Shoppers do not think in channels. Let that settle in. Stop thinking like a retailer and put on your consumer "hat". Think about how you shop. You start on a phone, pop into a showroom, text a question, and finish at home on a laptop (or again on your phone). To you - the consumer, it is one brand, many doors. Retail is commerce, full stop. It's all those marketing catchphrases; omni, cross, multi, unified. It's commerce. It's today's retail. A retailer's job is to meet people where they choose to engage and keep their progress intact the whole way, regardless of time, place, or device!
The gaps show up fast in furniture. A cart started online does not appear on the sales floor. A quote given in the store is missing from the account page. A wish list cannot be pulled up by a floor associate. A chat transcript does not follow the customer. Confidence fades, momentum stalls, and a considered purchase gets pushed to later.
What good looks like
One product truth
Your site and your POS (Point-of-Sale) speak the same language. Names of products, descriptions, options, finishes, pricing, and availability match. No surprises for the shopper or your team.
Progress that travels
Carts, quotes, wish lists, and chat history move with the customer. An associate can pull up what the shopper started online. The shopper can see in their account what was discussed in the store.
Clear availability and timing
Floor display status, local stock, warehouse status, and delivery windows are visible before the cart. Expectations are set early and honored later.
Simple handoffs
A QR on a tag opens the exact product web page. A saved cart generates a code an associate can use. A quote can be emailed or texted and paid later without a rebuild.
Store and site tell one story
Floor sets and homepages change together. Promotions align. Financing and services are consistent. The vibe matches from entrance to checkout, online and off.
How to move toward it
Pick the system of record for products
Use a PIM such as Salsify to define the catalog, attributes, and media. Let the website and the POS consume that same structure so the experience is consistent.
Map the handoffs now
List every place a shopper leaves a breadcrumb. Cart, quote, wish list, appointment, chat, info request, delivery inquiry. Decide where each is stored and how staff retrieves it.
Make retrieval instant for associates
Give your team a simple way to look up a customer by name, email, or code and see carts, quotes, and chats. If it takes more than a few seconds, it will not get used.
Expose availability with confidence
If you have it, show it. If you do not, say when. POS integration makes this a reality. Offer nearby alternatives that are ready now. Truth builds trust.
Create a weekly cadence
Treat the website like the front of the store. Update pages when the floor changes. Publish small improvements every week. Momentum matters.
Check your progress. "Shop yourself".
Can a shopper start a cart online and have an associate finish it without starting over
Can an associate text a quote that the shopper can approve and pay later at home
Can a wish list created in the store appear in the customer account online
Can chat history inform the next conversation in the showroom
When the floor changes, does the homepage change that day
This is not a big bang replatform story (maybe it is a precursor). It is a decision to run one brand across many doors. Connect site and POS so the truth is shared, the story aligns, and the shopper never has to repeat themselves. Confidence grows when progress is saved. And in furniture, confidence converts.
Retail on!