US, India Customers Take Hybrid Approach – Report Finds Changing E-Commerce Trends – Industry News

Consumers are using multiple channels to shop. According to a report by Locus and Coresight Research, 65.8 percent of US consumers now want to use multiple channels, such as online and in-store shopping, to increase convenience and choice. A similar trend can be seen in India, especially among the younger generation. These shoppers are between 18 and 44 years old and use both online and offline platforms. Since 75 percent of online shoppers fall into this age group, brands can expect an increase in demand for a unified or integrated channel to enhance the shopping experience.

Today, the unified commerce approach is being embraced, which means integrating all available channels and touchpoints. The unified channel trend can be attributed to changes in shopping habits brought about by technological advances. Nishith Rastogi, Founder and CEO of Locus.sh, said, “Shoppers in both the US and India are adopting a hybrid shopping approach, signaling a clear shift towards a more integrated shopping experience. More than half of US consumers are leading the way in combining these behaviors, and India is quickly catching up, with a younger, affluent demographic driving similar trends.”

Changing consumer behavior

In the US, 25 percent of shoppers are spending more time shopping across channels, driven by convenience, ease of navigation, multiple choices, and affordability. At the same time, 36.9 percent of these consumers appear to remain loyal to retailers because of a good user experience. A similar pattern can be observed in India, where 62 percent of online shoppers come from middle- and high-income households. The demand from these consumers is for a personalized, seamless experience as they move between online platforms, direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites, and physical stores.

The report also highlights the growing importance of shopping through social media platforms, known as social commerce. American consumers are using social media to discover products and conduct research before buying. Nearly 23 percent of American consumers make purchases directly through social media platforms. Indian consumers are following the same trend, with social commerce becoming an increasingly important influencer, especially in the fashion and beauty categories.

Key Unified Commerce Technologies

Unified commerce can be considered the way forward for traditional omni-channel approaches. The new approach integrates back-end logistics, inventory, and customer data into a single system. It enables customers to have a seamless shopping experience. It also reinforces the need for real-time inventory management for unified commerce, which can be achieved through technologies such as RFID and mobile-first shopping platforms.

Consumers leave incomplete data sets most often across platforms such as social media, websites, and apps. This makes it difficult to identify a customer and creates unknown or multiple identities. Customer data platforms collect data from various sources and create a centralized database. This will provide a comprehensive view of each customer and provide a holistic view of consumer behavior.

Real-time inventory management for all channels will provide a seamless customer experience. Advanced RFID-based inventory management systems provide visibility and real-time updates. They also prevent out-of-stock situations and enable omni-channel fulfillment services such as ship from store, BOPIS, and curbside pickup. RFID technology enhances the unified retail experience by maintaining accurate inventory levels across all platforms.