Multichannel vs omnichannel? Explaining the definitions of e-commerce strategies
Aleksandra Kozioł
© Firn from Firn via Canva ProAre multichannel and omnichannel approaches at odds? Or can you use a more complimenting approach to those slightly different ideas?
On the surface, those two ideas seem the same. Furthermore, those two words are often used interchangeably. If you try to decode the names, you’ll notice that both omnichannel and multichannel have Latin prefixes. Omni means “all” or “every” (for example omnipresent is present everywhere, omnipotent means unlimited power. Meanwhile, “multi” is “many” or “multiple” - like multilingual, multitasking, or multinational.
But let’s not split the words apart. Looking at omnichannel and multichannel strategy in practice can be much more beneficial.
Multichannel marketing principles - building customer engagement on multiple platforms
Simply put, a multichannel approach means that you’re available to your clients everywhere. That means you’re present online and offline - in your real brick-and-mortar stores. And online, your users can find you on social media, your own website, mobile app, and marketplaces. You can also employ various means of communicating with your audience, be it with newsletters, web and mobile push notifications, social media channels, etc.
Multichannel allows you to:
Increase your brand visibility
Allow your customers to reach you wherever they’re most comfortable with
Create a comprehensive marketing message across multiple channels
Boost customer engagement across multiple channels
Multichannel strategy focuses on casting the widest net possible, without much pressure put on connecting the channels. Different ways of approaching the customer allow for focusing on other aspects of the offer depending on the medium. Let’s take a look at the differences between shopping online vs. offline.
Source: Deloitte Insights “2024 Deloitte back-to-school survey”
This survey shows that you can focus on different aspects of your offer depending on the marketing channel you’re using. Different sales channels and marketing channels allow you to display your offer's benefits to the fullest.
Once your potential customers get hooked on the good prices you advertise online, you can invite them to see the stock and enjoy its benefits in person. And since multichannel focuses on building more than one channel at a time, and starting customer interactions, allowing for different channels to have separate strategies can work in your advantage.
Omnichannel approach - seamless integration across multiple channels
As we’ve stated before, multichannel and omnichannel are often used interchangeably. But when we dig deeper, there are some differences. In this case, omnichannel is all about creating a unified customer experience across multiple platforms: web and mobile, online and offline.
In short, omnichannel strategy:
Provides a consistent customer experience across all channels on their customer journey.
Increases customer engagement and loyalty.
Improves customer retention and reduces churn.
Enhances product discovery experiences and supercharges sales.
Offers data-driven insights to inform marketing efforts.
Employing the omnichannel approach to e-commerce marketing implies providing a unified experience. Customers can start their journey on one channel (e.g., browsing products on a mobile app), continue on another (e.g., adding items to the cart on a website), and complete the purchase on a third channel (e.g., picking up in-store), all without losing continuity.
The approach goes hand in hand with research findings stating that the customer should see the brand’s marketing message seven times before deciding to buy.
Furthermore, we’re more likely to shop when the communication is consistent between different channels. This applies to the tone of voice and brand ideas that are easy to recognize and ascribe to certain companies (think Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan).
Omnichannel is all about communication. That’s why in discussing it we pay more attention to emails, newsletters, web push, mobile push, and SMS as a way of reaching customers on different stages of their shopping journey.
Some companies are wary of introducing too many channels into the mix, worrying that it might seem spammy. When done right, however, those channels can seamlessly work together, bolstering the message instead of cannibalizing each other.
In addition, it allows you to talk with your customers in a way they choose. Some might be more open to newsletters, others use social media for all their shopping needs. When done right, push notifications are nonintrusive and allow you to be fast and precise with your messaging.
Personalization in omnichannel marketing strategy
Omnichannel marketing strategy relies on much more than mass marketing campaigns. Customer-centric approach means that the messages sent on individual channels should be personalized to better suit the client's needs and wants.
Customer-focused personalization relies on collecting and using data about customer journey and customer experience. Then, you need powerful tools to actually put this information into action. This is where AI comes in handy.
AI can help personalize marketing efforts by analyzing customer data and behavior.
AI-powered chatbots can provide 24/7 customer service and support.
AI can help optimize marketing channels and improve customer engagement.
Maintaining multiple marketing channels to build positive customer relationships requires not only a good strategy, but also tools to measure the results. What exactly are the measures of success in omnichannel marketing?
Track key metrics such as customer engagement, retention, and conversion rates.
Use data and analytics to understand customer behavior and preferences and gather valuable insights.
Monitor customer feedback and sentiment to improve marketing efforts.
Omnichannel vs multichannel marketing - key differences
While both omnichannel and multichannel marketing strategy focuses on creating a seamless customer journey across multiple channels, there are some differences to keep in mind.
Multichannel marketing strategy is about being present on multiple channels, each functioning independently.
Omnichannel marketing strategy is about integrating those channels to create a seamless, cohesive customer experience across all touchpoints.
An example might be useful.
Multichannel retail strategy:
A customer might see an ad on social media, visit the brand’s website to learn more, and then go to a physical store to make a purchase. Each of these channels operates independently, and the customer may have to start from scratch at each step.
Omnichannel retail strategy:
A customer might receive a personalized email with a discount code, click through to the website to add items to their cart, check product availability on the mobile app, and then choose to pick up the items in a nearby store. All actions are connected, and the transition between channels is seamless.
This is where we come to the conclusion that:
Multichannel marketing is a good choice if you want to reach customers across diverse communication platforms, but can’t invest in omnichannel capabilities.
Omnichannel marketing is a good choice if you can prioritize a cohesive customer experience across all touchpoints. Adding more channels helps you widen your reach and build more touchpoints on your customer journey.
As you can see they are not so much two strategies. Both omnichannel and multichannel share similar goals: gather more customers, build multiple touchpoints across various channels, and drive online shopping as well as sales in physical locations. All that can be done with or without significant resources - it all depends on how it's prepared.
Let’s talk about push notifications
Both web push and mobile push are opt-in solutions. This means you’re communicating with users who are already interested in your offer. They can be easily swayed to complete purchases, especially if you use additional automation scenarios to offer further incentives. Push notifications are beneficial for both omnichannel and multichannel strategies.
As users move more and more to mobile devices, companies are quick to follow with mobile apps. In those cases, mobile push notifications are a must-have.
PushPushGo has all your web push and mobile push tools in one place, allowing you to create concise communication for your website and mobile app.
By prioritizing a cohesive customer experience and using data and analytics to inform digital marketing efforts, businesses can create a seamless customer experience that drives loyalty and growth.
If you want to learn more about the possibilities of push notifications in building seamless omnichannel experience, drop us a line at [email protected]
Content Specialist @PushPushGo
Editor and writer. She is interested in media and new technologies.
