eStrategy Consulting & JLL on Digitalization in the German Retail Sector

eStrategy and the real estate developer Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) examined consumer behavior in brick-and-mortar retail. The success of online retail is changing customer expectations, and the Corona crisis has accelerated this development over the past year. Customers research online beforehand and may look for immediate availability or special delivery options. They may also want to interact digitally in physical stores or stay in touch with local businesses via an app afterward.

(Berlin) Building on the Ku’damm study from autumn 2019, the research team at eStrategy Consulting set out again in autumn 2020 to analyze 755 stores in the seven largest German cities online and offline across various dimensions of the customer journey. This significantly more comprehensive study is published under the title “Digitalization in the German Retail Sector” (PDF) in collaboration with the real estate developer Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). It provides an overview of the digital maturity of German retail.

Assessment of a Variety of Criteria

The digital maturity level is composed of the assessment of a variety of criteria from different dimensions along the customer journey. These include, for example:The online visibility of the store and its assortments. Do the stores have a website or an online shop? Are they visible on Google Maps or Google My Business?Omnichannel features. How well are the online sales channels linked to the local assortment? Can customers find, reserve, or purchase the item online?Digitally supported customer experience at the point of sale (POS). What digitally supported formats of inspiration and entertainment are available? Are there options for store navigation and product information? Can customers serve themselves digitally, or how are the employees equipped? What digital payment methods or services are available?Digitally supported customer retention at the POS. What technologies are used for customer retention? How are customers rewarded for their purchases or approached afterward?

Answers to Various Questions in Retail

The “Digitalization in the German Retail Sector” provides answers to the following questions:

• Is there a difference in digital maturity between German cities?
• Which industries excel in online visibility and omnichannel features?
• Which retailers lead in customer retention features?
• What elements of the digital customer experience at the POS are widespread?
• How has the Berlin Kurfürstendamm changed due to Corona?
• What special future concepts and pilot stores have been observed?

eStrategy Consulting will publish further deep dives and best practices on digitalization in retail in the coming weeks.

Study Download

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