Comment: Future-proofing in a multichannel world

What’s been the biggest breakthrough in multichannel retailing in the past five years?

Ask those in the know and responses will vary, from kiosks with touchscreen technology, free in-store wi-fi, the surge in tablet usage, to same-day delivery, new generation mobile apps, data exploitation, click-and-collect, third-party collection points and geolocation technology.

Such divergent answers just go to show quite how many innovations are coming on-stream and changing the face of multichannel retailing. But with so much cutting-edge technology and new multichannel services to choose from, how do retailers prioritise their investment?

Retail Week explores what retailers can do to work out the best route for them in an evolving multichannel world, and takes a look at how some of the UK’s biggest names are choosing where to invest next.

The pace of change in multichannel is also leading to a skills shortage in the industry, with demand for multichannel experts failing to meet supply. We consider ways to narrow the digital skills gap and what retailers must do to attract the talent they need.

Key to successfully navigating the rapid developments in multichannel retailing is making sure your supply chain is as watertight and seamless as possible. Ensure your delivery processes are foolproof by assessing what a great multichannel logistics set-up looks like.

Adapting your retail business for the multichannel world is no easy task. Look for a quick fix and you’ll be sure to run into difficulties later down the line as touchpoints multiply and volumes expand. But with the help of these features, future-proofing your multichannel operation should be that little bit easier.