This story was delivered to BI Intelligence "E-Commerce Briefing" subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please click here.JCPenney plans to emphasize omnichannel sales in a bid to capitalize on double-digit growth in its e-commerce business as same-store sales continue to decline,according to Internet Retailer.A spokesperson for the firm noted that such a strategy could help the legacy seller leverage all of [its] assets, and might help catalyze sales growth.Users are frequently interacting with JCPenney through multiple channels. Seventy percent of JCPenney shoppers visit the retailer online before visiting the store. And over half of online orders go through a store in some way, either through a click and collect program, by shipping to or from a store, or with an online purchase returned in-store, according to Internet Retailer.And shoppers who behave in this way often spend more. JCPenneys customers who shop via multiple channels spend twice as much on an annual basis than store- or online-only shoppers. That could be because shoppers regularly engaging on multiple channels are already more loyal to the retailer. But it could also be because of the proven benefits of omnichannela recent Harvard Business Review study found that customers who engage with retailers on multiple channels visit brick-and-mortar stores more often, and spend more both in-store and online.JCPenney exemplifies how leveraging physical and digital channels in combination can benefit legacy retailers struggling to go digital. Although the digital shift is hitting retailers hard, brick-and-mortar retail still accounts for the vast majority of sales, and its key for firms to find ways to leverage that while adjusting to an increasingly digital world. Legacy retailers can use tools like click and collect to boost foot traffic in their physical locations40% of JCPenney's online sales are bought online and picked up in-store. This helps drive sales because shoppers who use these methods often end up making additional purchases once they arrive in-store.Omnichannel strategies allow legacy retailers to leverage their existing resources as they navigate the transition to digital, ultimately helping them reach consumers on the digital devices where they spend time, while maximizing the performance of physical stores.E-commerce has been on the rise in the last several years, thanks in large part to titans in the industry such as Amazon and Alibaba. E-commerce will truly become the future of retail, as nearly all of the growth in the retail sector now takes place in the digital space.BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, forecaststhat U.S. consumers will spend $385 billion online in 2016. Moreover, BI Intelligence predicts that number willgrowto $632 billion in 2020.This is hardly surprisingconsidering e-commerce's healthy growth. Thoughthe U.S. retail average growth rate in the first half of 2016 was just 2% for total retail, it was 16% for e-commerce.The number of online shoppers has grown by nearly 20 million from 2015 to 2016. And these 224 million shoppers are spending more, as the total amount spent online grew from $61 billion in the first quarter of 2015 to $68 billion in Q1 2016. Finally, these customers are transacting more frequently, as the number of online transactions has risen by 115 million from 2015 to 2016.But all of this shopping online creates its own set of challenges, both for consumers and the companies that are trying to get their products onto shoppers' screens and into their shopping carts. In short, you need a plan.And to create your ultimatee-commercebattle plan, you need the right intel.BI Intelligence is here to help.Our team of industry experts has you covered on topics such as:Shopping cart abandonmentMarketing effectivenessMerchandise returnsCustomer satisfactionSocial media monetizationMobile paymentsAccommodating shoppers at the 11th hourAnd much moreInterested in getting the full bundle of nearly 80 reports' Here are twoways to access it:Subscribe to anAll-Accesspass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensureyou stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> START A MEMBERSHIPPurchase & download the full bundlefromour research store.>>BUY THE REPORTSJoin the conversation about this story
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