• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, January 4, 2022

The many technological advances of ercommerce are gaining traction on the in-store side of the retail business, judging by the Omnichannel Leadership Report, a recent retail audit by NewStore. 

For instance, 26% of mobile apps allow users to cite favorite items and add them to a wish list. Moreover, 21% of apps now allow the consumer to buy in-app and pick up in the store.  

There is a big opportunity in the latter capability: 53% of stores now offer BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up in Store). And, 80% offer BORIS (Buy Online Return In-store). 

On the negative side, only 19% provide mobile checkout, down from 33% in 2020.

On another front, 65% of brands have web chat capabilities. NewStore’s IAP survey found that 58% of shoppers want to chat with live sales associates. 

A perhaps less-noticed advance is the ability of store associates to conduct two-way texting with customers. But only 18% are using this potential revenue channel.

Clearly, email should be part of this picture, both at the sales associate level and in the sending of reminders and offers . Email can be sent to--and designed for--mobile devices, and might be more welcome than text by some consumers. 

Email is also a critical factor in BOPIS and BORIS transactions: It can be used for post-sales follow-ups and a host of other triggered messaging.  

The Omnichannel Leadership Report is based on a critical assessment of 250 leading luxury, premium, and lifestyle retail brands. The research team of researchers audited each brand’s website, mobile application, call center and in-store experience.

Who’s good at the new technology-enabled retail?

1. Nordstrom leads the pack, providing superior service across selling channels. And its TextStyle app makes stylists available at any time. 
2. DSW is another leader, offering a loyalty program for shoe lovers via its app, and personalizes the customer experience from its mobile-equipped store associates to the app. 
3. Louis Vuitton pairs customers with sales associates who are equipped to deal with every sales scenario. The brand is also out front with its digital and mobile experiences.  
4. Bergdorf Goodman recently made a $500 million tech investment that now fuels personalization, faster delivery and tech-enabled stores. It provides white-glove service via remote selling and in-store.  
5. Fabletics has a platform that provides a seamless experience across touchpoints. And it empowers its sales associates across channels—they now serve as omnichannel associates (another function that can be driven by email). 
6.