Shoppers don’t just want a smooth and seamless retail experience, they expect one. And if you can’t deliver, that could mean the business goes to another store.
That’s why Nationwide Marketing Group teamed up with website partners Site on Time (SOT) and Retailer Web Services (RWS) to provide free access to Centerpoint, a tool that connects retailers’ point-of-sale (POS) data with their websites to give shoppers real timeline of sight into product inventory and pricing information.
This is a huge development for several reasons.
First, it gives retailers the option to show in-store product, floor models, as well as ready-to-buy and in-stock website products through their website. That means sales associates have all the information they need at their fingertips. They can walk consumers through the website and show them exactly what they want to know in real-time.
Centerpoint also provides consistent pricing online, in-store, and at the point of sale, so there’s never a misunderstanding in prices. One of the things that turns consumers off most is different pricing in-store and online. Imagine if you wanted to buy a sofa that was $800 online but $1,200 in the store because someone forgot to update the website prices. Would you ever go back to the store?
Pricing will become even more important as consumers become price-sensitive due to inflation and rising gas prices. That’s also why Centerpoint protects margins with in-stock product flags.
Finally, Centerpoint offers the ability to buy online and pick-up in-store, which results in fewer order cancellations and calls to ask about product inventory.
Plus consider this: According to one study, 28.3% of consumers have used Buy Online Pickup In Store (BOPIS) between 6 and 10 times in the past year. And a combined 19.6% of shoppers are using BOPIS even more frequently, having paid online and picked up in-store or curbside between 11 and 20 times in the past 12 months.
At launch, centerpoint will integrate with a number of Nationwide POS providers, including Furniture Wizard Software, Myriad Software, Smartwerks, and STORIS. Nationwide is also working to onboard EPASS Software.
“Retailers can’t take any chances with their shopper experience, whether that’s online or in store,” says Jennifer Danko, senior vice president of omnichannel technology for Nationwide Marketing Group. “By linking a dealer’s POS platform directly to their website, centerpoint puts that critical product and pricing information front and center and ensures that a customer will have a consistent, seamless shopping experience wherever they are in the shopper journey.”
Centerpoint is now available for free to Nationwide members who have a Level 4 website and are sharing POS data
“Centerpoint provides independent retailers with all the tools they need to keep their websites relevant for today’s shopper,” Danko says. “Customers expect to find information fast and be able to purchase product in a way that’s convenient for them. Centerpoint ensures an independent retailer’s website goes above and beyond to meet the shopper’s needs.”
Nationwide members interested in learning more about integrating centerpoint into their websites are encouraged to contact their Site on Time or Retailer Web Services account representative.
