Thinking in Unified Commerce is an emerging tendency, but what does it entail? It is challenging to clearly define the term “Unified Commerce” because it is still relatively new.
However, we will try to explain what Unified Commerce means more explicitly and point out how Unified Commerce can be valuable for your business.
Much more than a buzzword
Unified Commerce is not just a modern buzzword - it marks a significant shift in sales and marketing.
Today, customers can interact with businesses through various channels - in physical stores, on websites, mobile apps, catalogs, or social media. They can also access these channels from different devices, such as computers or mobile phones. With a presence on serveral channels and devices, it is possible to improve the customer experience and reach a broader range of potential customers.

Unified Commerce at Fiftytwo
The focal point when using a Unified business model is to coordinate processes and technologies across channels to provide the customer with a consistent, seamless, and relatable customer experience.
Your different channels must cooperate; otherwise, it can create problems with supply chains, and it can be challenging to develop a consistent and relatable customer experience. A unified commerce mindset sheds light on this issue. The focal point is to coordinate processes and technologies across channels to provide the customer with a consistent, seamless, and relatable customer experience.
Unified Commerce is about giving your customers a consistent cross-channel experience, thus improving the customer experience. The key is integrating the various touchpoints that the customers encounter on their purchase journey with the technical solutions that ensure that prices, selection, and pick-up options are the same across channels.

From Single Channel to Unified Commerce
To obtain a deeper understanding of Unified Commerce, it may be relevant to turn back time and look at the journey from Single Channel to Multi Channel, from Multi Channel to Cross Channel, from Cross Channel to Omnichannel, and from Omnichannel to Unified Commerce.
Single Channel
Multi Channel
It will not be possible for your customers to use a gift card across your channels or return a product purchased at your webshop in your physical store.
Cross Channel
Omnichannel
Omnichannel is perceived as a further development of the cross channel. The aim is that your customer's shopping journey, across your channels, work even more smoothly. They must be offered an even more seamless and relatable shopping experience - no matter which channel they choose to shop on. With a cross channel business model, your channels are connected. With an omnichannel business model, they are integrated. This is reflected in the fact that information your customers have entered on one channel can be transferred to other channels - both physical and digital. For example, your customer can create a profile on your webshop that will also be available on a mobile device application, which they may also be able to access from a screen in your physical store.
When you integrate your various channels, you only need to maintain data in one place, and that is, in addition to streamlining your time, associated with several benefits. You get more valid data, and you ensure that your customers experience consistency in prices and stock across your channels. That way, your business becomes more reliable, and your customers more loyal.
Unified Commerce
To create the coherence required by an omnichannel business model, things must be seen from a bigger perspective, and the idea of channels must be ditched. Instead, the focus should be on your customer's experience with your overall business. However, it is easier said than done. You may be forced to work in channels if you lack the necessary solutions and integrations to create coherence between your systems, data, etc.
Unified commerce is a further development of omnichannel, which is a total solution that allows you to execute your omnichannel business model. Your database is integrated and exchanged directly between your channels. Thus, you achieve an overall picture of your customer that gives you insight into your customer's needs and desires here and now. With this knowledge, you can tailor personalized offers to your customers, and give them a personalized service when shopping in your physical store. That way, you can increase your chances of both upselling and additional sales.

What is
omnichannel?
