Crafting integrated multichannel retailing strategies
By: Jie Zhang, Paul Farris, Tarun Kushwaha, John Irvin, Thomas J. Steenburgh, and Barton Weitz
Contributors: Farris, Paul; Kushwaha, Tarun; Irvin, John W.; Steenburgh, Thomas; Weitz, Barton A.; Harvard Business School
Series: Working paper / Harvard Business School -- 09-125; Working paper (Harvard Business School) -- 09-125
Publisher: Harvard Business School
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Boston]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 29
Description: The past fifteen years has been a period of rapid growth in the practice of multichannel retailing, mirroring the rise of the Internet as a nearly ubiquitous tool that firms use to interact with customers. More than 80 percent of a broad cross-section of U.S. retailers now report that they sell merchandise through multiple channels. This practice seems to be on the cusp of a new era in which firms start demanding even more from their investments, with particular emphasis being given to financial performance in light of the current economic crisis. These circumstances present a great opportunity both to firms that are looking to gain a competitive advantage through multichannel retailing and to researchers who are interested in helping them make more informed decisions. This article provides a broad discussion of these issues, synthesizes current knowledge, and suggests directions for future research.
Notes: "April 2009"--Publisher's website.

Includes bibliographical references.