Accessible and efficient omnichannels a foundation for sustainable retail

Purpose and goal:

In retail today, many companies are working to build up omni-channels, a combination of physical and digital retail where customers can seamlessly choose to shop in the channel that suits them best. Omni-channels increase the complexity of retail distribution. The purpose of the project is to systematically describe the characteristics and prerequisites for different types of omni-channels to be sustainable.

The goal is to create conditions for companies to build up such channels and thereby enable different types of consumers in different geographical areas to shop sustainably. Expected results and effects:

The project will result in a planning framework with concrete guidelines. That will guide and support both retailers and urban planners in how to think and act in order to create the conditions for sustainable retail. The ambition is to build new skills for both companies and municipalities regarding interaction and collaboration to create the conditions for environmentally sustainable omni-channels.

Approach and implementation:

The project will be carried out in four work packages. WP1 coordinates and disseminates the results to important actors. In WP2 case studies of three merchants´ omni-channels are carried out.

The case studies analyze extensive empirical data to understand the environmental impact of different types of omni-channels. WP3 addresses the impact of omni-channels on cities and rural areas by interviewing important actors in cities and processing partial results from WP2 in workshops. WP4 processes results from WP2 and WP3 to develop concrete guidelines.