Retailers need to improve sales channels

Companies urged to develop sophistication

The strategy of UK retailers who maintain multiple sales channels have yet to reach high levels of sophistication and integration, says research published this week.

A report from retail consultancy Martec International shows only eight per cent of the retailers surveyed can obtain one view of key performance indicators across their store, catalogue and online sales channels.

Frances Riseley Martec, senior consultant and author of the report, says having a truly integrated strategy for maintaining multiple sales channels can deliver competitive advantage.

‘The evidence from this Christmas demonstrates that it was the retailers who have a successful multichannel operation, like Argos and Tesco, that were the winners, enjoying growth in a less than spectacular market,’ she said.

Some 40 UK retailers were questioned for the survey, whose UK sales totalled more than £150m, making up 22 per cent of the total UK retail market.

Despite only 44 per cent of retailers questioned having a single view of the customer across all sales channels, 30 per cent say they are already investigating adding mobile commerce in addition.

Riseley urges retailers to improve the level of integration of customer relationship management software with transactional systems across all channels, and to establish an integrated approach to existing sales channels before adding new ones.

Martin Chitty, head of retail for business change consultancy Charteris, which sponsored the survey said: ‘A roadmap that places the customer at the heart of a business is essential to ensure successful multichannel retailing.’