50% of shoppers choose their retailer by speed of delivery

London, 25 March 2015 - A new white paper by GS1 UK* and Planet Retail has identified that the key to becoming a successful omnichannel retailer is implementing a robust and varied fulfilment strategy. Addressing pain points often felt throughout the shopper journey, ‘Delighting the Modern Shopper’ highlights six key elements for omnichannel success and how to create a seamless consumer experience across all channels.

Of the six fundamental steps for omnichannel success, fulfilment capabilities have emerged as the competitive differentiator. With Planet Retail finding 50% of shoppers saying their choice of retailer is influenced by the option of same or next-day delivery, focusing on speed and reliability is no longer enough to win the consumer. Providing flexibility and choice, while shortening the distance and time between product and consumer, must be a priority for retailers.

David Smith, Head of Digital at GS1 UK, commented: “Many retailers have difficulty obtaining a consolidated, accurate view of real-time inventory across stores and distribution centres. This makes it impossible to efficiently implement simple omnichannel capabilities like store pick-up. Only by implementing unique global standards will the smooth exchange of products and information be possible, providing the necessary level of stock visibility to support a successful fulfilment strategy.”

Malcolm Pinkerton, Research Director at Planet Retail, said: “Fulfilment has become a key weapon in a retailer’s armoury as they battle to delight shoppers. Getting the final mile wrong could result in lost advocacy and sales. Providing flexibility and choice is no longer sufficient to gain a real competitive advantage. Exceeding expectations requires granting shoppers complete product transparency through inventory optimisation, supply chain agility and visibility across all channels. By leveraging industry standards that assist in achieving this, retailers will be well placed to deliver true omnichannel experiences.” 

By aligning internal resources to the common goal of meeting the needs of the customer, the provision of an effective seamless shopping experience is possible. 

To assist retailers in becoming truly omnichannel and ensure they’re able to deliver the seamless shopping experience consumers are craving, GS1 UK is striving to encourage the adoption and implementation of GS1 standards.

The six key elements for omnichannel success identified by Planet Retail’s shopper research “Shopology” highlighted in the white paper for GS1 UK ‘Delighting the Modern Shopper’ are:

Provide seamless online experiences

• With consumers switching between devices when shopping, delivering quick and easy experiences across all screens is imperative – 26% of consumers’ choice of retailer is influenced by the website being optimised for mobile and tablet. 

Empower smartphone users

• Accommodating the needs of consumers using mobiles to help inform purchasing decisions when out shopping is now essential – 41% of consumers want to receive tailored vouchers and discount codes via their mobile when in-store based on previous purchases.

Create a compelling in-store environment

• Future of stores hinge on ability to serve customers across all channels. Retailers need to understand what technology works for its customers and where it needs to be placed – 15% of consumers have interacted in-store with staff equipped with tablets. 

Contextualised and personalised shopping

• Demand for relevant, tailored shopping is on the rise. Personalising every touchpoint, and contextualising experiences will drive loyalty and spend – 26% of consumers’ choice of retailer is influenced by ability to personalise website to only see what they’re interested in buying.

Social media can influence purchasing decisions

• With consumers utilising social media when making purchasing decisions, retailers need to get closer to their customers, provide genuine compelling content and encourage social sharing – 30% of consumers take information on social media into account when making a purchasing decision.

Fulfilment capabilities are a competitive differentiator

• Poor fulfilment capabilities will have a detrimental impact on sales. Providing flexibility and choice, while shortening the distance and time between product and consumer, must be a priority – 51% of shopper’s choice of retailer is influenced by more flexible delivery times and options.

*About GS1 UK

GS1 UK is a community of over 28,000 members working in retail, foodservice, healthcare and more. GS1 UK is one of 111 independent, not-for-profit GS1 organisations operating across 150 countries worldwide. GS1 UK helps everyone involved in making, moving and trading goods, automate and standardise their supply chain processes using the common language of GS1 global standards.

GS1 UK is operating a transformational programme in support of omnichannel retailing. The initiative introduces a range of standards and solutions that are fundamental to enabling the seamless customer experience required by omnichannel retailing through the globally unique identification of any item, person or location across all channels, systems and devices.

About Planet Retail 

Planet Retail is the world's leading provider of global retail intelligence. The company partners with over 30,000 retail professionals around the world to drive dynamic strategies through an intuitive online platform and bespoke consultancy service.

The world's leading retailers, suppliers, banks and consultancies rely on Planet Retail's expertise to power brilliant commercial decision-making. Planet Retail’s shopper research “Shopology” is a quarterly shopper tracker that monitors the spending behaviour and sentiment of 90,000 shoppers each year in 15 key markets. The data within the white paper focuses on the findings for the UK. 

For further information or requests for interviews, please contact Tim Haidar: 020 7092 3584 / Tim.Haidar@gs1uk.org.