Retailers are constantly on the lookout for more ways to connect iwth their customers. The manner in which buyers purchase products was restricted once upon a time, giving businesses the power to distribute as they saw fit. As we know, the power is now literally in the palm of our hands to swing it back in customers’ favor.

This is where the term “multi-channel” retailing came from. Call centers, shipping companies, and web fronts were invented to incorporate with a balanced marketing platform to reach as many as you can.

Here’s where the one line rebuttal comes in. 

The concept of “showrooming” (visiting a brick-and-mortar location to see the product, then search for it online to find a cheaper price) has business owners nervous. Around 30% of shoppers participate in this practice, with young adults and men skewing even higher. Multitudes of shopping channels have made price the only concern to many.

Where omnicommerce differs from multi-channel is one word: unification.

It makes no sense anymore to have your avenues of retail spread all over without any integration. How that manifests is with mobile devices. What sense does it make to have a mobile strategy if it isn’t tied to your brick-and-mortar strategy?

A research project by Vantiv revealed that people no longer see a distinction between the various methods of shopping. That means retailers that focus on the experience of shopping, regardless of the channel, will give customers more of a reason to return.

Tools to accomplish this strategy include mobile payments, wallets, rewards, and security to accompany them. Utilize the device you are most likely reading this post on to it’s full potential. This is how a unified and integrated solution to showrooming is created.