you want to go.