Online versus offline is a thing of the past. More and more retailers are now selling via online and offline stores. They are starting to focus on the numerous possibilities of combining both sales channels. No matter whether that is a temporary pop-up store, showroom, flagship store, or classic retail outlet: the objective here is to give the customer as much freedom as possible and to provide a consistent shopping experience, regardless of the sales channel chosen. Besides, cross-channel processes such as Click & Collect offer unprecedented customer loyalty and sales potential.
Choosing the right omnichannel strategy and system can complement both your online and offline sales channels profitably. The integration of the POS system into the erp system of your online store is an essential part of this. With a fully implemented system, all product information and customer data can be accessed at the POS at any time and in real-time. But how do companies implement the seamless shopping experience concretely and sensibly? Our partner Pickware has designed and developed such a POS system and will provide you with three practical examples of how a successful fusion of online and offline retailing can be achieved.
How businesses benefit through the symbiosis of online & offline retailing
The three following customer cases demonstrate how you can successfully implement a cross-channel sales concept and continuously optimize your processes through the use of Pickware and Shopware.
Vinoscout: Flagship Store & Online Shop
The spacious flagship store in Berlin is an ideal meeting place for wine lovers, serving as a showroom, warehouse and event space, often used for cultural exhibition. In addition to the event area, the store contains a walk-in warehouse that can be visited, as well as a checkout area, whose cash register systems are seamlessly integrated into shopware using Pickware POS. The Vinoscout shopping experience is further complemented by the online shop. There, customers inform themselves about products, do research, read tips, gather insights and place orders from all over Europe. Within Berlin, orders are delivered with the company's vehicles or picked up easily at the store. Therefore, orders are being dispatched and delivered as quickly as possible.
“Our online customers enjoy shopping in a genuine store. Many of our regional customers regularly search for products on the website and then come to the store."
Frank Kleinfeldt, co-founder of Vinoscout
Vinoscout is very satisfied with the combination of online and offline retailing. Thanks to the flagship store and the walk-in warehouse, Vinoscout employees are even closer to the customer. The simple integration into Shopware and the ERP system makes it easy for them to synchronize their stocks and to map the checkout process. "Click & Collect opened up completely new ways for us there," says Frank Kleinfeldt. "Private customers, as well as caterers, choose their assortment online and can pass by car and have the goods delivered 'into the trunk'."
Schnorr: Retail Store & Online Shop
The traditional store Schnorr based in Frankfurt has been around for almost 65 years, selling mostly tea and spices. It has developed from a small store to an omnichannel business with digital teatime on Instagram. The shopping experience ranges from offline to online offers for enthusiastic tea drinkers with products around tea, spices, handicrafts and other specialties from all corners of the globe. Schnorr's distinctive characteristic is that the traditional business model merges with the online shop in a contemporary way. The store, with its connected warehouse, not only provides advice and handles sales but also handles the shipping process. In one of the three warehouses, unique tea and spice mixtures are manufactured, which are offered both in the online shop and in the flagship store.
“Through the connection of our retail store and online shop we were able to further enhance the service of our traditional enterprise and make our special assortment accessible to our customers at any time and any place.”
Dr. Florian W. Lehner, Schnorr
Furthermore, product management has been significantly simplified by synchronizing the purchasing and sales processes in-store and online. According to Dr. Florian W. Lehner, inventory management is a key factor for Schnorr. It provides an exact inventory overview at any time via smartphone or laptop, thereby simplifying warehouse logistics and ordering processes. The POS sales in the retail store are booked in Shopware just like any online order. Through the central administration of all data in one system, Schnorr benefits not only from more clarity but also from optimal planning of the inventory.
Konigs: Retail Store, Showroom & Online Shop
The Swiss company for lamps and lighting accessories enhances its shopping experience in the online shop with the retail store. The latter functions simultaneously as showroom and event location, while even the storage area is put into action. As customers experience the products in the showroom, the online shop serves to provide information and place orders. If the customer takes goods ordered online directly in the store, the stock of articles adjusts itself directly and in real-time on all devices. With Pickware and Shopware, Konigs relies on barcode-based solutions for warehouse and shipping, using the POS cash register system as well. Additional functions such as Click & Collect enable the pickup and payment of online ordered goods on-site in the store.
“In our opinion, the biggest advantage of a retail store and online store is that we address a wide range of customers, regardless of their preferred purchasing behavior.”
Esther König, owner of Konigs
Customers who shop mainly online will find the complete product range as well as instructions and inspiration in the online shop. Customers who wish to see the products before a potential purchase or who would like to get personal advice have the possibility to visit Konigs directly in the store. "Thanks to Pickware we can serve both the online and the retail store from a central warehouse", praises Esther König.
Find the winning strategy for the future with the right system
The aforementioned cases prove that flexibility and the courage to evolve are essential to prepare your business model for the future. However, success does not only depend on your concept and a sophisticated channel strategy, but also on a functional system that can be relied upon to implement your chosen strategy. We recommend that you rely on a system that grows with you and offers all important functions directly at the POS and online. With a solution that is fully integrated into your online store and a central database for your sales channels, you can control your retailing from anywhere. A possible solution for this is Pickware.
__ New:__ The completely revised Pickware POS App opens up all possibilities at the POS. Let us show you the new features and the improved workflows of the new user interface in our webinar.
