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Transitions towards omni-channel retailing strategies: a business model perspective

Milan Jocevski (Department of Industrial Economics and Management, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden) (Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan, Italy)
Niklas Arvidsson (Department of Industrial Economics and Management, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden)
Giovanni Miragliotta (Department of Management Engineering, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan, Italy)
Antonio Ghezzi (Department of Management Engineering, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan, Italy)
Riccardo Mangiaracina (Department of Management Engineering, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milan, Italy)

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management

ISSN: 0959-0552

Article publication date: 4 April 2019

Issue publication date: 4 April 2019

9143

Abstract

Purpose

Digitalisation has been identified as a driving force behind retail sector transformation. The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of how omni-channel strategies link to the digitalisation phenomenon. The study is explorative in nature and aims to expand existing knowledge by using a business model (BM) perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a qualitative approach. Data collection involved a questionnaire answered by 13 firms from three retail segments (i.e. fashion, consumer electronics and bookstores and media) and a group discussion with senior managers. The data were complemented with information from websites, applications and available online reports.

Findings

The findings present empirical insights about different strategic and BM approaches to omni-channel retailing and highlight examples of pioneering retailers from the Italian market. The proposed framework consolidates earlier studies and puts forward three dimensions for a successful transition to omni-channel retailing BMs: a seamless customer experience, an integrated analytics system and an effective supply chain and logistics.

Practical implications

Managers can employ an overview of mobile commerce usage to manage the process of integrating channels, within their BMs, alongside the customer journey. Particular attention should be paid to development and the use of data analytics tools as one of the dimensions with a significant impact on omni-channel management.

Originality/value

First, this paper applies a BM perspective as a novel approach for analysing a transition to omni-channel retailing. Second, it is based on empirical analysis of three retail segments, which provide new insights into omni-channel strategies in the retailing literature.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editor, two anonymous reviewers and CERR 2018 conference participants for their helpful and constructive comments. The authors also thank the authors’ colleagues, Cecilia Castelli and Maxim Miterev, for providing the authors with valuable insights that greatly assisted this study. In addition, this paper was produced as part of the EMJD European Doctorate in Industrial Management (EDIM) funded by the European Commission.

Citation

Jocevski, M., Arvidsson, N., Miragliotta, G., Ghezzi, A. and Mangiaracina, R. (2019), "Transitions towards omni-channel retailing strategies: a business model perspective", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 47 No. 2, pp. 78-93. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-08-2018-0176

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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