Omnichannel Strategies in Poland's Construction and Renovation Retail Sector

Purpose: Changes in the field of technology and the rate of adoption of new solutions among consumers are constantly increasing. Under their influence, customers' purchasing behaviour and expectations regarding the experience and efficiency of the shopping process are being shaped. The development of eCommerce accelerated by the Covid19 pandemic has familiarised consumers with digital solutions. At the same time, consumers have increasingly started to transfer positive online experiences to the offline sphere expecting seamless service, information flow and processes offering them full freedom to shape their individual purchase path within an omnichannel strategy combining online and offline sales channels. The purpose of this article is to identify the extent and dynamics of the use of omnichannel tools by retail chains from the construction and renovation industry in Poland. Methodology: In the theoretical part, a review of the latest literature was conducted using the Scopus database. In the following part, multi-channel sales were identified among renovation and construction (DIY - Do It Yourself) retail chains operating on the Polish market. The analysis carried out in 2024 is a continuation of the research carried out in 2019 and 2022, and therefore allows a broader view of the transformations taking place in this area among the analysed companies. Findings: Eight retail chains compliant with the omnichannel concept, representing the renovation and construction industry in Poland, were analysed. Seven of the eight analysed chains operate their own online shops. Among sales support tools, the analysed chains use relatively simple solutions, such as a search engine for stationary shops, newsletters or online promotional newspapers. Most of the chains offer various forms of contact, but only the hypermarket chains allow shopping by phone. The biggest changes in omnichannel tools can be seen in mobile apps. In December 2019, 3 chains offered their apps. Today, 5 chains have their apps. A clear shift towards m-commerce functionality is evident, enabling in-app purchases as a separate distribution channel. Practical implications: The analysis provides an insight into the status of omnichannel solutions among construction and renovation retail chains in Poland. Originality/Value: The selected networks were subjected to a proprietary audit to check the extent to which modern sales and sales support tools were being used.