Most brands claim to have an omnichannel strategy. Few actually do.
Shoppers don’t care how many platforms a brand appears on. They expect a seamless, friction-free experience across all of them. And the numbers make it clear:
- 73% of consumers use multiple channels before making a purchase (UniformMarket). If those channels don’t connect smoothly, they’ll find a brand that does.
- Companies with strong omnichannel engagement retain 89% of their customers—more than double the retention of those with weak integration (Porch Group Media).
- Consumers shopping across multiple touchpoints spend 287% more than those using a single channel (Desku.io).
If your website, social media, mobile app, and in-store experience aren’t working together as a single system, you’re losing revenue. Omnichannel isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s the price of admission.
Yet many companies still get it wrong. Here’s why.
The Biggest Lies About Omnichannel Marketing
Lie #1: “We Have an Omnichannel Strategy Because We’re on Multiple Platforms.”
Being on multiple platforms means nothing if those platforms aren’t talking to each other.
Imagine a customer sees an ad for your product on Instagram, clicks through to your site, and adds it to their cart—but then, they get distracted and leave. Later, they visit your store, where an employee has no idea about their online activity. That’s a failed omnichannel experience.
A real omnichannel strategy means your data syncs across every channel in real time, customers can start their journey anywhere and finish anywhere without friction, and your support, sales, and service teams all have access to the same customer information.
If your platforms operate in silos, you’re not omnichannel. You’re just digitally scattered.
Lie #2: “Customers Expect a Personalized Experience.”
They don’t just expect personalization—they expect it to be intelligent and useful. Generic recommendations and automated “Hey [First Name]” emails no longer impress anyone.
Instead of spamming customers with product suggestions based on their last click, brands should use AI to predict when they’ll need a refill, upgrade, or service, and offer it at the right moment. Instead of sending mass discounts to everyone, they should offer location-based deals when customers are near a store.
Omnichannel isn’t about throwing personalization at customers for its own sake. It’s about anticipating their needs in ways that actually improve their experience.
Lie #3: “Mobile Optimization Means a Responsive Website.”
If your entire checkout process isn’t frictionless on mobile, you’re losing revenue.
More than half of users abandon sites that take more than three seconds to load. Customers hate switching between apps and browsers just to complete a purchase. If they have to manually re-enter payment details, many will drop off and buy from a competitor instead.
The fix is one-click checkout. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay—integrate them all. Mobile shouldn’t just be an afterthought; it should be the foundation of your entire sales experience.
Lie #4: “Social Media Is Just for Engagement.”
For years, brands treated social media as a place to post content and build an audience. That’s outdated thinking. Social media is now a primary sales channel.
TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook Shops allow customers to buy products directly without leaving the app. If your brand still forces users to click out of social media to complete a purchase, you’re losing sales to competitors who make it seamless.
Shoppable posts, influencer collaborations, and live shopping events aren’t just trends—they’re the new standard. Social media isn’t just for engagement anymore. It’s an extension of your checkout process.
Lie #5: “Customers Still Separate Online and Offline Shopping.”
Shoppers don’t think in terms of “online” and “offline.” They just think about shopping.
A customer might browse your website, check reviews on their phone, visit a store to see the product in person, then order it later from their laptop. That’s a single journey in their mind—even if it happens across multiple channels.
If your in-store staff doesn’t have access to online customer data, or if your website experience doesn’t reflect in-store promotions, you’re creating friction where there should be none.
Lie #6: “More Data Means a Better Customer Experience.”
Having customer data is useless if you don’t know how to use it.
Many companies collect massive amounts of customer data but fail to translate it into meaningful action. They bombard users with irrelevant ads, send out emails based on outdated behavior, and push notifications that feel spammy.
Smart brands focus on actionable data. Instead of overwhelming themselves with analytics, they prioritize the data points that actually drive conversions—things like abandoned cart recovery, purchase frequency, and cross-device tracking.
Lie #7: “Omnichannel Is Just a Marketing Strategy.”
Omnichannel isn’t just about marketing—it’s about the entire business operation.
If your customer service team, sales team, and physical stores aren’t aligned with your omnichannel strategy, it doesn’t matter how good your marketing is. Customers expect a unified brand experience, not just ads that look the same across platforms.
Every department needs to be on board. The customer should be able to return an online order in-store, receive the same level of service through chat as they do in person, and have their loyalty rewards apply no matter where they shop.
Omnichannel isn’t just about being everywhere. It’s about making every part of your business work together.
Lie #8: “Customer Support and Omnichannel Are Separate Strategies.”
Many companies treat customer support as an afterthought in their omnichannel strategy, assuming it only matters once a sale is made. That’s a critical mistake.
Modern customers expect seamless support, no matter which channel they use. If they contact your brand through live chat, they don’t want to explain their issue all over again when they call your support line or visit a store. A true omnichannel strategy ensures that service interactions are connected across platforms.
Brands that get this right integrate AI-driven chatbots, CRM systems, and live agents into a single, continuous support experience, ensuring that customers always pick up where they left off—rather than starting from scratch.
Lie #9: “Omnichannel Is Only for Retail and Ecommerce.”
While omnichannel is often associated with retail and ecommerce, every industry benefits from it. Whether you’re in finance, healthcare, hospitality, or B2B services, customers expect consistency across platforms.
- Banks need to integrate online banking, mobile apps, and in-person branches seamlessly.
- Healthcare providers must ensure patient portals, appointment scheduling, and telemedicine services work as one connected system.
- SaaS companies should align product experiences, customer support, and account management across all digital and offline interactions.
Omnichannel isn’t just about shopping. It’s about how any business interacts with customers at every touchpoint.
Lie #10: “If It’s Not Driving Direct Sales, It’s Not Working.”
Not every omnichannel interaction leads to an immediate purchase—but that doesn’t mean it’s failing. Many businesses make the mistake of over-prioritizing direct sales metrics while ignoring the long-term impact of brand trust, engagement, and retention.
A strong omnichannel presence builds brand loyalty, making customers more likely to return and spend more over time. For example:
- A customer might engage with your brand on social media today but buy something months later.
- A seamless in-store experience could result in a larger lifetime customer value, even if it doesn’t lead to an immediate transaction.
- A well-integrated loyalty program keeps customers engaged even when they’re not actively shopping.
Omnichannel isn’t just about short-term revenue—it’s about creating relationships that lead to long-term success.
Final Thought: Get Omnichannel Right, or Get Left Behind
Omnichannel isn’t just a strategy anymore—it’s the standard. Brands that fail to create a truly connected experience will lose customers to those that do.
If you’re serious about making omnichannel work for your business, let’s talk. Because “sort of omnichannel” isn’t good enough anymore.
