Mind The Gap

Grocers must address the disconnect between their omnichannel capabilities and those that consumers expect from them.

- Randy Hofbauer

Omnichannel is a new norm in retail. Consumers today expect to be able to find and get the products they need when, where and however they want — and have a satisfying experience, regardless of the platform.

But while many retailers have invested in some level of omnichannel capabilities, their operations often aren’t on par with their customers’ growing expectations, creating a false state of “omnichannel comfort,” according to a March 2014 report from Chicago-based technology services company Accenture.

“Features that only yesterday seemed game changing are rapidly becoming the commonplace,” the report notes.

The reality remains the same today in the grocery business, and as competition ramps up in this channel, food retailers, too, will need to make sure that they’re doing everything possible to keep their omnichannel capabilities efficient and effective. If they don’t narrow the gap between their own capabilities and those expected by consumers, they risk losing market share, especially with Amazon now getting more serious about groceries both online and through brick-and-mortar outlets.

A Daunting Disconnect

First things first: When it comes to omnichannel, all consumers should be seen as the same, no matter what their preferred method of shopping may be. Keasby, N.J.-based retailer cooperative Wakefern Food Corp., which has operated an ecommerce program since 2002 and brick-and-mortar stores under the ShopRite banner for much longer, acknowledges that its omnichannel success largely comes from the fact that it’s category-agnostic with its customers.