"We want to centralize customer information between stores and the online store, and provide customers with a convenient membership program."
If you are a business owner who operates both physical stores and an online store, you have probably had this thought at least once.
By centrally managing information on customers who visit both stores and the online store and creating a membership program for the entire brand, customers' purchasing experience can be greatly improved.
As a result, we expect that more customers will use both stores and the e-commerce site (cross-use), which will lead to increased brand loyalty and repeat purchases, leading to increased sales across the company.
In this article,
- The importance of centralizing customer information
- How to connect to a store on Shopify
- Features and how to use the app "Omni Hub" that works with Smaregi
We will explain about this.
The importance of centralizing customer information and what is omnichannel?
First, let's consider the importance of centralizing customer information and membership programs between stores and e-commerce.
For example, I'm sure you all collect points at various stores.
What if the store started operating an online store in addition to its brick-and-mortar store and the points earned in the store could not be used online?
It can be inconvenient and disappointing not being able to use points even though you're at the same store.
To eliminate such inconveniences, it is necessary to centralize members' purchasing information and points information across stores and online stores.
In other words, by centralizing customer information between stores and EC, it is possible to provide a better customer experience. This type of attempt is also known as "omni-channelization" or "OMO (Online Merges with Offline)."
However, traditionally, e-commerce and retail stores often used different systems, and in order to achieve omni-channelization, it was necessary to develop linkages between the systems.
Such collaborative development generally requires a lot of initial investment and time, which has made it difficult for many businesses to move towards omni-channel solutions.
Shopify makes omnichannel and OMO easy
Shopify offers the means to achieve omnichannelization with no upfront costs or development required.
The first option is to use Shopify POS.
Shopify POS is Shopify's brick-and-mortar store solution that makes it easy to bring your in-store customers into Shopify.
Learn more about Shopify POS
However, as of the time of writing (November 2021), Shopify POS may be inconvenient for businesses operating stores of a certain size for the following reasons:
- No integration with payment hardware
- There is no concept of inventory counting or closing
- Support is available in English
In such cases, you can use a POS system specialized for in-store operations and link it with Shopify.
The cloud-based POS service "Smaregi" allows stores to operate in accordance with various domestic business practices, and there are several apps that link with Shopify, so business owners who have concerns about the above points may want to consider using it.
Click here for more information about Smaregi
If you use Smaregi, you can integrate your membership information with Shopify using the Shopify-Smaregi membership information integration app "Omni Hub."
Click here for information about the Omni Hub Smaregi member linking app
What can you do with Omni Hub?
Omni Hub is an app that centralizes member information between stores operated with Smaregi and e-commerce sites that use Shopify, creating a more convenient customer experience.
By storing customer data and purchase history on Shopify, you will be able to communicate with customers using various apps on Shopify.
Omni Hub has the following features:
- Automatically link the information of customers who have registered as members on Shopify to Smaregi
- Member transactions made on Smaregi are linked to Shopify, and purchase history is centralized.
- Centralized management of points between Shopify and Smaregi
Until now, centralizing customer information and omni-channel point programs have required investments of millions to tens of millions of yen, but by using Omni Hub, there are no initial costs and monthly fees start from 20,000 yen, making it easy for any business to get started on omni-channel initiatives.
This is an app that we would like business owners who are having trouble managing members at their stores and online stores to consider.
Actual behavior of customers and stores when using Omni Hub
Let's take a look at how customers and store staff respond when actually using Omni Hub.
Even if a customer visits a store, they will register as a member on Shopify's e-commerce site.
Omni Hub automatically connects membership information on Shopify to SmaRegister and displays the membership card, which can then be displayed at the store's register.
Store staff can use the Smaregi POS to read the membership card displayed by the customer and then carry out the transaction as usual to create a transaction linked to that membership.
Since it does not require any effort on the part of either customers or store staff, member information can be centralized with less operational burden.
Examples of using Omni Hub
In addition to centralizing your loyalty programs, Omni Hub allows you to create a variety of omnichannel customer experiences.
Here are some examples of how it can be used.
The first is to send LINE messages tailored to the customer's purchasing information. For example, it would be great if you could receive information about how to use and aftercare for a product purchased in a store via email or LINE, just like when you purchase a product on an EC site.
You can easily implement such measures by using the app "Social PLUS", which links Shopify and LINE.
Click here for more information about Social PLUS
The second is to encourage regular purchases. Shopify makes it easy to implement regular purchases through the app.
[Reference article] Shopify's first "recurring purchase" app available in Japanese. Start your subscription now!
Many businesses probably want their customers to try out their products in-store and then make regular purchases through their e-commerce site.
By using Omni Hub to centralize membership information, you can contact customers who make purchases in-store via LINE or email, encouraging them to make regular purchases on your e-commerce site.
You can also connect with customers who visit your store and build long-term relationships with them.
In this way, by combining multiple apps, you can implement OMO measures that suit your company.
Omni Hub has many other examples of customer experience improvement, so if you're interested, please feel free to contact us.
How to set up Omni Hub
Next, we will explain the installation procedure for Omni Hub.
1. Install the app from the Shopify App Store
2. Follow the instructions on the Shopify app to install the Smaregi app.
※Click here for the Smaregi app page
3. Link the Shopify app and the Smaregi app and activate the app
4. Link existing Shopify and Smaregi customer information
5. Place the member barcode on the member page of Shopify
6. (If you use the point management function) Set up the point management function
The point management function can be easily set up by following the instructions on the app.
Separate settings are also required on the SmaRegist side, so please proceed carefully while also checking the support page.
By using Omni Hub, you can start omnichannel without any development.
Additionally, the Omni Hub support desk provides technical support such as barcode display and guides for store operations.
Pricing, support and inquiries
There is no initial cost for Omni Hub, and monthly fees start from around 20,000 yen.
- I already have my membership information, how do I install it?
- I want to create a program for members, but I don't know how to do it.
- I'm going to open a store, but I don't know what to do.
In addition to implementing Omni Hub, we also provide a wide range of support, including unifying stores and e-commerce, and creating membership programs.
If you are interested in Omni Hub, please feel free to contact the Omni Hub support desk.
Omni Hub Contact Form
Summary of Shopify - Smaregi member information integration app "Omni Hub"
In this article, we have summarized the features and how to use the app "Omni Hub" that works with Smaregi.
We expect sales to increase as more customers cross-use our stores and e-commerce sites, so if you're interested, please feel free to talk to us.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about Shopify operations or any other issues you may have.
For consultation, please click here
*The content of this article is current as of November 2021. The content of this article may differ due to future app updates or changes to Shopify specifications.
