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As an industry marketing term, “omnichannel” was designed to distill the vast evolution of eCommerce, which was accelerated by the introduction (and mass adoption) of the iPhone. The ease and fluidity of the device’s user experience completely transformed consumers’ expectations of technology—as well as the branded environments that existed within it. Soon after, what consumers saw and interacted with in social networks, games, and apps, became the standards for shopping.
Although omnichannel still arguably represents the way merchants need to strategically think about their shopping experiences, from branded sites to influencer-fueled social media campaigns, a new era is emerging.
Omnimodal shopping represents the evolution of how consumers think about commerce within their everyday lives; and most importantly, how they feel while participating in it. It transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail, which centers on transactional settings, and instead focuses on the nuanced interplay of consumer intents, contexts, and behaviors.
Our recent research, developed in partnership with BigCommerce, reveals that modern shoppers, particularly the younger, digitally-native "Scroll Set", are navigating a complex ecosystem of purchasing modes that defy conventional categorization.
Notably, 1/3 of Scroll Set consumers now turn to ChatGPT as their first stop for new category research, signaling a seismic shift in information-gathering habits.
This guide will explore the implications of omnimodal shopping, dissecting how it differs from omnichannel approaches and why brands must proactively adapt to these new modes of engagement. We'll offer insights into how businesses can thrive in an era where the line between digital and physical retail experiences is no longer.
Omnichannel is No Longer Relevant
The prefix “omni-” derives from the Latin word omnis, which means “all” or “every.”
An evolution of the oft-used “multichannel” and “cross-channel,” “omnichannel” was adopted to describe the integration and interplay between a growing number of digital and physical touchpoints within the commerce ecosystem. Although written and oral histories don’t fully agree on the word’s official moment of origin, there is agreement that the word began to spring up in 2010 and gained steam among vendors and marketing teams in 2013.
Omnichannel has done a sufficient job of effectively describing consumers’ ability (and eagerness) to use different channels to accomplish commerce-related tasks. In 2010, consumers were riding the technological high of smartphones and got a first look at Apple’s first-gen iPad, which added a new dimension to the eCommerce experience. These devices didn’t just become tools to support consumers’ in-person experiences; they became shopping destinations unto themselves. And as they became more widely adopted, consumers came to expect a more seamless and consistent brand experience as they hopped between different devices and platforms.
Arguably, “omnichannel” has sufficiently served the industry for the past 14 years. However, it is far too utility-based to represent the real reasons why people shop when, where, and how they do. The vast majority (87%) of our survey respondents admitted to purchasing products and services online weekly, and 81% prefer shopping and transacting online across four key categories:
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Convenience is an obvious driver, but consumers also gravitate to digital because it has given them access to the almighty algorithm, which is now embedded into most (if not all) of the tools we use to learn and discover—from Google to Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and yes, even ChatGPT. AI is powering the new shopping journey, serving more accurate product recommendations, and empowering merchants to finetune curated service via digital channels.
“Omnimodal” represents our evolved mindset as consumers and omnimodal shopping transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail that centers on transactional settings. Instead, omnimodal shopping focuses on how our intents, contexts, and behaviors work together to drive our shopping journeys—and the opportunities that exist for merchants to not just show up in these moments but support them through personalized and fluid experiences.
The Three Pillars of Omnimodal Shopping
Consumer Intents
Shopping is an ever-present source of entertainment, education, and consumption. In fact, consumers are more likely to be purchasing and researching brands, products, or services than they are streaming premium media content. However, our intent as we shop varies; and we expect brands to be able to serve us wherever, wherever, and however we’re inspired to browse and buy.
Contexts
Because consumers are always shopping, and commerce is embedded into so many different formats and interfaces, brands sometimes have little control over the experience that consumers ultimately have as they’re shopping. However, when consumers directly interact with a brand through any channel, there is an opportunity to better understand their needs, behaviors, and expectations. Brands should incentivize consumers to share their data (through discounts, offers, or other tangible benefits) and then use that data to power email, text conversations, recommendations, and other interactions that reduce friction and drive value.
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Behaviors
There are some modal behaviors consumers have adopted and grown accustomed to. For instance, 74% of consumers have opted in and out of brand messages the same day to get a discount. And in the checkout experience specifically, 40% have abandoned their cart simply because mobile wallet options weren’t available. These innate actions began as learned behaviors and many more permeate across the digital landscape. Brands need to not just understand the various channels consumers use but also the behaviors they’ve adopted within them to create omnimodal experiences that resonate.
Understanding the Omnimodal Consumer
The 200+ individuals surveyed fall into three key segments:
The Scroll Set: In their 20s, these consumers never knew adulthood (possibly even general existence) without their mobile devices and social media.
Generation Net: These 30-somethings are considered the “bridge generation.” They grew up in the dial-up internet era and came into their young adulthoods with Tom of MySpace and “The Facebook.”
Technostalgians: For these consumers, who are aged 40 and up, analog experiences are considered cultural touchstones. However, these consumers also have grown accustomed to, even reliant on, the ease and convenience that eCommerce brings.
Although online shopping has become ubiquitous, the Scroll Set is coming of age, with Gen Z and even Gen Alpha gaining more power over purchase decisions and influence over new commerce experiences.
As a result, brands need to truly understand the nuances of the Scroll Set—what they think, how they feel, and how they shop. For one, while all segments have relatively high expectations of online shopping experiences, the Scroll Set is extremely unforgiving of friction: 97% of these consumers said if a brand’s website is hard to use, they immediately think less of that brand.
Up to one-third of the Scroll Set also turns to ChatGPT to conduct new category research, making this segment an early adopter compared to Generation Net (11%) and Technostalgians (10%). However, all respondents are using ChatGPT in some way, with 25% using it as part of the shopping journey. These consumers are realizing through these interfaces that AI is a powerful mechanism for enhanced personalization and more meaningful brand connections. When they use the right combination of keywords and effectively phrase their queries, they can receive better, more relevant, results.
As more consumers test and reap the benefits of AI-powered algorithms, their expectations of personalization continue to mount. Respondents across all segments said they want more:
These instances deliver “speed to solution,” easing our cognitive load and intensifying the dopamine hit we get when we add to cart. We feel like we’re beating an unspoken system when we get exactly what we want, faster and easier, especially when those needs are unspoken.
But when we exchange data for this level of seamlessness, our tastes and desires are also being mined, used, and ultimately shaped, for us.
What the Rise of Omnimodal Means for Brands
The evolution from omnichannel to omnimodal presents merchants with new opportunities to differentiate their brands and the value they deliver to shoppers’ lives. As brands think about how they plan to seize this new opportunity, they should consider the following:
Understand (and respond to) consumers’ desire for contextual commerce
Emerging technologies are shaping omnimodal experiences. Nearly half (47%) of consumers indicate that they want AI-driven search that helps them choose products based on multiple criteria. As these segments continue to test AI-powered engines and solutions, this demand will only increase, making it a force multiplier for brands wanting to monetize and optimize contextual experiences.
Balance personalization with privacy concerns
The general consensus is that many consumers have no problem sharing their data if it means they receive a relevant and personalized experience in return. However, consumers undoubtedly want control over when and how that data is shared. For example, 63% of consumers have abandoned a cart because they were unable to checkout as a “guest.” Be mindful of where and how you’re asking consumers to opt into data sharing, and ensure that the value exchange is clear and aligned with consumer expectations.
Adapt to non-linear customer journeys
58% of consumers have walked away from a purchase when both email and phone number were required for a promotional discount. Consumers want to participate in shopping journeys on their own terms. In their world, they create the rules, so give them the power and flexibility to shop when and how they want, through any platform and in any context.
Create moments of proactive engagement
Vague notifications and transactional email reminders are an annoyance if they lack context or value. Sure, steeper discounts are usually enough to drive consumers to complete their purchase, but sending proactive emails featuring supporting products or having a chatbot ask if an online shopper is in need of real-time assistance could provide the digital “nudge” that some shoppers need. Plus, it helps forge that brand affinity that all merchants are looking for.
Conclusion
Contextual relevance is now a driver for brand loyalty. Using a combination of conversational search, chatbots, and personalized brand interactions, consumers are feeling seen and understood, which ultimately creates value as they aim to fulfill specific needs.
However, these consumers, especially the Scroll Set, have high expectations of the digital experience. And to them, contextual relevance isn’t simply about delivering relevant product recommendations and deals; it’s about giving them the power to venture through the checkout experience as quickly and easily as possible.
Want to learn more about how you can embrace an omnimodal mindset? Download the full report to get all the insights you need.
As an industry marketing term, “omnichannel” was designed to distill the vast evolution of eCommerce, which was accelerated by the introduction (and mass adoption) of the iPhone. The ease and fluidity of the device’s user experience completely transformed consumers’ expectations of technology—as well as the branded environments that existed within it. Soon after, what consumers saw and interacted with in social networks, games, and apps, became the standards for shopping.
Although omnichannel still arguably represents the way merchants need to strategically think about their shopping experiences, from branded sites to influencer-fueled social media campaigns, a new era is emerging.
Omnimodal shopping represents the evolution of how consumers think about commerce within their everyday lives; and most importantly, how they feel while participating in it. It transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail, which centers on transactional settings, and instead focuses on the nuanced interplay of consumer intents, contexts, and behaviors.
Our recent research, developed in partnership with BigCommerce, reveals that modern shoppers, particularly the younger, digitally-native "Scroll Set", are navigating a complex ecosystem of purchasing modes that defy conventional categorization.
Notably, 1/3 of Scroll Set consumers now turn to ChatGPT as their first stop for new category research, signaling a seismic shift in information-gathering habits.
This guide will explore the implications of omnimodal shopping, dissecting how it differs from omnichannel approaches and why brands must proactively adapt to these new modes of engagement. We'll offer insights into how businesses can thrive in an era where the line between digital and physical retail experiences is no longer.
Omnichannel is No Longer Relevant
The prefix “omni-” derives from the Latin word omnis, which means “all” or “every.”
An evolution of the oft-used “multichannel” and “cross-channel,” “omnichannel” was adopted to describe the integration and interplay between a growing number of digital and physical touchpoints within the commerce ecosystem. Although written and oral histories don’t fully agree on the word’s official moment of origin, there is agreement that the word began to spring up in 2010 and gained steam among vendors and marketing teams in 2013.
Omnichannel has done a sufficient job of effectively describing consumers’ ability (and eagerness) to use different channels to accomplish commerce-related tasks. In 2010, consumers were riding the technological high of smartphones and got a first look at Apple’s first-gen iPad, which added a new dimension to the eCommerce experience. These devices didn’t just become tools to support consumers’ in-person experiences; they became shopping destinations unto themselves. And as they became more widely adopted, consumers came to expect a more seamless and consistent brand experience as they hopped between different devices and platforms.
Arguably, “omnichannel” has sufficiently served the industry for the past 14 years. However, it is far too utility-based to represent the real reasons why people shop when, where, and how they do. The vast majority (87%) of our survey respondents admitted to purchasing products and services online weekly, and 81% prefer shopping and transacting online across four key categories:
Convenience is an obvious driver, but consumers also gravitate to digital because it has given them access to the almighty algorithm, which is now embedded into most (if not all) of the tools we use to learn and discover—from Google to Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and yes, even ChatGPT. AI is powering the new shopping journey, serving more accurate product recommendations, and empowering merchants to finetune curated service via digital channels.
“Omnimodal” represents our evolved mindset as consumers and omnimodal shopping transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail that centers on transactional settings. Instead, omnimodal shopping focuses on how our intents, contexts, and behaviors work together to drive our shopping journeys—and the opportunities that exist for merchants to not just show up in these moments but support them through personalized and fluid experiences.
The Three Pillars of Omnimodal Shopping
Consumer Intents
Shopping is an ever-present source of entertainment, education, and consumption. In fact, consumers are more likely to be purchasing and researching brands, products, or services than they are streaming premium media content. However, our intent as we shop varies; and we expect brands to be able to serve us wherever, wherever, and however we’re inspired to browse and buy.
Contexts
Because consumers are always shopping, and commerce is embedded into so many different formats and interfaces, brands sometimes have little control over the experience that consumers ultimately have as they’re shopping. However, when consumers directly interact with a brand through any channel, there is an opportunity to better understand their needs, behaviors, and expectations. Brands should incentivize consumers to share their data (through discounts, offers, or other tangible benefits) and then use that data to power email, text conversations, recommendations, and other interactions that reduce friction and drive value.
Behaviors
There are some modal behaviors consumers have adopted and grown accustomed to. For instance, 74% of consumers have opted in and out of brand messages the same day to get a discount. And in the checkout experience specifically, 40% have abandoned their cart simply because mobile wallet options weren’t available. These innate actions began as learned behaviors and many more permeate across the digital landscape. Brands need to not just understand the various channels consumers use but also the behaviors they’ve adopted within them to create omnimodal experiences that resonate.
Understanding the Omnimodal Consumer
The 200+ individuals surveyed fall into three key segments:
The Scroll Set: In their 20s, these consumers never knew adulthood (possibly even general existence) without their mobile devices and social media.
Generation Net: These 30-somethings are considered the “bridge generation.” They grew up in the dial-up internet era and came into their young adulthoods with Tom of MySpace and “The Facebook.”
Technostalgians: For these consumers, who are aged 40 and up, analog experiences are considered cultural touchstones. However, these consumers also have grown accustomed to, even reliant on, the ease and convenience that eCommerce brings.
Although online shopping has become ubiquitous, the Scroll Set is coming of age, with Gen Z and even Gen Alpha gaining more power over purchase decisions and influence over new commerce experiences.
As a result, brands need to truly understand the nuances of the Scroll Set—what they think, how they feel, and how they shop. For one, while all segments have relatively high expectations of online shopping experiences, the Scroll Set is extremely unforgiving of friction: 97% of these consumers said if a brand’s website is hard to use, they immediately think less of that brand.
Up to one-third of the Scroll Set also turns to ChatGPT to conduct new category research, making this segment an early adopter compared to Generation Net (11%) and Technostalgians (10%). However, all respondents are using ChatGPT in some way, with 25% using it as part of the shopping journey. These consumers are realizing through these interfaces that AI is a powerful mechanism for enhanced personalization and more meaningful brand connections. When they use the right combination of keywords and effectively phrase their queries, they can receive better, more relevant, results.
As more consumers test and reap the benefits of AI-powered algorithms, their expectations of personalization continue to mount. Respondents across all segments said they want more:
These instances deliver “speed to solution,” easing our cognitive load and intensifying the dopamine hit we get when we add to cart. We feel like we’re beating an unspoken system when we get exactly what we want, faster and easier, especially when those needs are unspoken.
But when we exchange data for this level of seamlessness, our tastes and desires are also being mined, used, and ultimately shaped, for us.
What the Rise of Omnimodal Means for Brands
The evolution from omnichannel to omnimodal presents merchants with new opportunities to differentiate their brands and the value they deliver to shoppers’ lives. As brands think about how they plan to seize this new opportunity, they should consider the following:
Understand (and respond to) consumers’ desire for contextual commerce
Emerging technologies are shaping omnimodal experiences. Nearly half (47%) of consumers indicate that they want AI-driven search that helps them choose products based on multiple criteria. As these segments continue to test AI-powered engines and solutions, this demand will only increase, making it a force multiplier for brands wanting to monetize and optimize contextual experiences.
Balance personalization with privacy concerns
The general consensus is that many consumers have no problem sharing their data if it means they receive a relevant and personalized experience in return. However, consumers undoubtedly want control over when and how that data is shared. For example, 63% of consumers have abandoned a cart because they were unable to checkout as a “guest.” Be mindful of where and how you’re asking consumers to opt into data sharing, and ensure that the value exchange is clear and aligned with consumer expectations.
Adapt to non-linear customer journeys
58% of consumers have walked away from a purchase when both email and phone number were required for a promotional discount. Consumers want to participate in shopping journeys on their own terms. In their world, they create the rules, so give them the power and flexibility to shop when and how they want, through any platform and in any context.
Create moments of proactive engagement
Vague notifications and transactional email reminders are an annoyance if they lack context or value. Sure, steeper discounts are usually enough to drive consumers to complete their purchase, but sending proactive emails featuring supporting products or having a chatbot ask if an online shopper is in need of real-time assistance could provide the digital “nudge” that some shoppers need. Plus, it helps forge that brand affinity that all merchants are looking for.
Conclusion
Contextual relevance is now a driver for brand loyalty. Using a combination of conversational search, chatbots, and personalized brand interactions, consumers are feeling seen and understood, which ultimately creates value as they aim to fulfill specific needs.
However, these consumers, especially the Scroll Set, have high expectations of the digital experience. And to them, contextual relevance isn’t simply about delivering relevant product recommendations and deals; it’s about giving them the power to venture through the checkout experience as quickly and easily as possible.
Want to learn more about how you can embrace an omnimodal mindset? Download the full report to get all the insights you need.
As an industry marketing term, “omnichannel” was designed to distill the vast evolution of eCommerce, which was accelerated by the introduction (and mass adoption) of the iPhone. The ease and fluidity of the device’s user experience completely transformed consumers’ expectations of technology—as well as the branded environments that existed within it. Soon after, what consumers saw and interacted with in social networks, games, and apps, became the standards for shopping.
Although omnichannel still arguably represents the way merchants need to strategically think about their shopping experiences, from branded sites to influencer-fueled social media campaigns, a new era is emerging.
Omnimodal shopping represents the evolution of how consumers think about commerce within their everyday lives; and most importantly, how they feel while participating in it. It transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail, which centers on transactional settings, and instead focuses on the nuanced interplay of consumer intents, contexts, and behaviors.
Our recent research, developed in partnership with BigCommerce, reveals that modern shoppers, particularly the younger, digitally-native "Scroll Set", are navigating a complex ecosystem of purchasing modes that defy conventional categorization.
Notably, 1/3 of Scroll Set consumers now turn to ChatGPT as their first stop for new category research, signaling a seismic shift in information-gathering habits.
This guide will explore the implications of omnimodal shopping, dissecting how it differs from omnichannel approaches and why brands must proactively adapt to these new modes of engagement. We'll offer insights into how businesses can thrive in an era where the line between digital and physical retail experiences is no longer.
Omnichannel is No Longer Relevant
The prefix “omni-” derives from the Latin word omnis, which means “all” or “every.”
An evolution of the oft-used “multichannel” and “cross-channel,” “omnichannel” was adopted to describe the integration and interplay between a growing number of digital and physical touchpoints within the commerce ecosystem. Although written and oral histories don’t fully agree on the word’s official moment of origin, there is agreement that the word began to spring up in 2010 and gained steam among vendors and marketing teams in 2013.
Omnichannel has done a sufficient job of effectively describing consumers’ ability (and eagerness) to use different channels to accomplish commerce-related tasks. In 2010, consumers were riding the technological high of smartphones and got a first look at Apple’s first-gen iPad, which added a new dimension to the eCommerce experience. These devices didn’t just become tools to support consumers’ in-person experiences; they became shopping destinations unto themselves. And as they became more widely adopted, consumers came to expect a more seamless and consistent brand experience as they hopped between different devices and platforms.
Arguably, “omnichannel” has sufficiently served the industry for the past 14 years. However, it is far too utility-based to represent the real reasons why people shop when, where, and how they do. The vast majority (87%) of our survey respondents admitted to purchasing products and services online weekly, and 81% prefer shopping and transacting online across four key categories:
Convenience is an obvious driver, but consumers also gravitate to digital because it has given them access to the almighty algorithm, which is now embedded into most (if not all) of the tools we use to learn and discover—from Google to Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and yes, even ChatGPT. AI is powering the new shopping journey, serving more accurate product recommendations, and empowering merchants to finetune curated service via digital channels.
“Omnimodal” represents our evolved mindset as consumers and omnimodal shopping transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail that centers on transactional settings. Instead, omnimodal shopping focuses on how our intents, contexts, and behaviors work together to drive our shopping journeys—and the opportunities that exist for merchants to not just show up in these moments but support them through personalized and fluid experiences.
The Three Pillars of Omnimodal Shopping
Consumer Intents
Shopping is an ever-present source of entertainment, education, and consumption. In fact, consumers are more likely to be purchasing and researching brands, products, or services than they are streaming premium media content. However, our intent as we shop varies; and we expect brands to be able to serve us wherever, wherever, and however we’re inspired to browse and buy.
Contexts
Because consumers are always shopping, and commerce is embedded into so many different formats and interfaces, brands sometimes have little control over the experience that consumers ultimately have as they’re shopping. However, when consumers directly interact with a brand through any channel, there is an opportunity to better understand their needs, behaviors, and expectations. Brands should incentivize consumers to share their data (through discounts, offers, or other tangible benefits) and then use that data to power email, text conversations, recommendations, and other interactions that reduce friction and drive value.
Behaviors
There are some modal behaviors consumers have adopted and grown accustomed to. For instance, 74% of consumers have opted in and out of brand messages the same day to get a discount. And in the checkout experience specifically, 40% have abandoned their cart simply because mobile wallet options weren’t available. These innate actions began as learned behaviors and many more permeate across the digital landscape. Brands need to not just understand the various channels consumers use but also the behaviors they’ve adopted within them to create omnimodal experiences that resonate.
Understanding the Omnimodal Consumer
The 200+ individuals surveyed fall into three key segments:
The Scroll Set: In their 20s, these consumers never knew adulthood (possibly even general existence) without their mobile devices and social media.
Generation Net: These 30-somethings are considered the “bridge generation.” They grew up in the dial-up internet era and came into their young adulthoods with Tom of MySpace and “The Facebook.”
Technostalgians: For these consumers, who are aged 40 and up, analog experiences are considered cultural touchstones. However, these consumers also have grown accustomed to, even reliant on, the ease and convenience that eCommerce brings.
Although online shopping has become ubiquitous, the Scroll Set is coming of age, with Gen Z and even Gen Alpha gaining more power over purchase decisions and influence over new commerce experiences.
As a result, brands need to truly understand the nuances of the Scroll Set—what they think, how they feel, and how they shop. For one, while all segments have relatively high expectations of online shopping experiences, the Scroll Set is extremely unforgiving of friction: 97% of these consumers said if a brand’s website is hard to use, they immediately think less of that brand.
Up to one-third of the Scroll Set also turns to ChatGPT to conduct new category research, making this segment an early adopter compared to Generation Net (11%) and Technostalgians (10%). However, all respondents are using ChatGPT in some way, with 25% using it as part of the shopping journey. These consumers are realizing through these interfaces that AI is a powerful mechanism for enhanced personalization and more meaningful brand connections. When they use the right combination of keywords and effectively phrase their queries, they can receive better, more relevant, results.
As more consumers test and reap the benefits of AI-powered algorithms, their expectations of personalization continue to mount. Respondents across all segments said they want more:
These instances deliver “speed to solution,” easing our cognitive load and intensifying the dopamine hit we get when we add to cart. We feel like we’re beating an unspoken system when we get exactly what we want, faster and easier, especially when those needs are unspoken.
But when we exchange data for this level of seamlessness, our tastes and desires are also being mined, used, and ultimately shaped, for us.
What the Rise of Omnimodal Means for Brands
The evolution from omnichannel to omnimodal presents merchants with new opportunities to differentiate their brands and the value they deliver to shoppers’ lives. As brands think about how they plan to seize this new opportunity, they should consider the following:
Understand (and respond to) consumers’ desire for contextual commerce
Emerging technologies are shaping omnimodal experiences. Nearly half (47%) of consumers indicate that they want AI-driven search that helps them choose products based on multiple criteria. As these segments continue to test AI-powered engines and solutions, this demand will only increase, making it a force multiplier for brands wanting to monetize and optimize contextual experiences.
Balance personalization with privacy concerns
The general consensus is that many consumers have no problem sharing their data if it means they receive a relevant and personalized experience in return. However, consumers undoubtedly want control over when and how that data is shared. For example, 63% of consumers have abandoned a cart because they were unable to checkout as a “guest.” Be mindful of where and how you’re asking consumers to opt into data sharing, and ensure that the value exchange is clear and aligned with consumer expectations.
Adapt to non-linear customer journeys
58% of consumers have walked away from a purchase when both email and phone number were required for a promotional discount. Consumers want to participate in shopping journeys on their own terms. In their world, they create the rules, so give them the power and flexibility to shop when and how they want, through any platform and in any context.
Create moments of proactive engagement
Vague notifications and transactional email reminders are an annoyance if they lack context or value. Sure, steeper discounts are usually enough to drive consumers to complete their purchase, but sending proactive emails featuring supporting products or having a chatbot ask if an online shopper is in need of real-time assistance could provide the digital “nudge” that some shoppers need. Plus, it helps forge that brand affinity that all merchants are looking for.
Conclusion
Contextual relevance is now a driver for brand loyalty. Using a combination of conversational search, chatbots, and personalized brand interactions, consumers are feeling seen and understood, which ultimately creates value as they aim to fulfill specific needs.
However, these consumers, especially the Scroll Set, have high expectations of the digital experience. And to them, contextual relevance isn’t simply about delivering relevant product recommendations and deals; it’s about giving them the power to venture through the checkout experience as quickly and easily as possible.
Want to learn more about how you can embrace an omnimodal mindset? Download the full report to get all the insights you need.
As an industry marketing term, “omnichannel” was designed to distill the vast evolution of eCommerce, which was accelerated by the introduction (and mass adoption) of the iPhone. The ease and fluidity of the device’s user experience completely transformed consumers’ expectations of technology—as well as the branded environments that existed within it. Soon after, what consumers saw and interacted with in social networks, games, and apps, became the standards for shopping.
Although omnichannel still arguably represents the way merchants need to strategically think about their shopping experiences, from branded sites to influencer-fueled social media campaigns, a new era is emerging.
Omnimodal shopping represents the evolution of how consumers think about commerce within their everyday lives; and most importantly, how they feel while participating in it. It transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail, which centers on transactional settings, and instead focuses on the nuanced interplay of consumer intents, contexts, and behaviors.
Our recent research, developed in partnership with BigCommerce, reveals that modern shoppers, particularly the younger, digitally-native "Scroll Set", are navigating a complex ecosystem of purchasing modes that defy conventional categorization.
Notably, 1/3 of Scroll Set consumers now turn to ChatGPT as their first stop for new category research, signaling a seismic shift in information-gathering habits.
This guide will explore the implications of omnimodal shopping, dissecting how it differs from omnichannel approaches and why brands must proactively adapt to these new modes of engagement. We'll offer insights into how businesses can thrive in an era where the line between digital and physical retail experiences is no longer.
Omnichannel is No Longer Relevant
The prefix “omni-” derives from the Latin word omnis, which means “all” or “every.”
An evolution of the oft-used “multichannel” and “cross-channel,” “omnichannel” was adopted to describe the integration and interplay between a growing number of digital and physical touchpoints within the commerce ecosystem. Although written and oral histories don’t fully agree on the word’s official moment of origin, there is agreement that the word began to spring up in 2010 and gained steam among vendors and marketing teams in 2013.
Omnichannel has done a sufficient job of effectively describing consumers’ ability (and eagerness) to use different channels to accomplish commerce-related tasks. In 2010, consumers were riding the technological high of smartphones and got a first look at Apple’s first-gen iPad, which added a new dimension to the eCommerce experience. These devices didn’t just become tools to support consumers’ in-person experiences; they became shopping destinations unto themselves. And as they became more widely adopted, consumers came to expect a more seamless and consistent brand experience as they hopped between different devices and platforms.
Arguably, “omnichannel” has sufficiently served the industry for the past 14 years. However, it is far too utility-based to represent the real reasons why people shop when, where, and how they do. The vast majority (87%) of our survey respondents admitted to purchasing products and services online weekly, and 81% prefer shopping and transacting online across four key categories:
Convenience is an obvious driver, but consumers also gravitate to digital because it has given them access to the almighty algorithm, which is now embedded into most (if not all) of the tools we use to learn and discover—from Google to Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and yes, even ChatGPT. AI is powering the new shopping journey, serving more accurate product recommendations, and empowering merchants to finetune curated service via digital channels.
“Omnimodal” represents our evolved mindset as consumers and omnimodal shopping transcends the traditional notion of omnichannel retail that centers on transactional settings. Instead, omnimodal shopping focuses on how our intents, contexts, and behaviors work together to drive our shopping journeys—and the opportunities that exist for merchants to not just show up in these moments but support them through personalized and fluid experiences.
The Three Pillars of Omnimodal Shopping
Consumer Intents
Shopping is an ever-present source of entertainment, education, and consumption. In fact, consumers are more likely to be purchasing and researching brands, products, or services than they are streaming premium media content. However, our intent as we shop varies; and we expect brands to be able to serve us wherever, wherever, and however we’re inspired to browse and buy.
Contexts
Because consumers are always shopping, and commerce is embedded into so many different formats and interfaces, brands sometimes have little control over the experience that consumers ultimately have as they’re shopping. However, when consumers directly interact with a brand through any channel, there is an opportunity to better understand their needs, behaviors, and expectations. Brands should incentivize consumers to share their data (through discounts, offers, or other tangible benefits) and then use that data to power email, text conversations, recommendations, and other interactions that reduce friction and drive value.
Behaviors
There are some modal behaviors consumers have adopted and grown accustomed to. For instance, 74% of consumers have opted in and out of brand messages the same day to get a discount. And in the checkout experience specifically, 40% have abandoned their cart simply because mobile wallet options weren’t available. These innate actions began as learned behaviors and many more permeate across the digital landscape. Brands need to not just understand the various channels consumers use but also the behaviors they’ve adopted within them to create omnimodal experiences that resonate.
Understanding the Omnimodal Consumer
The 200+ individuals surveyed fall into three key segments:
The Scroll Set: In their 20s, these consumers never knew adulthood (possibly even general existence) without their mobile devices and social media.
Generation Net: These 30-somethings are considered the “bridge generation.” They grew up in the dial-up internet era and came into their young adulthoods with Tom of MySpace and “The Facebook.”
Technostalgians: For these consumers, who are aged 40 and up, analog experiences are considered cultural touchstones. However, these consumers also have grown accustomed to, even reliant on, the ease and convenience that eCommerce brings.
Although online shopping has become ubiquitous, the Scroll Set is coming of age, with Gen Z and even Gen Alpha gaining more power over purchase decisions and influence over new commerce experiences.
As a result, brands need to truly understand the nuances of the Scroll Set—what they think, how they feel, and how they shop. For one, while all segments have relatively high expectations of online shopping experiences, the Scroll Set is extremely unforgiving of friction: 97% of these consumers said if a brand’s website is hard to use, they immediately think less of that brand.
Up to one-third of the Scroll Set also turns to ChatGPT to conduct new category research, making this segment an early adopter compared to Generation Net (11%) and Technostalgians (10%). However, all respondents are using ChatGPT in some way, with 25% using it as part of the shopping journey. These consumers are realizing through these interfaces that AI is a powerful mechanism for enhanced personalization and more meaningful brand connections. When they use the right combination of keywords and effectively phrase their queries, they can receive better, more relevant, results.
As more consumers test and reap the benefits of AI-powered algorithms, their expectations of personalization continue to mount. Respondents across all segments said they want more:
These instances deliver “speed to solution,” easing our cognitive load and intensifying the dopamine hit we get when we add to cart. We feel like we’re beating an unspoken system when we get exactly what we want, faster and easier, especially when those needs are unspoken.
But when we exchange data for this level of seamlessness, our tastes and desires are also being mined, used, and ultimately shaped, for us.
What the Rise of Omnimodal Means for Brands
The evolution from omnichannel to omnimodal presents merchants with new opportunities to differentiate their brands and the value they deliver to shoppers’ lives. As brands think about how they plan to seize this new opportunity, they should consider the following:
Understand (and respond to) consumers’ desire for contextual commerce
Emerging technologies are shaping omnimodal experiences. Nearly half (47%) of consumers indicate that they want AI-driven search that helps them choose products based on multiple criteria. As these segments continue to test AI-powered engines and solutions, this demand will only increase, making it a force multiplier for brands wanting to monetize and optimize contextual experiences.
Balance personalization with privacy concerns
The general consensus is that many consumers have no problem sharing their data if it means they receive a relevant and personalized experience in return. However, consumers undoubtedly want control over when and how that data is shared. For example, 63% of consumers have abandoned a cart because they were unable to checkout as a “guest.” Be mindful of where and how you’re asking consumers to opt into data sharing, and ensure that the value exchange is clear and aligned with consumer expectations.
Adapt to non-linear customer journeys
58% of consumers have walked away from a purchase when both email and phone number were required for a promotional discount. Consumers want to participate in shopping journeys on their own terms. In their world, they create the rules, so give them the power and flexibility to shop when and how they want, through any platform and in any context.
Create moments of proactive engagement
Vague notifications and transactional email reminders are an annoyance if they lack context or value. Sure, steeper discounts are usually enough to drive consumers to complete their purchase, but sending proactive emails featuring supporting products or having a chatbot ask if an online shopper is in need of real-time assistance could provide the digital “nudge” that some shoppers need. Plus, it helps forge that brand affinity that all merchants are looking for.
Conclusion
Contextual relevance is now a driver for brand loyalty. Using a combination of conversational search, chatbots, and personalized brand interactions, consumers are feeling seen and understood, which ultimately creates value as they aim to fulfill specific needs.
However, these consumers, especially the Scroll Set, have high expectations of the digital experience. And to them, contextual relevance isn’t simply about delivering relevant product recommendations and deals; it’s about giving them the power to venture through the checkout experience as quickly and easily as possible.
Want to learn more about how you can embrace an omnimodal mindset? Download the full report to get all the insights you need.
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