Marketing to a savvy digital consumer

As part of an op-ed series, FIU News shares the expertise and diverse perspectives of members of the university community. In this piece, which originally appeared on BizNews, Greg Maloney discusses how to market to consumers who today have access to many retail channels and sales within minutes to buy a single item.

By Greg Maloney, marketing instructor, College of Business

Omnichannel marketing is the latest trend in marketing that looks at the experience from the consumer’s perspective. It’s been labeled the “single largest opportunity” for businesses right now.

Moving away from traditional channels, omnichannel marketing recognizes that multiple vehicles can make up a single purchase process for the customer and tries to merge them all into a single experience. The way the consumer shops is now more important than the specific channel they purchase from.

Omnichannel marketing represents the biggest shift in marketing and consumer behavioral changes since 1995 when Amazon was first created.

The numbers are clear:

• • 81 percent of consumers browse online before making an in-store purchase
  • 71 percent of in-store shoppers use their smart phone to browse deals online while in the store; 19 percent buy from a competitor while shopping in-store

Read the full story on BizNews.FIU.edu