A multi-channel strategy is essential for Black Friday

Retailers must adopt a multi-channel strategy if they wish to capitalise on Black Friday.

In the United States, Black Friday is a real institution. 27 November is a day of exceptional sales in the run-up to the Christmas shopping season. This phenomenon is beginning to spread to Europe, and in particular to France, which is the third-biggest spender in Europe during this period after the United Kingdom and Germany. PIM is an excellent way to implement your pricing strategy for Black Friday.

Black Friday is gradually gaining ground in France, particularly online.

Online sales during Black Friday, just like the Christmas period as a whole, are expected to rise significantly this year. For retailers, it is essential that their infrastructure – both physical and digital – meets the expectations of bargain hunters keen to make the most of Black Friday. If this is not the case, major retailers risk losing substantial sums, warns mobile retail expert Dan Wagner.

A study published by the agency R-Advertising shows that French retailers are expected to generate €144 million in revenue during Black Friday this year. Alongside this, a study by RetailMeNot, in collaboration with the Centre for Retail Research (CRR), reveals that, out of a total of 66 billion euros in sales during the Christmas period as a whole, €9.7 billion will be made online, representing a 14.7 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2014. 28.7 per cent of this online spending is expected to be made via a mobile device.

An omnichannel experience for an optimal customer experience

The growing popularity of online shopping during Black Friday is attributed to the event’s increasing media presence in France, as well as changing consumer habits. Retailers will need to anticipate this rise in sales during Black Friday in order to avoid problems caused by e-commerce systems becoming overloaded, and to ensure the best possible shopping experience for consumers. They will also need to provide an optimal multi-channel experience for their customers, ensuring they have access to as many shopping options as possible. The main problems encountered last year during Black Friday centred on slow-loading e-commerce sites and virtual queues. Yet these are precisely the problems that retailers with physical outlets strive to avoid.

Dan Wagner, CEO and founder of Powa Technologies*, comments:

“The growing interest in Black Friday comes at a time when simplifying the shopping process is a priority for consumers. It is clear that more and more of them are shopping online. Retailers must therefore respond to these new needs, particularly during Black Friday. They need to work on expanding the range of shopping channels available to consumers, as well as ensuring a swift response to customer enquiries. They must be highly responsive and resolve any potential issues quickly.”

“Nowadays, simply visiting a physical shop to make purchases is no longer enough for consumers. They now want to break down the barriers to shopping through a comprehensive experience and interaction with the items that interest them, anywhere, anytime and as simply as possible. To achieve this, brands must invest in a multi-channel experience and consider integrating mobile and tablet devices into their strategy, in order to improve interaction between brands and their consumers. Retailers adopting a multi-channel strategy will be the leaders of the future of retail, as they will offer their customers a unique experience by bridging the gap between physical retail outlets and the online world. They will enable consumers to complete transactions quickly and efficiently via any platform. ”

Conclusion

A mobile commerce platform such as PowaTag enables retailers to adapt to consumer demand by transforming every touchpoint into a purchasing opportunity. After downloading the app for free, consumers can complete transactions in just a few seconds thanks to pre-registered payment details. PowaTag enables consumers to make purchases using a variety of methods: by scanning printed visual codes, interacting with Bluetooth beacons, recognising audio tags or using social media.

*Source: PowaTag press release