Digital Landscape: Online Shopping and Omni-Channel Retailing

This document explores the digital landscape, focusing on topics such as online shopping, different models of retailing, and omni-channel retailing. It discusses the growth of online shopping and its impact on high street stores. It also examines the various models of retailing, including 'clicks', 'bricks', 'bricks & clicks', and 'clicks & bricks', and discusses the concept of omni-channel retailing. Additionally, it compares the advantages and disadvantages of distributing digitisable products electronically versus physically.

Digital Landscape
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. Does the growth in ‘online shopping’ mean the extinction of the typical ‘high street’ store?
.....................................................................................................................................................3
2. Examine the various models, ‘clicks’, ‘bricks’, ‘bricks & clicks’ and ‘clicks & bricks’.
Which if any is the most sustainable?.........................................................................................4
3. We are increasingly hearing the term omni-channel retailing what does this mean and how
can businesses exploit this new phenomenon?...........................................................................5
4. Why are online travel services such a popular Internet application? Why do so many web
sites provide free travel information?.........................................................................................6
5. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of distributing digitisable products
electronically versus physically?.................................................................................................7
Physical Products........................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
In present time, digital landscape is particularly considered as a tool, which helps in
delivering information related to selling and purchasing decisions to different businesses, so that
sales could effectively be improvised right on time (ul Haq and et. al., 2020). Away with this, it
consists of different channels and different elements as well like email, websites, mobile devices,
social networks, videos (YouTube, Facebook and so on), which has helped companies in gaining
competitive advantages through taking right decisions in correct time. Present digital landscape,
has been built to analyse the growth of online shopping, which became a reason of extinction of
high street stores.
MAIN BODY
1. Does the growth in ‘online shopping’ mean the extinction of the typical ‘high street’ store?
According to Fox Business, (2017), online shopping has raised risks of extinction for
many business organisations like J. C. Penney, Macy's and so on. This took place not only in
America but in all over the world, and the specific reason that came in front was shifting mindset
of youth, as they are tech-savvy and believes in building relationships, interactions through
texting, chatting, app-tapping, selfie snapping and so on. This is where, it is said that new
generations has made internet sources as part of their lives where online shopping can be
considered as one of the the crucial example to understand the same. Basically, it has given them
ample number of opportunities like they can access whatever, wherever and whenever they want
just by clicking or tapping on their PCs, iPads, mobiles phones and so on. Its absolute rose from
beneath 5 percent in the late 1990s to around 12% in the year of 2019, as indicated by the
Commerce Department. In February, online deals barely beat general product stores, including
retail establishments, stockroom clubs and super-focuses. Non-store retail deals a month ago
represented 11.813% of the aggregate, contrasted and 11.807% for general product
(Moshrefzadeh and et. al., 2020).
It is much needed for the companies like J. C. Penney, Macy's to make alterations within
the existing planning and strategies related to the selling techniques. It has been analysed that,
Macy's and other organisations has also tried to offer customers with products and services
through offering customers with high discounts as well, but it also didn't helped and continuously
impacted on both productivity and profitability. Therefore, it can easily be said that companies
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would require to bring appropriate changes within their selling techniques and go online
(Specifically Macy's, Michael Kors and so on), so that they could survive within the market said
by Mary Epner (Fox Business, (2017). This has impacted among different aspects like
profitability, because what e-commerce business organisation is focusing upon selling products
and services to customers which are custom made. This helped company's like Amazon (a
famous e-commerce company) to grab the attention of youth and adult purchasers who are tech-
savvy in nature. Specifically, when mindset of these individuals changed where they have been
named as shopping-savvy.
2. Examine the various models, ‘clicks’, ‘bricks’, ‘bricks & clicks’ and ‘clicks & bricks’. Which
if any is the most sustainable?
As the information given within GFK, (2015), today's target market for the companies
has changed because of the changing buying behaviour of customers in all over the world. Since,
internet has changed the way of working style of various business and lifestyle of individuals, it
has also impacted upon company's purchasing behaviour as well of consumers, where new
generation believes in purchasing products and services online. This is where, companies like
Macy's, J. C. Penney and more has gone through various rivalry related disadvantages, and the
reason that came in front was that companies did not adopted the right change at correct time and
instead of this, they have been offering various discounts to customers (Moussa, Mahmoud and
Hatem, 2020)
In present time, when it comes to run a business at international or national level,
companies focuses on different models like ‘bricks’, ‘clicks’, ‘clicks & bricks’ & ‘bricks &
clicks’ accordance to the business types. Due to change in course, it has been analysed that
impacted negatively on overall performance level of the company right on time. Clicks: This model covers business companies that are only dealing among online
market, and offering different range of services to customers like home delivery and so
on. But, at the moment 45.12%, which is only 3.5 billion people uses smart phones or
computer systems therefore, companies like Alibaba.com within this business sector only
targeted half of the population. Bricks and Mortar: The term "brick-and-mortar" refers to a traditional street-side
business that offers products and services to its customers face-to-face in an office or
store that the business owns or rents. The local grocery store and the corner bank are
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examples of brick-and-mortar companies. Numerous buyers despite everything want to
shop and peruse in a physical store. In physical stores, buyers can talk with
representatives and pose inquiries about the items or administrations. Physical stores can
offer experience shopping whereby customers can test an item, for example, a computer
game or PC at BestBuy or eat in Nordstrom's bistro while shopping at the store. Physical
organizations additionally furnish buyers with moment satisfaction when a buy is made.
Macy's, J. C. Penney and other business organisations are said to be some of the crucial
business retailers that are coming under this model, where customers purchases different
products from physical stores only. Including this, it is also said that Bricks and Mortar
has impacted upon personal life, Bricks and Clicks: Coach is being considered as one of a good example of Bricks and
Clicks, where company has taken ample number of decisions in order to give good
rivalry and to sustain within the market for a longer period of time. Here, Coach, which is
an American Fashion Brand that acquired Kate Spade was one of the crucial decision that
led Coach to focus among potential targets who are sitting on different media channels
like Social media and so on where they are looking forward to purchase number of goods
and services.
 Clicks and Bricks: Amazon is said to be one of the crucial example of Clicks and Bricks,
where company has built it's presence within the online market and then started operating
within offline market. Basically, this innovative approach has helped firm in grabbing the
attention of offline purchasers who didn't believed in purchasing goods and services
through different online portals.
Considering all the above mentioned approaches, it can be said that a company in today's
business industry, it may adopt both Bricks and Clicks or Clicks and Bricks, when it comes to
enhance the performance level right on time (Kuper, 2020).
3. We are increasingly hearing the term omni-channel retailing what does this mean and how can
businesses exploit this new phenomenon?
Omni-channel retailer can be defined as a model, that specifically aid in offering
customers with different range of products and services with the help of different existing
channels. It has been analysed that, various organisations has specifically integrated all the
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channels and with the help of Search engine optimisation, customers specifically started
experiencing the best experience in much effective and efficient manner.
Based on the information given by GFK, (2015), omni-channel retailing is continuously
spreading and there are number of reasons for the same has came in front, where young
purchasers from the age in between 16 to 21 from all over the world likes the in-store
environment. This has impacted positively on omni-channel retailers as they have also
mentioned that, around 40% of the individuals has directly become much more easier for
youngsters to purchase products along with the services to shop on their own mobile phone
rather than going out and spend time among different physical retail stores.
According to CBS This Morning, (2014), number of online shoppers are continuously
rising, which specifically leads different business organisations that are dealing at offline market
to get affected vigorously. Therefore, in order to reduce the impact of omni-channel retailers
over existing positioning, then it will be required by them to keep on developing different range
of strategies so that rivalry could be given to them in much effective and efficient manner (Busca
and Bertrandias, 2020).
Away with this, it has been found that the above mentioned information could easily be
applied by every single organisation through acquiring an e-commerce retailing site, build it's
own or consider the SEO, which is one of the powerful approach, that is directly helping
companies to gain competitive advancements through offering customers with right product and
at correct time as well (Barland, 2020).
4. Why are online travel services such a popular Internet application? Why do so many web sites
provide free travel information?
Basically, there are ample number of reasons why public has taken into consideration of
online travel services rather then going for local travel agents. Now a days online travel services
are on there hike. They become popular because of there good services. They provide various
facilities to there customer like easy booking, save money, time consuming, customer also
choose there seats according to there wish. By providing these facilities online travel services
attract there customers. A customer can easily book there tickets and get various facility like
food service, comfort. For this customer don't have to visit travel agencies. Also take care of
customer safety and security. Provide 24/7 service. They also have rating system on transports
because of this customer can simply book there tickets according to their preference. Provide
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after booking services like help customer in their transport and seat if customer book food
service so they also take care that customer receive this on time. Instant and easy booking on one
click. Many travel web site provide free travel information to there customer to expand online
services, to attract their customers. By provide some free services online travel site can easily
attract their customer. There are various primal reasons that came in front and some of these are
presented underneath:
 It saves time and money if that's what individual's do care.
 The online guys provide expert insights and a safety net to the trip that has been
developed.
 It's easy to check out what people say about them different individuals.
 They can make multi-destination holiday seamless, without going through any sort of
problems so that right amount of modifications that could easily be made by them.
Also, if it is talked about why websites offers free travelling related information or the
data, then the reason that came in front is to grab the attention of customers in all over the world,
so that their sales could effectively gets improvised side on time.
5. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of distributing digitisable products electronically
versus physically?
Digital products:
Pros: No inventory: Digital commerce is traditionally low risk. Because companies like
Amazon don’t have to invest in inventory and they may also avoid storage costs as well don’t
have to worry about ordering enough units to meet demand.
Cons: Lower perceived value: People's mindset towards digital products are tangible,
they aren’t ‘real’. As a result, they often have a lower perceived value.
Physical Products
Pros: Higher perceived value: Physical products are real and tangible. As a result, they
are often associated with a higher perceived value.
Cons: More overheads: Physical products require more storage, staff to manage and track
them, as well as more upfront investment (Townsend and et. al., 2020).
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CONCLUSION
With the help of above mentioned report, it is being concluded that e-commerce consists
of different advantages like it helped companies in saving time and travelling cost of both
customers and of company as well. Along with this, it is also summarised that companies would
require to focus on ‘clicks & bricks’ in today's business environment as there are many
organisations that came in front like Amazon that has already grabbed a good position within the
market, and now company has also targeted customers offline through opening a whole new
physical store.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
ul Haq, A. and et. al., 2020. Transformative Power of Smart Technologies Enabled by Advances
in AI: Changing Landscape for Digital Marketing. In Handbook of Research on
Innovations in Technology and Marketing for the Connected Consumer (pp. 1-17). IGI
Global.
Moshrefzadeh, M. and et. al., 2020. Towards a Distributed Digital Twin of the Agricultural
Landscape. Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, (5).
Moussa, R. R., Mahmoud, A. H. and Hatem, T. M., 2020. A digital tool for integrating
renewable energy devices within landscape elements: Energy-scape online
application. Journal of Cleaner Production, p.119932.
Kuper, R., 2020. Preference and restorative potential for landscape models that depict diverse
arrangements of defoliated, foliated, and evergreen plants. Urban Forestry & Urban
Greening. 48. p.126570.
Barland, J., 2020. Innovation of new revenue streams in digital media: Journalism as customer
relationship. Nordicom Review. 34(s1). pp.99-111.
Townsend, R. and et. al., 2020. Digital Archaeology and the Living Cherokee
Landscape. International Journal of Historical Archaeology, pp.1-20.
Busca, L. and Bertrandias, L., 2020. A Framework for Digital Marketing Research: Investigating
the Four Cultural Eras of Digital Marketing. Journal of Interactive Marketing. 49. pp.1-
19.
Online
Young Shoppers expect brick-and-click retailing. 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geMoByjd0so>.
Has brick-and-mortar stores lost the battle against ecommerce?. 2017. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZU2hEghTGc>.
Amazon to open its first brick-and-mortar store in New York City. 2014. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcKuPg5rqF0>.
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