Omni Channel Purchasing Competion: How to win the Consumption Battle (Case Study: Fondaco dei tedeschi)

Abstract

The world of retailing has changed dramatically for the past decades, followed with the advanced development of mobile technology. The emerging of digital online retailing channels, such as mobile commerce and live commerce, brings a big challenge to offline channels (physical stores). Shopping centres as a representative traditional offline channel has been influenced heavily. While, it is even more difficult for luxury shopping centres to embrace digital age due to their own special characteristics. On the other side, customers begun to transfer freely among channels during their search and purchasing process. They are not limited by pure online shopping or pure offline shopping but integrate both, that has spawned an innovative business strategy in retail industry — Omni-channel retailing. This thesis discussed how can a luxury shopping centre become competitive in the digital age through developing an omni-channel business strategy. Analysing both from the features of emerging online channels and modern luxury customers behaviour and consumption trend. Finally, discussing on a specific case study Fondaco dei Tedeschi with its limited conditions and distinctive characteristics. Key words: Omni-channel retailing, luxury, shopping centre