Visualsoft is partnering with Shopify to help UK retailers bridge the gap between online and in-store shopping, as new research from its One Shopper, One Journey report reveals the growing urgency for truly connected retail experiences.
Almost nine in ten shoppers (88%) already buy both online and in-store from the same retailers, showing that omnichannel behaviour is now the norm.
Perhaps most surprisingly, a third (33%) of shoppers would willingly pay more for a consistently seamless retail experience, and that willingness doubles among younger adults, rising to 61% 18-34 year olds.
It’s clear that shoppers no longer think in channels but expect one brand, one experience and one relationship. This partnership brings together Shopify’s point of sale (POS) and unified commerce platform with Visualsoft’s deep expertise in omnichannel integration and retail performance. Together they will enable brands to run their entire business from one system, giving customers a consistent, personalised experience wherever they shop.
Seventy-four percent of shoppers say they feel more confident buying from brands that offer a joined-up experience. A huge of 92% 25-34 year olds want to be able to return an item bought online instore, and 46% of all respondents said it would be useful to be able to check for stock online before visiting a shop.
Chris Fletcher, CEO of Visualsoft, said: “There’s a huge amount of pressure on retailers to deliver a unified experience, because whether they’re online or in-store, customers expect shopping to feel seamless as they move between channels. That only happens when your tech actually joins everything up, but with Shopify's POS platform and Visualsoft's expertise, retailers can bring their systems, data and loyalty into one view, spending less time wrestling with disjointed journeys and more time looking after customers.”
Matthias Kleven, Head of Northern Europe Partnerships at Shopify said: “Commerce today is about removing barriers between channels and creating one connected consumer experience. Shoppers don’t distinguish between online and in-store, so retailers shouldn’t have to either. Together with Visualsoft, we’re helping UK retailers use Shopify’s unified commerce platform to bring every part of their business together - from stock and payments to loyalty and service - so they can meet customers wherever they are and however they choose to shop.”
As shoppers continue to blur the lines between digital and physical, this partnership gives retailers the agility and insight to keep pace. The message is clear - with most shoppers already moving seamlessly between channels, unified commerce is no longer an ambition. It is the baseline.
Shopify is the leading global commerce platform that provides essential internet infrastructure for commerce, offering trusted tools to start, scale, market, and run a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for speed, customisation, reliability, and security, while delivering a better shopping experience for consumers online, in store, and everywhere in between.
Visualsoft, a Shopify Plus Partner with over 25 years of retail expertise, empowers merchants to deliver unified commerce through Shopify. From real-time inventory visibility to Shopify POS, payments, and returns, they help retailers create seamless, end-to-end customer experiences across every channel.
The partnership will be supported by a number of pop up events with top retailers across the country.
