Sales channels are the means by which companies like yours can market products and services to other companies, the government or end consumers. They can be online and/or physical. Physical channels, by the way, are conventionally called “offline”, although they often have their inventories connected. Either way, you can use one, combine several, or play with all of them on the market.
In a post-pandemic world where, according to data cited by Comestri , 84% of shoppers plan to buy through retail apps, 80% through social media networks, 77% on company websites, and 78% in physical stores, unifying channels seems like a formidable idea, doesn't it?
To do this, however, you first need to know the sales channels. Therefore, in this post I bring some that are the main ones and others that are not so used yet. Check it out right away!
ONLINE AND OFFLINE SALES CHANNELS
Knowing the sales channels is important because it helps you choose the best option for starting or expanding a business. Today, these channels are distributed in two wings, online and offline (physical). Watch:
Offline sales channels (physical)
- physical retail store: is the common store aimed at sales to the final consumer. In general, this type of store is installed in streets with a lot of movement of people;
- wholesale store: large physical store where the focus is on selling to other companies. In other words, it's a dedicated B2B trade;
- pop-up store: temporary physical store ideal for presenting the products of a virtual store in person and, in addition, publicizing the e-commerce brand in an attempt to attract new audiences;
- guide shop: store with showcase, but no stock. Customers can choose, taste and buy products via totems or online tablets. The order is sent to the buyer's home via freight;
- standalone store: physical store where customers buy and pay without assistance from employees. This is a store where the employees' work is limited to replenishing stock and shelves;
- Shopping: physical world shopping center with stores of various brands and with services such as parking, internet areas, bathrooms, air conditioning and other amenities;
- mall store: aimed at companies that intend to sell in the aforementioned shopping center. Mall stores are often of a higher standard than high street stores;
- Telesales: are sales that occur via telephone, often encouraged by advertisements made on TV, radio, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers and other pre-internet media.
Online sales channels
- Virtual store: today's most modern online sales interface, enabling consumers to shop via the internet and receive products in the comfort of their home via shipping;
- mobile store: virtual store whose design is focused on small cell phone screens. Its digital showcase and its buttons are adapted so that online consumers have better usability;
- Marketplace: online shopping where several virtual stores operate. It has a technology called "payment split“, which allows the customer to buy from several stores and make a single payment;
- Seller: English word meaning “seller”. It is the generic name given to each store or digital entrepreneur that sells within a marketplace;
- multi store: several virtual storefronts, each with a different brand, but belonging to the same owner. see case Vizzent / Suzzara to know more;
- Landing page: unique sales page with persuasive sales arguments, the landing page is one of the sales channels that most intensify the desire to buy;
- squeeze page: page dedicated to e-mail capture for subsequent sales via E-mail Marketing. Often called a landing page, the squeeze page focuses on creating leads (contacts);
- Social Media: ideal media for interacting with the brand's fans, but which serve as sales channels. Sales, in this case, can occur through resources such as social selling.
As you can see, there are many options for starting a business. Therefore, it is important to plan well before starting. In this way, you will be able to find the most promising sales channel and only then, little by little, integrate more.
If, however, you already have several sales channels in operation, the ideal is to unify them. In this way, you will be able to offer a better shopping experience to your customers. This, by the way, is the topic of the next topic. Check out!
HOW TO UNIFY
Have you ever thought about unifying your sales channels? If you have, for example, a physical store, a virtual store and a telesales team, among other means, unification is essential. Through this process, inventories are integrated and, therefore, it is much easier to sell.
For your information, according to a Business Wire report , more than 86% of all retail software spending is now focused on the concept of unified commerce. The idea behind this is to engage consumers from all sides, as well as offer them a superior shopping experience.
With your unified sales channels, you can offer consumers an omnichannel experience. They can, for example, search your online store, try it on in the physical store, buy the product via telesales and then order it to be delivered to their homes.
Because integrating your sales channels requires a unified commerce platform . This type of system has integrated OMS software that allows you to consolidate your various inventories into one, creating an endless aisle.
With an endless aisle, you avoid lost sales, as customers are unlikely to experience the problem of not finding a product in stock at a physical store, for example. Since all inventories will be combined into one, the probability of stockouts decreases considerably.
Unified stocks also mean easier for the logistics sector, as the customer may prefer to pick up a product purchased online at a physical store, for example. This reduces or eliminates the cost of shipping.
As seen, in a unified commerce, all your sales channels will look like one channel. Sales will occur continuously, without bottlenecks. This undoubtedly improves the shopping experience. Over time, consumers will realize these facilities and tend to buy more from you.
As soon as you can, also click on “ What is VTEX inStore ?” and learn about an application that, together with VTEX OMS, makes it possible to integrate inventory in a practical way.
SUPPORT TO BUILD YOUR UNIFIED TRADE
Unifying sales channels is not an easy task, and in many cases it is necessary to have a qualified team of professionals. Fortunately, you can have access to such a team at Agência e-Plus.
e-Plus Agency is an e-commerce and digital marketing agency specializing in the VTEX unified commerce platform . This agency has been operating in the market since 2013 and its client portfolio includes brands such as Pirelli, Pierre Cardin, Speedo, Vila Romana, Embelleze, Wahl Clipper, and Gregory, among others, in various countries across the Americas and Europe.
To obtain support from the e-Plus Agency in setting up your unified commerce, click on the following button and start a conversation via the messenger app:
