Omnichannel is an approach that aims to provide a great shopping experience to customers through the integration of multiple channels and at all stages of the purchase journey. The focus is on creating a seamless journey for customers, allowing them to switch between channels effortlessly while maintaining continuity. Thanks to Omnichannel, customers can shop on Ecommerce websites, online marketplaces, social networks, by telephone and in brick-and-mortar stores. 

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Among the advantages of Omnichannel, we can highlight the:

• Easiness of reaching your customers wherever they are;
• Increase of customer retention and customer satisfaction;
• Opportunity of bringing offline and online channels together;
• Improvement of your business efficiency;
• Increase of revenue;
• Growth of upsell and cross-sell opportunities.

The terms "omnichannel" and "multichannel" are often used in the context of retail strategies. While they both involve reaching customers through multiple channels, there are distinct differences between the two approaches:

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Multichannel Strategy:

In a multichannel approach, a company may have a presence across various channels such as physical stores, websites, social media, mobile apps, and more. However, the channels may not be fully integrated or synchronised, and there may be minimal or no coordination between them. Customers may have different experiences and encounter inconsistencies as they move between channels.

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Omnichannel Strategy:

On the other hand, an omnichannel strategy takes a more integrated and seamless approach to customer experience across channels. In an omnichannel approach, the different channels are designed to work together cohesively, providing a unified and consistent experience for customers.

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Key Differences:

1. Integration: in Multichannel strategies each channel functions independently while Omnichannel strategies channels are integrated.
2. Consistency: Multichannel strategies may have inconsistencies in messaging, branding, and customer experience across channels while Omnichannel strategies prioritise consistency.
3. Channel Coordination: Multichannel strategies often lack coordination and synchronisation between channels while Omnichannel strategies focus on coordinating customer interactions and synchronising data across channels.
4. Customer Journey: In multichannel strategies, the customer journey may be fragmented, while Omnichannel strategies aim to create a continuous customer journey across channels.

 82% of smartphone users consult their phones on purchases they are about to make in-store and 45% read reviews before making a purchase.

Source: New Research Shows Growing Impact Of Online Research On In-Store Purchases (forbes.com)

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To implement a successful Omnichannel strategy, it is important to make sure that all the teams and departments that are involved in the process are aligned and that they know the main objectives and expected results of such effort. 

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Then, it’s essential to identify your customer journey. It's where you'll find the channels you will be selling on and which tools and infrastructure will be needed to support these channels. Besides that, it is necessary to enable the purchases and payments across these channels.

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To study the best channels to work on, it's important to analyse all available data about customers and their shopping behaviour. This will help you to have an effective marketing strategy and also to design a great business plan.