Integrating Retail and Online Customer Data

To be truly omnichannel, understanding customer data from your offline and online stores is critical. And integrating that data is what takes your business to the next level.

The Pain Points of Current Data Management

Many retailers rely on Shopify for online customer data but often face challenges leveraging it effectively. Here are some common pain points:

1. Underutilized Data:

   • Shopify stores valuable customer information—purchase frequency, order value, and timelines—but its user interface can be cumbersome and unintuitive.

2. Disconnected Platforms:

   • Brands often use multiple tools like Shopify, their POS system, and online live chat tools, resulting in fragmented customer insights.

3. Missed Opportunities:

   • Despite having access to customer data, businesses rarely analyze it to create segmented audiences or test targeted campaigns.

Why Is Integrating Offline and Online Data Important?

Retailers often use platforms like Shopify for online sales and separate systems for offline transactions. While this separation might seem manageable, it creates silos that limit your ability to understand your customers holistically. Integrating offline purchase data with your online customer database allows you to:

• Gain Insights: Understand overall customer purchasing patterns, lifetime value, and preferences, enabling better decision-making.

• Personalize Engagement: Create highly targeted marketing campaigns that consider a customer’s complete journey, whether it’s online, offline, or a mix of both.

• Streamline Operations: Use automation tools like Channel Talk workflows to trigger specific actions based on customer behavior, such as tagging or targeted messaging.

How to Auto-Tag Retail Customers in Shopify

How to Find Your Order App ID Number (POS)

1. Go to Customers and click [Apply a filter].

2. Search 'orders placed' and click the filter.

3. Then click [Created by app] in the drop-down menu.

4. Then under Select app, click [Point of Sale]

5. The number that appears is the number for your Order App ID.

Creating the Auto-Tag Flow

1. Click [Flow] → Click [Create workflow] → Click [Select a trigger].

2. On the Select trigger screen, click [Shopify]. Then, in the search bar, search 'order created' and click the workflow.

3. Then, hover over the blue plus button and click [Condition].

4. Click [Add a variable] and type 'order app ID' and select this option.

5. Set ID equal to:

   • gid://shopify/App/[POS number]

   • ex. gid://shopify/App/123456

6. Then, hover over the blue plus button and click [Action].

7. Add the action for 'Add customer tags'. Write the name of the tag.

8. Now all your retail purchases will be auto-tagged!

Using that Data in Channel Talk

1. Log into Channel Talk. Go to [Contacts] → Click [Advanced Filter] → Search [Shopify customer tags] → Input the name of your tag.

2. These are all the customers that have purchased in-store!

4 Marketing Campaign Ideas for Retail Customers

Now that you've set up the tag to identify retail customers in your online CRM database, you can start to use that data to create marketing campaigns (pop-ups) specifically targeting these customers.

Here are 4 great ideas to get you started.

1. Post-Purchase Survey

This campaign is great to get feedback and/or a review from customers who recently purchased to keep them engaged with your brand.

Here are the settings you can follow in campaign settings:

(Shipping zip code does not exist, which ensures that it is not an online purchase).

2. Invite Retail Customers to Return to the Store

Your retail customers have bought with you in-store before, so if there's an exclusive event at your shop, you can use pop-ups to ask them to come back.

3. Reach Out to VIP Customers

You can start a user chat to start conversations with your VIPs who have regularly shopped offline and/or online to invite them to check out sales or items you feel would be a great fit for them.

4. Inform Retail Customers of Retail Store Updates

Marketing campaigns are a great way to let your loyal retail customers of any updates or closures regarding your store.

Incorporating your offline store data with your online CRM truly allows you to have an omnichannel presence for your store.

If you have any questions about setting up the tagging or need more ideas for campaigns, send us a message with the chat button!