Multichannel Retailing

[Autom. eng. transl.] The retailing sector is going through a phase of epochal changes. Alongside the growing maturity of the markets and the increase in competitive intensity, in fact, the entry into the scene of the Internet has been added. This started a new phase in the multi-channel "life cycle", characterized by an increasing mobility of shoppers between the different physical and digital touch points. The text deals in a structured and in-depth way with all the facets and forms of interaction between modern distribution formulas, taking into consideration the relationships of coopetition between old and new channels, generalists and specialists, real and virtual. The analysis focuses mainly on the grocery sector, a research observatory that is particularly interesting due to the number and variety of alternative channels through which the shopper can gather information and purchase products. For each channel, the text deepens the current positioning and the possible future development trajectories, making reference both to the international context and to the more specific one of the Italian market.