Snapdeal to boost sales with latest omni-channel platform

NEW DELHI: E-commerce firm Snapdeal has launched its omni-channel platform to integrate offline and online retail channels to provide a seamless and differentiated shopping experience to customers.

Through this platform, customers shopping on Snapdeal will be able to enjoy the convenience of online discovery and ordering along with faster hyper-local fulfillment. Omni Channel will allow them to access value added and expert services as a part of their purchase, including demonstration, installation, activation or returns at a store near them.

Snapdeal’s omni channel platform will power an ecosystem of leading brands, large format retailers (LFRs), small businesses and technology start-ups. The first categories to go live on omni-channel will be mobile phones in partnership with The Mobile Store (TMS), automobile tyres in association with Michelin, invertors and batteries in partnership with Luminous and fashion products with Shoppers Stop.

Kunal Bahl, Co-founder and CEO, Snapdeal said, “We are thrilled to be the first online marketplace to launch an integrated omni-channel platform, opening a new chapter in enabling the success of retailers and brands in India. Our newest addition to Snapdeal’s digital commerce ecosystem, the Janus omnichannel platform is backed by our deep understanding of consumer behavior and partnerships with leading retailers, brands and service providers across the country."

Statistics indicate that consumers switch between online and offline before making purchase decisions. Seventy seven percent of consumers browse in stores before making a purchase online and 55% consumers conduct on-the-go mobile research before making a purchase in-store. In certain categories of products like mobile phones, majority customers follow up their online purchase with a visit to the store for accessing related services like data transfer, screen protection etc. These trends clearly indicate a need to create channels for customers to seamlessly access the benefits of both online and offline to create a delightful buying experience.