Is Omnichannel Marketing Finally Going From Retail Dream to Reality?

Multisourced data helps determine how to target offers to consumers on computers and in stores. There's been a flurry of recent developments that suggest retailers this holiday season may summon the nerve to reboot their omnichannel marketing efforts, tapping into Big Data tactics that in years past may have seemed more like Big Brother. Crate and Barrel is testing a program, dubbed Mobile Totes, in its Skokie, Ill., store in suburban Chicago that leans on several branded tablet devices. The endeavor, bolstered by CloudTags' software, encourages patrons to use the tablets to email themselves products they want but are not available in the store. Yet, here's the thing: When such emails are clicked on, thanks to recipients' cookie IDs, the merchant retargets people on its website with banner ads that pitch products they first showed interest in during a store visit.