Multi-Channel E-commerce: Best Channels & Strategies 

Businesses with strong multi-channel customer engagement retain 89% of their customers.

This data emphasizes modern e-commerce because today’s customers expect to interact with brands across channels. 

Potential customers might land on a website first, but they tend to check the website’s social media channels and might buy the product from marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. This customer journey is made possible through a strategy called multi-channel e-commerce. 

Multi-channel e-commerce means selling products on multiple channels, such as an online store, websites, Etsy, Amazon, Instagram, Facebook, and more. It is a mix of websites, marketplaces, social media platforms, and other online channels.

If you’re a merchant just starting or looking to expand further via multi-channel e-commerce, you should be aware of the following prerequisites:

• A product feed.
• A product feed management system that optimizes your product feed for selling on multiple channels.
• An inventory management system to sync inventory levels in real-time across the channels.
• A primary sales channel.

If all of this sounds Greek to you, don’t worry. This blog covers everything from the basics to scaling up your store. With that, let’s get started!

What is Multi-Channel E-Commerce?

Multi-channel e-commerce is an approach to selling products in more than one channel to reach more customers and increase visibility and sales. These sales channels could be your website, marketplace listings like Etsy and Amazon, Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, brick-and-mortar stores, and other online shopping channels.

This strategy involves having one primary sales channel as a hub and connecting other channels and platforms.

As demonstrated below:

Source – fabric

A multi-channel approach enables you to offer your products on various channels, allowing customers to choose their preferred channel.

Click here to quickly jump to the best channels and marketplaces section.

How Does Multi-channel E-commerce Work?

Multi-channel e-commerce simply means selling on multiple platforms. Let us understand how you can, as an e-commerce business owner, make it work for your store. 

Please note that to demonstrate multi-channel e-commerce, we will mention Shopify as a primary sales channel throughout the blog.

Using an E-commerce Platform

One of the best ways to implement multi-channel e-commerce is through e-commerce platforms. These platforms include Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and so on. They enable businesses to create and manage online stores and offer product catalogs, order processing, secure payment processing, integration with sales channels, inventory management, and many more advanced features. 

Let’s say Shopify is your primary sales channel, and you sell products in your region and to international customers. You’re looking to attract a wider customer base, so you wish to expand to channels like Amazon, Etsy, social media, and more.

Using product feed management tools on Shopify, you can sell across various marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay (not limited to these), social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc, and advertising platforms like Google and Bing.

Here’s how:

• You can connect to sales channels from Shopify’s admin through “Apps & sales channels.”
• Search for the desired channels, install the app, follow the instructions, and connect to your accounts.
• Once connected, you can sync products and manage sales with your marketplaces and social media platforms. 
• You can always add extended functionalities to your store through the apps available on the Shopify app store. 

Using a Brick-and-Mortar Store

If your primary sales channel is a brick-and-mortar or physical store, you can follow a multi-channel e-commerce method by expanding to suitable channels for your business. 

How?

• You can join online marketplaces and list your products there. Some marketplaces include Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and Walmart. By creating a business account on these channels, you can also sync with social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, etc. 
• However, if you’re not using feed management software or inventory management tools to automate updates and sync your product feeds, remember that you might have to update stock levels manually. 
• On the other hand, manual updations might lead to overselling and out-of-stock, resulting in customer dissatisfaction. 
• You can navigate this challenge using an e-commerce platform and product feed management software that syncs product catalogs, automates updates, connects to desired channels, and more. 

Through a Primary Sales Channel

As discussed earlier, it is wise to have primary sales channels such as your Shopify store or your website to gain control over branding, customer experience, and the sales process. 

• A primary sales channel empowers you by allowing you to not depend on other channels and drive traffic to a source you own. 
• You should still adhere to the guidelines of each sales channel to sell without any account suspensions. 
• To achieve this, you must pick a product feed management solution. It can help you seamlessly integrate your preferred sales channels into your primary store and sell. 
• It also reduces errors in manual work by automatically updating product feeds across the channels.

This approach is one example of how you can make multi-channel e-commerce work for you as a brick-and-mortar store owner and as a Shopify merchant with a primary sales channel catering to other channels. Similarly, you can make it work on other e-commerce platforms like Wix or BigCommerce, etc.

Wait!

We are forgetting something.

Just because you’re on multiple channels doesn’t mean you provide a unified experience. Remember that these platforms are disconnected. So, how do you connect them?

That’s where omnichannel e-commerce comes into the picture. 

• Omnichannel e-commerce offers an integrated experience. Data is shared between channels to target and retarget buyers. It enables buyers to continue where they left off, even on a different channel. Each interaction builds upon the last, fulfilling the customer’s needs as they progress through the buying journey. 
• It is more customer-focused and has data relevant to products and customers. 
• Essentially, omnichannel e-commerce takes multiple channels and synchronizes them, while multi-channel leaves them separated and siloed.
• Omnichannel strategy requires integrated technology like omnichannel retail software.

Let’s understand multi-channel and omnichannel e-commerce in-depth in the following section.

What’s the Difference between Omnichannel and Multi-channel?

Here’s a little preview:

Source – saleslayer

	Omnichannel E-commerce	Multi-channel E-commerce
Definition	Omnichannel e-commerce integrates all sales channels, such as marketplaces, social media platforms, and websites, to deliver a seamless, unified, customer-centric shopping experience across every touchpoint.	Multi-channel eCommerce, or multiple channels, is a strategy of selling on two or more channels. However, each channel is disconnected and managed independently, so it does not provide a unified experience across channels.
Branding & Communication	With an omnichannel approach, businesses can provide unified cross-channel communication and consistency in branding. Messaging and interactions happen based on the customer’s previous interactions, allowing conversations to continue seamlessly from one channel to another.	Only allows channel-specific communication. Each channel delivers messages independently, without synchronized context.
Data Sharing	Data is shared among the channels, providing a holistic view of the customer – their preferences, purchase history, and interactions. For instance, if a customer buys a t-shirt from your physical store, you can send them similar recommendations online via ads or messaging.	Information gathered in one channel stays isolated, and data is not shared. This lack of shared data makes it difficult to understand customer behavior and hinders personalization across channels.
Technology Requirements	Omnichannel requires integrated technology platforms (like unified commerce systems or omnichannel retail software) that connect inventory, CRM, marketing, and sales data across all channels. It demands significant investment in IT infrastructure and integrations.  These requirements are one reason most e-commerce businesses are not doing omnichannel.	The tech required for multi-channel is low. The initial setup is low and doesn’t require integrations. Businesses can operate multiple channels without much investment in tech.
Examples	Nike integrates its mobile app, website, and physical stores to work harmoniously. For instance, customers can use the app in-store to scan products for information, buy online, and pick up or return in-store, blurring the line between digital and physical shopping.	Companies like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target engage customers across multiple channels through their websites, mobile apps, and physical stores.
Communication	Provides unified cross-channel communication. Allows conversations to continue seamlessly from one channel to another​.	Each channel delivers messages independently, without synchronization. As a result, customer interactions in one channel aren’t known in another.
Customer Service	In the omnichannel approach, customer service integrates multiple channels, such as phone, email, chat, and social media, to provide a consistent and seamless customer experience.	In a multichannel approach, businesses provide support through various channels, including phone, email, chat, social media, etc. However, businesses face challenges in maintaining a consistent brand experience and managing data across channels.

We understand you have questions.

Let us break it down for you. 

Firstly, do you need product feed management software to implement omnichannel e-commerce?

Yes, you still need product feed management software, as it ensures consistent and accurate product data across sales channels.

It also:

• Improves customer experience with consistent data.
• Optimizes product feed by enhancing visibility and sales.
• Automates the process of updating product data.
• Helps in staying compliant with channel requirements.

Another question, 

Which is better, Omnichannel or Multichannel approach for e-commerce merchants? Should a merchant use both?

Multichannel and Omnichannel are two different strategies. Multichannel allows you to choose various channels and reach a wide customer base. On the other hand, omnichannel unifies all these channels, providing a personalized experience to customers. 

Yes, you can say omnichannel is better than multichannel for e-commerce merchants. But it boils down to your business goals.

If your goal is to increase reach and presence on multiple channels, multichannel might be sufficient. If you aim to provide a seamless and personalized experience, omnichannel is the way.

A business can always start with a multichannel approach and eventually upgrade to an omnichannel experience. 

Top Channels & Marketplaces For Multi-Channel E-commerce

Now, let’s discuss all the sales channels you can use to implement multi-channel e-commerce. 

Generally, there are two types of sales channels: Direct and indirect.

Your website, mobile app, or physical store can be a direct sales channel. Indirect sales channels include marketplaces or social media channels.

Direct sales channels offer more control, higher profit margins, and deeper data insights. However, the initial setup cost could be higher than that of indirect sales channels. 

With indirect sales channels like marketplaces, social media platforms, advertising platforms, and other sales channels, you can use their vast customer base and built-in tools. However, you tend to lose control over your branding and messaging. Remember, there are fees and commissions associated with indirect sales channels.

Let’s take a look at all of them:

Direct To Customer (D2C) Sales Channels

E-commerce platforms are one way to sell directly to your customers. Examples include Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce, Magento, etc. These platforms help you build and customize your store.

Shopify 

Shopify fully supports multi-channel e-commerce, allowing you to list your products on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and more. As mentioned, you need product feed management apps to sell across these channels. You can install apps from the Shopify app store. 

Integrations

• Marketplaces: Shopify allows you to connect to marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and more.
  • Shopify Marketplace Connect is a feed app from the Shopify App Store that lets you sync your product catalog to the leading online marketplaces. Manage inventory with real-time syncing, fulfill orders, and measure channel performance, all from Shopify.
• Social Media Platforms: Connects with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, X, and Bing.
  • You can use AdNabu to connect to all these channels. It generates a unique Data Feed URL for each Marketplace to export your feed automatically. On top of that, you don’t need to create a separate feed for each channel; you can use the same feed for all the channels.
  • Google Surfaces: You can also promote Shopify products across Google Surfaces, such as Google Shopping, Google Images, Google Lens, and Maps.
  • With Shopify, you can get in front of anyone using Google’s surfaces by syncing your product catalog, listing your products for free, and creating ad campaigns.
  • You can use the Google and YouTube app to connect your store to the Google Merchant Center to promote and sell products across Google. Create campaigns like Performance Max to drive more sales and derive insights using Google Analytics.
• Shop app: Customers can use the Shop app to track packages, discover new stores and products, make purchases using Shop Pay, and engage with your brand.
• Shopify POS: Shopify’s point-of-sale (POS) system is an app that allows businesses to sell products in person. It syncs with their online store to manage inventory, orders, and payments across channels.

Features & Functionalities

• Inventory Management: Automatically adjusts inventory levels based on changes made on one channel. 
• Analytics: You can analyze sales data in one place for better decision-making.
• Customer Support: Provide consistent customer service by having all customer interactions and history in one spot.

Overall, Shopify offers centralized management for sellers, allowing them to manage product listings, pricing, and orders from one dashboard.

Explore more about Shopify: Shopify data feed Increase your Shopify sales Top 10 Shopify analytics apps Free shipping on Shopify

BigCommerce

BigCommerce channel apps allow merchants to list products on external sales channels like point-of-sale devices, online marketplaces, marketing platforms, and social networking sites. This platform has a channel manager feature, allowing you to manage listings, inventory, and orders across various sales channels from a single interface. 

Integrations

• Marketplaces: You can connect to Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and Walmart, list your products alongside major brands, and increase product visibility and sales.
• Social Media Platforms: You can connect to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.
• Ad platforms: Google Ads and Bing. 
• POS: All-in-one BigCommerce POS includes inventory management, real-time sync, performance tracking, order control, and customer data management

To connect your store to these channels, you can utilize BigCommerce’s built-in integrations and third-party apps in the BigCommerce App Marketplace. 

Features & Functionalities

• These integrations allow you to manage product listings, inventory, and orders across multiple platforms from a centralized dashboard. 

Magento

Magento provides integrations with online sales channels, such as:

• An online store, 
• Mobile commerce, 
• Marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and 
• Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and POS systems. 

It allows you to synchronize products, orders, and inventory across these channels. You can use the following plugins for integrating these channels:

• Walmart Integration by CedCommerce
• Google Shopping by Magmodules
• Facebook Shop Integration by Sparsh Technologies

Read Also: How to migrate from Magento to Shopify.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce also supports a multi-channel e-commerce strategy as it integrates with several marketplaces and social media platforms. 

You can use apps designed by WooCommerce or third-party vendors through the WooCommerce marketplace.

Integrations

• Marketplaces: Walmart, Wish, Amazon, Etsy, eBay, OnBuy, Manomano, Kogan, Bonanza, Catch, etc.
• Social Media Platforms: Pinterest, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram.
• Search Engines and Ad Platforms: Google Network.

Features & Functionalities

• Centralized Product Management: Manage the entire product catalog from a single dashboard.
• Real-time Inventory Sync: This service offers real-time inventory updates, ensuring stock levels reflect across all channels.
• Unified order management: A unified approach streamlines order processing, fulfillment, and customer communication.

It also offers some additional automation software , analytics, reporting, and more.

Wix

Wix lets you easily connect and manage selling on marketplaces and social media platforms. It offers tools and features to track inventory and orders across channels.

Wix offers a variety of built-in integrations and apps that offer seamless connectivity with numerous platforms. ​

Integrations:

• Social Media Platforms: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok.
• Online Marketplaces: Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Walmart, Wish, and more.
• Wix POS: Unify your sales with the Wix Point of Sale (POS) solution to streamline your online and in-person retail experience.
• Mobile App: Wix offers a no-code app builder tool for creating a branded app compatible with iOS and Android. 

Read Also: Shopify Vs. Wix

Your Website

• An e-commerce website/store is a central multichannel marketing and selling hub. 
• It provides centralized information and ensures consistent branding across channels like Facebook, Pinterest, etc. 
• You can choose a website builder/web hosting provider like Hostinger or GoDaddy that allows you to register a domain and build a website. 
• These providers also offer additional tools for selling products online, including features like unlimited product listings and SEO optimization.
  • For example, if you have hosted your store on GoDaddy, you can use the Marketplaces & Social feature to sell across multiple channels.
• You can sync product listings and inventory across your selected channels. 

Integrations:

• GoDaddy allows you to sync products with Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Google Shopping, and Walmart. 
• Social media channels include Facebook and Instagram.

This is one example of a website hosted on GoDaddy; likewise, you can create a website using another web host and integrate it with multiple channels. 

Brick & Mortar Store(s)

If a physical store is your primary sales channel and you want to enter the digital space, you can join marketplaces, connect social media channels, and visit other online sites. 

Or

You can combine all these channels and access a unified dashboard to track inventory and orders across channels. This approach is possible through an e-commerce website builder such as Shopify or Woocommerce.

For example, Shopify offers Shopify POS to sync online and offline inventory and various product feed management tools to integrate with desired sales channels. 

Tips for selling from a physical store and online sales channels:

• Use inventory management software like Zoho or Shopify POS to sync stock levels across multiple channels.
• Allow customers to purchase online and pick up in-store.
• Run unified promotions across physical and online stores. For example, a discount for in-store pickup for online orders. 
• Retarget customers who visited your store using ads (Facebook, Google).
• Choose an e-commerce website builder like Shopify to sell offline and online, including on marketplaces (Amazon, Etsy, Walmart) and social media channels (Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat) using feed tools.
• Track customer buying preferences using tools like Google Analytics, Shopify Reports, or HubSpot CRM.
• Monitor which channels drive the most sales and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Online Marketplaces

Marketplaces are online platforms that allow merchants like you to list and sell their products. Customers can browse various sellers’ vast product categories on these platforms. 

Examples include:

Amazon 

As of 2024, Amazon had a huge customer base of 315 million customers worldwide. It offers various seller programs, such as FBA and FBM, with features and functionalities like dynamic pricing. 

  Tips to sell on Amazon:

• Stay updated with Amazon’s policies regarding product listings, shipping, and returns
• Consider using Amazon’s fulfillment service for faster shipping and improved customer experience.
• Explore Amazon listing optimization tips.
• Use the Amazon ads platform for sponsored ads, sponsored products, sponsored TV, etc., to promote your products to targeted audiences.
• Analyze competitor pricing and set a profitable and appealing price to buyers.
• Leverage Amazon’s promotional tools, like creative tools, to attract customers.

If Amazon is your primary sales channel, you can use the Amazon Multichannel fulfillment network to streamline orders from various channels. But first, you must connect your sales channels, like stores and social media sites, to Amazon. You can build an e-commerce store through e-commerce website builders like Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, etc, to seamlessly connect, promote and sell products.  

Read Also: Amazon product feed Amazon inventory management software  Complete guide to Shopify Amazon inventory syncing

Etsy

One of the most popular marketplaces in the US, Etsy focuses on promoting handmade, vintage, and unique goods. You can easily set up a shop, promote your shop, and run Etsy ads.

Tips to sell on Etsy:

• Use Etsy keyword research tools to pick high-demand and low-competition keywords.
• Analyze competitors’ products and pricing to set the right pricing for your shop.
• Create a compelling About Us page and add photos and videos about the shop.
• Write SEO-optimized listing titles and descriptions and use Etsy tags.
• Utilize Etsy ads and offline ads to reach more potential buyers.
• Promote your Etsy shop on other social media platforms. How? Choose an e-commerce platform that syncs products from your online store to your desired channels.

Suppose you are primarily selling on Etsy and wish to expand your reach. You can advertise Etsy products across the web using offsite ads. 

The offsite ad channels for Etsy include:

• Google
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Bing
• Etsy Publishing Partner Sites
• Google Display Network

Understand more about offline ads here.

However, suppose you’re looking for a multichannel management platform that centralizes information across channels, syncs products, and provides a unified customer experience. In that case, you must consider switching to an e-commerce website or store.

Read Also: Sync inventory between Etsy and Shopify. How to set up an Etsy shop How much does etsy charge to sell Best-selling items on Etsy

eBay

eBay is a leading marketplace with 134 million active buyers worldwide. It provides various features, functionalities, and eBay ads to promote your products.

Tips to sell on eBay:

• Look for products you can source at a heavy discount, unique or scarce products, and products that provide a quality alternative to existing marketplace bestsellers. 
• Use eBay’s business policies to set up shipping, payments, and returns profiles.
• Optimize your listings using effective product descriptions, beautiful product photos, and set-up pricing.
• Use eBay’s promoted listings tool to improve your placement in search.
• eBay Seller Hub promotions have more options for you that let you offer discounts, shipping discounts, codeless coupons, etc.

eBay offers a promoted offsite program that allows sellers to advertise their products to external platforms like Google. You can use Google Shopping ads, search ads, or display ads to advertise your eBay products. 

As mentioned earlier when discussing Etsy, these programs allow merchants to advertise products, which differs from offering a platform to sell products.

Walmart

In 2024, the company generated nearly 643 billion U.S. dollars in global net sales. It offers features such as Walmart fulfillment services delivery, which promises two-day delivery. 

Tips to sell on Walmart:

• Walmart analyzes a few attributes to select a Buy Box winner. You can find the buy box above the add-to-cart button, where most purchases happen, thus increasing visibility and sales.
• Use high-quality photos, incorporate SEO keywords, and make descriptions concise and accurate. Provide more details and information for your customers.
• Price your products competitively. Walmart is known for its low prices.
• Improve your product listings, offerings, and customer service to beat the competition.
• Respond quickly and professionally to customers with questions or issues with their orders.

Walmart’s offsite media program allows sellers to promote products across various channels, including Connected TV and audio streaming apps, and display ads on websites, apps, and social media platforms like Meta and Pinterest.

Wrapping up marketplaces, we conclude, choose the marketplace that best fits your product or service. While you can sell on multiple marketplaces, understand the fees and commissions these marketplaces charge to list, promote, and sell your products. 

Social Commerce 

Facebook

You can sell on Facebook in 4 ways. 

• Facebook shops, 
• Facebook marketplace, 
• Facebook buy and sell groups, and
• Facebook Ads.

Along with these features on Facebook, you can also benefit from other social media platforms like Instagram or Pinterest to target various audiences. 

If Facebook is your primary sales channel, consider promoting and selling your products on additional sales channels, such as:

• Instagram: Since Meta owns both Facebook and Instagram, integration is seamless. A Facebook-centric seller can showcase products in lifestyle photos or reels and leverage influencer marketing and shopping tags.
• TikTok: Facebook sellers can also promote their products on TikTok by tapping into younger audiences. TikTok also now has native shopping features such as TikTok Shop and in-app checkout. 
• Own Website: Besides these channels, Facebook sellers prefer their website to have complete control over branding and other operations. 
• Shopify/ Magento: Most Facebook sellers integrate with Shopify to manage products, orders, and customer interactions from a single dashboard. It is not just Facebook; as a Shopify merchant, you can integrate with online marketplaces and social media sites like Instagram and TikTok. This way, you reduce the friction between one platform and the other and reap the benefits of multichannel e-commerce.

Remember: As discussed earlier, you must choose product feed management tools on Shopify to sync product catalogs to multiple platforms.

Read Also:  Facebook Ads for e-commerce Facebook ads for Shopify

Instagram 

Set up an Instagram shop, list products, and promote products via reels, videos, and ads. 

Instagram Shopping features include:

• Shopping tags: Tag products in Reels, Stories, and posts.
• Storefront: Share your brand story and create product pages and collections on Instagram.
• Checkout: Allows shoppers to purchase in-app. This feature is available only in the US.

As an Instagram-focused seller, you can also promote and sell on channels such as:

• Pinterest: Pinterest is a great addition to Instagram sellers. They get the best product discovery feature on Pinterest and shoppable features on Instagram.
• Facebook: By leveraging Facebook’s groups and huge customer base, your brand can stay ahead of the competition and attract a wide audience.

Not only these social platforms, you can also enter marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon, depending on your business. If you sell handmade, vintage items on Instagram, Etsy is your go-to place that encourages creativity and authentic brands. You can integrate with Amazon to increase your sales if you sell gadgets. 

TikTok 

You can use a TikTok Business account that provides you with:

• Detailed analytics to view your post views, profile views, likes, comments, shares, traffic sources, and the content working for you.
• It allows you to add a link to your bio (add an Amazon storefront, etc.).
• Access engagement solutions, performance tracking, and advertising solutions like In-feed ads, Brand takeover ads, Top view ads, Branded Hashtag ads, Spark ads, and Branded effect ads. 
• You can promote your products through influencer marketing, UGC, and TikTok ads.
• You can integrate TikTok from e-commerce platforms like Shopify and sell seamlessly.

Additional sales channels include:

Instagram: TikTok sellers can use Instagram to build community and showcase their products visually. 

YouTube: In addition to TikTok’s 15-60-second videos, sellers can use YouTube to promote products through video tutorials. 

Pinterest: Pinterest can amplify the impact of TikTok virality on product categories that require a DIY element, such as fashion, home decor, and beauty. For example, users often search for those trends on Pinterest if a jacket style becomes popular in TikTok videos.

Facebook: If a TikTok video creates demand, Facebook/Instagram ads can retarget those who showed interest.

Snapchat

To sell on Snapchat, you need a business account. To create one, visit Snapchat’s business manager and fill in some details. You’ll have your business account. 

With Snapchat business manager, you can:

• Create engaging content such as UGC, influencer marketing,
• Run ads and track conversions using Snap pixel.
• Use augmented reality (AR) to build creative lenses. 
• Gain insights on customer activity and track the performance of your ad campaigns, content, etc. 
• Explore different methods of selling on Snapchat.
• Additionally, if you’re on an e-commerce platform like Shopify, you can easily upload a product catalog and manage your feed.

With Snapchat as your primary channel, you cater to a very young audience. Additional sales channels for Snapchat include:

• TikTok: TikTok and Snapchat cater to Gen Z. A brand on Snapchat should consider TikTok for its follower base and virality.
• Instagram:  Instagram provides posts, an IG profile grid, and reels for longer storytelling. A cosmetics brand might use Snapchat for quick AR try-on filters and flash sales. On Instagram, they can post high-quality photos of products, customer testimonials, and short tutorial videos. 
• YouTube: Depending on the business type, adding a platform like YouTube can further expand reach. Longer videos on YouTube can supplement Snapchat’s short content.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a visual platform, and it is important to brand your profile. 

• Use a profile photo, optimized bio, and cover boards, enter complete contact information, and verify your website.
• Create captivating visuals that include high-quality photography, bold colors and fonts, and graphics that align with your brand.
• Pay attention to Pinterest SEO, use rich pins, promoted pins, and share UGC.
• If you’re a Shopify merchant looking to expand your marketing efforts to Pinterest, you can start selling by uploading your product catalog using a product feed tool. 

Read Also: How to connect Shopify to Pinterest.

If your main sales channel is Pinterest, you might integrate with the following sales channels:

Instagram: Instagram’s user base overlaps with Pinterest’s interests in fashion, home, and beauty. So, it extends its reach to demographics that Pinterest might lack.

Facebook: By integrating a Facebook Shop or running Facebook ads, a Pinterest-focused seller can retarget Pinterest viewers or reach customers via Facebook’s extensive retargeting features.

Email Marketing: Research shows that most Pinterest sellers use email marketing to nurture their customers and promote their products. 

Own website and Google Shopping are some of the sales channels Pinterest sellers use. 

Key Challenges & Solutions in Managing Multi-Channel E-Commerce

We have listed a few challenges you might encounter and possible solutions when implementing multi-channel e-commerce.

Maintaining Product Listings across Channels

Every channel has guidelines and specifications for a product feed (title, description, image, price, etc.). It is also essential to maintain up-to-date information on these platforms. Without a unified system, this problem can become overwhelming and difficult to navigate.

Solution:

• Install product feed management software that allows you to integrate with sales channels. For example, if you have a store on Shopify, you can easily upload the product catalog to your desired sales channels and make the changes once, and they will reflect across channels in real-time.

Keeping Inventory and Orders in Sync

Managing channels independently leads to overselling or stockouts and failure to fulfill orders.

Solution: 

• Implement a multi-channel inventory management system (either via Shopify/Wix/Bigcommerce or a third party) that provides real-time stock visibility across all channels.
• When choosing inventory management software, ensure it syncs data within minutes or faster soon after a sale on any channel to maintain accuracy in stock levels.

Excellent Customer Support

As discussed earlier, no matter how many platforms you serve, customer experience takes the front seat. To do this right, follow:

Solution:

• Build a highly knowledgeable customer support team that resolves customer inquiries on time.
• Document guidelines your team can use when interacting with customers on each channel or marketplace.
• Additionally, have templates for responding to customers based on each channel’s requirements. For example, Amazon doesn’t allow links to any websites when messaging a buyer (have a template that complies with rules).
• Have a unified system that brings in messages from across channels to respond promptly. Examples of such tools include Zendesk, Help Scout, etc.

Fulfilling Orders

It gets more complex as you receive a higher order volume, meet diverse packaging requirements, and meet each channel’s deadlines. 

Solution: 

• Pick fulfillment options that include self-fulfillment, third-party logistics (3PL), drop-shipping, or Amazon’s Multi-channel fulfillment (fulfill orders from multiple sales channels).
• With self-fulfillment, consider improving warehouse processes, implementing a system to allocate orders, and staying on top of each channel’s shipping requirements. If you’re running promotions, ensure your fulfillment process’s shipping cost calculation properly accounts for that. Use a unified packaging system; don’t forget the marketplace’s rules.

Overwhelmed? We understand.

There are other options for you to explore.

• Choose a reliable shipping partner that does all the work for you.
• You can also choose the Amazon MCF program, which provides fulfillment services for Amazon and other channels like Shopify or eBay.

Best Practices for Multi-Channel E-Commerce Success

• Invest in a multi-channel management platform like Shopify that connects your main store to all your preferred channels, syncs inventory, and offers a dashboard to monitor multi-channel performance in a single view. 
• Choose feed management software that offers reliability, excellent customer support, and scalability.
• Invest in a good data analytics tool such as Google Analytics or Glew that enables you to combine data from all the channels you use. These tools provide exact revenue and ad spend information, giving you a bigger picture of which channel works for you and which does not.
• Use product feed management tools or multi-channel listing software that automatically updates product feeds, pushes listings to channels, etc.
• Ensure your branding is consistent across channels. We know we mentioned this earlier, but branding needs to be stressed. Your mission statement, value proposition, and story should be consistent. For example, the branding should be notably consistent if you have a Shopify store, Amazon seller profile, and Instagram account.
• To expand further on branding, maintain a brand style guide you can share with your marketing and sales team.
• Ensure your packaging and unboxing experiences are branded (and unified). This way, whether your customers buy from your website or on Amazon, they will have the same experience, reinforcing your brand identity.
• After deciding on the sales channel to sell your products, focus on developing compelling content your team can share across channels.  
• Make data-driven decisions by actively analyzing the data across channels. Track important metrics like ad spend vs. sales on Google Shopping ads and marketplace fees vs. revenue on Amazon to understand if the channels work for you. Pay attention to performance metrics like conversion rate, click-through rate, cart abandonments, and fulfillment latency to understand areas for improvement.

Benefits of Multi-Channel E-Commerce

There are various benefits for an e-commerce business to venture into multi-channel e-commerce; we have highlighted a few:

Reach Potential Customers

Selling your products on multiple channels allows you to reach a wider audience from various demographics and geographics. 

For example, expanding your multi-channel e-commerce to channels like Amazon, Etsy, and Walmart attracts new customers who might be interested in your brand.

This expansion leads to brand awareness, enabling you to attract and convert potential customers. 

Enhanced Customer Journey

With a multi-channel marketing approach, you can engage customers through multiple touchpoints across different channels, increasing their chances of purchasing a product.

This means that even though a customer finds your product on a social media platform like Instagram, they are more likely to search for it on Google and marketplaces, thus enabling multiple touchpoints and providing more check-out opportunities.

With multi-channel e-commerce, you can increase revenue by selling across two or more channels rather than one. You can also retarget customers through multiple channels by engaging with them after cart abandonments through a cross-channel experience.

Conclusion

To conclude, multi-channel selling is beneficial as it expands your customer base, diversifies risks, and aligns with modern shopping behavior, where multiple touchpoints often lead to a purchase.

However, to succeed, one must lay a strong foundation with a solid product data feed, a primary sales channel, a product feed management software, and a centralized inventory system.

By carefully planning, executing, and continuously improving your multi-channel e-commerce strategy, you can significantly grow your business and future-proof it.

We wish you luck in your multi-channel journey!

FAQs

What is multi-channel e-commerce?

Multi-channel e-commerce is a strategy e-commerce business owners use to sell on multiple channels. Multiple channels include a website, a store, marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, and Alibaba, and social commerce like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, and more.

What is an example of a multi-channel?

One example of an e-commerce company that uses multi-channel e-commerce is H&M. It sells its products on its website and offline stores. H&M is also on third-party marketplaces, including namshi.com and JD.com in UAE and China.

Is Amazon omnichannel or multi-channel?

Amazon follows both multi-channel and omnichannel strategies. It is present in physical stores, on a website, and on a mobile app, thus providing a multichannel experience. Additionally, it follows an omnichannel approach by providing a unified shopping experience across channels like its online store, mobile app, etc. 

How do I manage inventory across multiple channels?

Invest in a multi-channel inventory management system that syncs inventory across channels in real-time, preventing overselling and stockouts. The tools must support automatic updates, integration with multiple sales channels, and more. A few examples include Linnworks and Sellbrite.

How can I optimize my listings for different marketplaces?

The best approach is to find product feed management software that optimizes your product feed for respective channels, thus minimizing errors and account suspensions. This process involves optimizing titles, descriptions, images, keyword research, and more. Before choosing marketplaces, ensure you check and abide by each marketplace’s policies and guidelines.

What is the role of automation in multi-channel eCommerce?

It essentially saves you time and effort so that you can focus on key business aspects. You can use marketing, sales, and customer service automation to send emails, receive customer calls, and conduct post-purchase activities. You can use software like Mailchimp and HubSpot for marketing automation, Stocky for automating inventory management, and tools like Freshdesk and Zoho Desk for customer support. 

How can I track the performance of different sales channels?

Invest in an integrated analytics tool like Hubspot, Salesforce CRM, or Google Analytics. And track key metrics such as sales revenue, conversion rates, customer acquisition cost, average order value, customer lifetime value, and profit margins for each channel.