The balance of the pandemic was especially bleak in the case of trade. Especially the retailer, who often had to close with no alternative other than the face-to-face channel. A particularly bloody situation for businesses located in high-traffic areas or whose turnover depended largely on one of the main economic engines of our country: tourism.
Given this scenario, not even the offers and rebates, usual lifesavers for seasons of low turnover, could alleviate the falls in a sector severely impacted by the crisis.
If the sector had anything to hold on to during the crisis, it was undoubtedly e-commerce. Many companies, no matter how small, had already designed and operated e-commerce with which they could continue billing without the physical channel.
Others could react quickly, designing e-commerce plans and acquiring the necessary talent to react to the situation, somewhat cushioning the drop in income and taking advantage of the consumer’s online shopping trend. A trend that translated into a substantial increase in logistics activity, one of the few sectors to generate during the harshest months of the pandemic, and a notable increase in purchases through electronic commerce.
The Importance of Omnichannel
The truth is that online and physical channels are not substitutes. On the contrary, they are and must be complementary to create a differential user experience in such a competitive market. It is precisely in this scenario where companies must innovate and make a difference with proposals based on omnichannel to attract and retain customers in any channel and under a common proposal.
Now that the recovery is underway, it is time for companies in the retail sector, regardless of their size, to design a strategy in which the online channel and the point of sale offer differential advantages to customers who are increasingly demanding, informed and with access to a global and interconnected market.
Among these skills, new technologies stand out since, to design an online marketing strategy, professionals must function effectively with digital tools to improve shopping experiences, such as Artificial Intelligence, machine learning or data analytics.
