How omnichannel-ready is Switzerland?

How omnichannel-ready is Switzerland? That’s what mail-order association VSV tried to find out with the Omnichannel Readiness Index. It shows the DIY & Home Improvement sector in Switzerland scores best on omnichannel maturity. Jewelry retailers and department stores are strong omnichannel players as well.

The Verband des Schweizerischen Versandhandel has, together with Google Switzerland and market research institute Mindtake, created the Omnichannel Readiness Index Switzerland. This is a detailed analysis of over 50 swiss retailers regarding their omnichannel maturity. Points were not only awarded for the existence of omnichannel features but also for providing valuable services for the consumer.

Calida is best omnichannel performer

The best performer in the ‘ORI Index’ is underwear and nightwear retailer Calida, with a 79 percent score. The best performing industry is the DIY & Home improvement sector, with an average score of 73,4 percent. The worst performer is furniture retailer Conforama, with a score of just 52,2 percent.

See in-store availability of a product online

One of the findings is that about three-quarters of Swiss consumers wish to see the in-store availability of a product in the online shop. This is offered by nearly 60 percent of the retailers surveyed. Consumers also want a filter function for product availability in-store, but according to the study, only on retailer offers this.

Consumers like contact through e-mail

Additional findings from the study show that a call-back option is desirable for half of Swiss consumers, but only two of the retailers surveyed are currently offering this option. And what’s maybe even more surprising: only about half of the retailers show their potential customers an e-mail address for further communication. At the same time, around four out of five consumers would like to have contact by e-mail.

Click & collect and reserve & collect

Many consumers in Switzerland like to click & collect: buying something online and then pick it up in the store. There’s almost as much demand from customers for reserve & collect, in which the customer reserves a product online and then picks it up (and pays for it) at the store. But while 80 percent of retailers offer click & collect, the reserve & collect method is only offered by a third.