Burberry points to new multichann​el propositio​n

With so much talk of ecommerce, point of sale and how physical stores can best infiltrate multichannel to their advantage, where exactly is the role of the store heading?  As UK retail remains in a state of flux as the traditional model

veers towards a more ‘customer centric’ model, focused around the consumer’s multichannel shopping habits. The dynamics between the multichannel variables including online, new technologies and delivery methods will fundamentally change the role of store.

Many retailers are still uncertain about how to tackle multichannel retail and attract the skills and talent they need says Matthew Prebble, partner at management consultancy Accenture. “A lot of retailers talk about multichannel, or even omnichannel but, in reality, many are still struggling to map out the journeys they need to take to achieve that vision,”

And where Burberry continues to lead the way with their digital enhancements, their new flagship store was a clue as to where leading retailers might envisage their future; the amount of product available on the shop floor has been scaled back, new selling methods such as in-store ordering and iPad terminals has rendered this less necessary. In the case of Burberry, single units of product are displayed, encouraging customers to interact with their advisors, each assistant is equipped with an iPad to help customers locate their desired item (be it size or colour) within the store stockroom, or throughout the rest of the estate, notably online. This transaction encourages interaction between the customer, the assistants and the brand, offering a level of service which cannot be replicated online. It also gives assistants the opportunity to capture any loss sales or indeed up/ cross - sell products.

Whilst retailers are no doubt taking note of the level of delivery service needed to compete with online retailers. So store assistants are able to order products not available immediately in store on behalf of the customer directly through the iPad, customers can then choose to have their products sent to their home or available for collection in store within 24 hours, including products ordered from the website. Thus this type of multichannel practice is starting to challenge the old logistics structure as well as stockholding requirements, a topic that demands a separate discussion.

And if anything Burberry is just merely illustrating to other luxury retailers that executed properly, it is perfectly possible to integrate multichannel, whereby online and offline can not only seamlessly exist but support one another. And there are further possibilities to differentiate their multichannel propositions and stand out to the discerning luxury shopper.