Last night I scoured the Web to research a new television. During my search, I visited several manufacturer sites, read countless third-party reviews and user-generated comments, scanned a few blogs and also tapped into my network of friends across Facebook and Twitter.
Times have certainly changed.
From a buyer’s perspective, I would argue that the notion of “caveat emptor” is becoming irrelevant; consumers today have a vast array of tools at their disposal to research just about anything these days. They are well prepared and ready to make educated decisions prior to the point of purchase.
What does this mean for service providers, retailers and OEMs?
For starters, the need to deliver a multi-channel purchase experience is critical and will influence success or failure. No longer can you rely on either a Web site, kiosk or in-store display to influence a decision. You will likely need all of these.
As connected devices get increasingly smarter and pervasive, service providers, retailers and manufacturers need to keep pace and differentiate themselves by offering a unique purchase experience – one that extends the in-store experience online, and vice versa.
Brick-to-Click
Big box retailers and boutique shops are well-positioned to offer an in-store experience where customers can kick the proverbial tires and test the different connected devices they are interested in. But what if the customer is not ready to buy in the store or perhaps wants to weigh other options? Extending this experience online allows the consumer to re-visit the decision at their convenience. In addition to offering convenience, this “brick-to-click” model can be utilized to drive new revenue opportunities.
Click-to-Brick
Similar to my purchase process mentioned above, researching a product or service online and then visiting a store is very common today. But how can this process be improved? Closer coordination between Web, call centers and in-store personnel – all revolving around the consumer – is the key. It starts with giving the consumer tools which are shared with all personnel within the purchase process.
At Synchronoss, our platform helps service providers, retailers/e-tailers and manufacturers deliver both brick-to-click and click-to-brick models, ultimately driving a consistent, world-class customer experience.
As for my purchase decision, I found myself at Best Buy after my exhaustive Web odyssey and purchased the new 3D Plasma HD television. I am looking forward to watching the baseball playoffs and football season this fall.
