Multichannel: The argument for selling across the internet

Businesses are scrambling to keep up with channel-hopping customers. Today’s shopping experience has grown more complex as new shopping habits have taken center stage. To get a bigger piece of the market pie, you must meet your customers wherever they are.

According to CapitalOne Shopping, retailers using three or more channels increase consumer engagement 250% more than single-channel retailers.

If you’re wondering how to start with multichannel selling—we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll cover the types of channels, the benefits of multichannel selling, and best practices to set you up for success. Let’s dive in.

What is multichannel selling?

Multichannel selling is a sales strategy in which a brand uses multiple platforms to sell its products to customers. The goal is to maximize market presence and reach different customer segments.

According to Google, 60% of consumers are taking six or more actions before deciding to buy a brand or product that’s new to them, including:

• Comparing the price of similar brands or products (80%)

• Searching online for reviews and information (75%)

• Visiting the brand’s or product’s website or app (67%)

• Going to see the product in-store (66%)

• Checking online retailers and marketplaces for info and reviews (60%)

• Checking the return policies (60%)

The modern customer journey is multifaceted, and if you want to stay in step, you must engage customers across all platforms and touchpoints.

Types of sales channels

If you decide to go the multichannel selling route there are a plethora of channels to choose from. Let’s look at some of the channels businesses use to reach their target audience.

Ecommerce website

Having your eCommerce website is like owning a prime piece of digital real estate. It’s your storefront, hub, headquarters, and where customers get the full branded experience.

Having an eCommerce website is fundamental to selling directly to your customers and collecting the data you need to create a personalized experience. Make sure to keep it fresh, functional, and customer-friendly because competitors are just one click away.

Social media channels

Social media is where the action happens, and if you’re not playing, you’re missing out. The challenge? Trying to figure out how to stand out in a sea of endless posts and ads that consumers have learned to ignore.

You can use social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to advertise and sell products using their social native features.

Online marketplaces

Online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, or Etsy are the shopping malls of the internet. The traffic is there, and it's massive, but you're not the only store in the neighborhood.

These platforms are fantastic for expanding reach, but there's a catch: competition is fierce, fees can add up, and you have less control over the customer experience. Still, when you want to cast a wide net and tap into an existing audience, marketplaces are hard to beat.

Comparison shopping engines

Consumers love comparison shopping engines such as Google Shopping because they get to compare prices, features, and reviews all in one place.

On these platforms consumers can find product listings from multiple retailers, so if you want to stand out make sure to optimize your shopping feed with product attributes, high-quality visuals, and regularly update your inventory and prices.

Affiliate programs

Affiliate programs allow you to partner with influencers, bloggers, or other businesses who promote your products in exchange for a cut of the sales. The beauty of this is it’s low-risk and scalable.

Mobile apps

If your customers are glued to their phones (spoiler alert: they are), a mobile app might be your golden ticket to an always-on, personalized sales experience. Mobile apps let you push notifications, offer in-app purchasing, and make that coveted “one-click” experience even easier.

Physical stores

While everything seems to be heading digital, physical stores are still powerful—especially when they offer something that can’t be replicated online (think: in-person customer service, product demos, or an experience). Bonus points if you’re offering customers a seamless omnichannel experience where they can browse in-store and then easily continue their journey online later.

Benefits of multichannel selling

Multichannel selling is about getting your product in front of more people, wherever they like to shop. Here are some of the key benefits of multichannel selling:

• Enhance customer experience - When customers can shop with you anytime, anywhere, on any platform, you provide them with a seamless experience that feels personalized and convenient.

• Increase revenue - More channels mean more opportunities to sell. Whether through your website, social media, or a marketplace—you’re casting a wider net and, ideally, getting more revenue.

• Reach different customer segments - Not all your customers are hanging out on the same platform, so by selling across multiple channels, you’re meeting them where they’re at—whether that’s Instagram, Amazon, or your ecommerce website.

• Collect data across multiple touchpoints - By tracking behavior across different channels, you get a 360-degree view of your customers’ habits, so you can fine-tune your strategies, and achieve your targets.

• Build customer trust - Consistency across all your channels means customers know exactly what they’re getting, no matter where they interact with you, which is the quickest way to get them to trust you.

5 best practices for multichannel selling

Multichannel selling doesn’t need to feel daunting. Here are five best practices to help you make the most out of each channel.

1. Select the right channels

Not every channel is for every business, so instead of wasting time and resources on platforms that don’t fit your product or target audience, focus on where your customers actually hang out. To find the channels that make most sense for your business try to analyze important factors such as your target buyers, fees and commissions, algorithms, listing policies, payment options, customer service, etc.

2. Connect your webshop data directly to multiple channels

Don’t let your data live in silos. Connect your webshop data directly to marketplaces, price comparison sites, and ad platforms, ensuring your feeds, listings, and inventory are always in sync and up to date. Instead of having to manually update your product offerings and stock information use automation for the heavy lifting, so you can focus on scaling and selling, not data entry.

3. Create a consistent customer experience

Your customers want the same seamless experience across every platform, whether they’re browsing on Instagram or checking out on your website. If you confuse them, they’ll bounce. Provide them with all the information, visuals, and support they need to make an informed buying decision, no matter what channel they use. A consistent customer experience is the prerequisite for success.

4. Manage product data from a single interface

If you’re juggling multiple channels, managing your product data from different platforms can turn into a nightmare. So, streamline that process by using a single interface to keep everything neat and spend less time on wrangling data. This way, you can save time and resources and increase your online reach and visibility.

5. Get real-time data on how your products are performing

Customers leave digital breadcrumbs everywhere they go but this data is often siloed across disparate channels. By getting real-time data on how your products are performing you can automate product segmentation based on performance, and optimize campaign goals based on ROAS. Having a full overview of your best and least performing products can help you act fast and make the most out of every channel.

Start selling across multiple channels with Channable

To sum it up, multichannel selling isn’t optional anymore—it’s a necessity if you want to stay competitive and meet customers where they’re at. Stick to these best practices, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of selling across multiple platforms without the heavy lifting.

Ready to start selling across multiple channels? Channable can help you list, advertise, and optimize millions of products across channels and platforms. Get a free trial.