Crafting Integrated Multichannel Retailing Strategies

37 Pages Posted: 8 Jan 2010 Last revised: 5 Jan 2010

See all articles by Jie Zhang

Jie Zhang

University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business

Paul Farris

University of Virginia - Darden School of Business

Tarun Kushwaha

University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School

John Irvin

JCPenney

Thomas J. Steenburgh

University of Virginia - Darden Graduate School of Business

Barton A. Weitz

University of Florida - Warrington College of Business Administration

Date Written: April 15, 2009

Abstract

Multichannel retailing is the set of activities involved in selling merchandise or services to consumers through more than one channel. Multichannel retailers dominate today’s retail landscape. While there are many benefits of operating multiple channels, these retailers also face many challenges. In this article, we discuss the key issues concerning multichannel retailing, including the motivations and constraints of going multichannel, the challenges of crafting multichannel retailing strategies and opportunities for creating synergies across channels, key retail mix decisions facing multichannel retailers, and the dynamics of multichannel retailing. We synthesize current knowledge drawn from the academic literature and industry practice, and discuss potential directions for future research.

Keywords: multichannel marketing

Suggested Citation

Zhang, Jie and Farris, Paul and Kushwaha, Tarun and Irvin, John and Steenburgh, Thomas J. and Weitz, Barton A., Crafting Integrated Multichannel Retailing Strategies (April 15, 2009). Harvard Business School Marketing Unit Working Paper No. 09-125, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1389644 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1389644

Jie Zhang (Contact Author)

University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business ( email )

College Park, MD 20742-1815
United States

Paul Farris

University of Virginia - Darden School of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 6550
Charlottesville, VA 22906-6550
United States
434-924-0524 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty/farris.htm

Tarun Kushwaha

University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School ( email )

Chapel Hill, NC 27599
United States

John Irvin

JCPenney ( email )

United States

Thomas J. Steenburgh

University of Virginia - Darden Graduate School of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 6550
Charlottesville, VA 22906-6550
United States

Barton A. Weitz

University of Florida - Warrington College of Business Administration ( email )

Gainesville, FL 32611
United States
352-392-7166, ext. 1256 (Phone)
352-392-4379 (Fax)

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