Optimizing retail pharmacy success: The role of multichannel marketing strategies

Wick, Alexander; Koczian, Bernhard; Králiková, Kristína Article Optimizing retail pharmacy success: The role of multichannel marketing strategies Administrative Sciences Provided in Cooperation with: MDPI – Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, Basel Suggested Citation: Wick, Alexander; Koczian, Bernhard; Králiková, Kristína (2024) : Optimizing retail pharmacy success: The role of multichannel marketing strategies, Administrative Sciences, ISSN 2076-3387, MDPI, Basel, Vol. 14, Iss. 9, pp. 1-17, https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14090210 This Version is available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/321024 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. 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Administrative Sciences 14: 210. https://doi.org/10.3390/ admsci14090210 Received: 2 August 2024 Revised: 30 August 2024 Accepted: 2 September 2024 Published: 9 September 2024 Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). administrative sciences Review Optimizing Retail Pharmacy Success: The Role of Multichannel Marketing Strategies Alexander Wick 1,*, Bernhard Koczian 2and Kristína Králiková3,* 1Taubengartenapotheke, Am Bocksborn 4, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany 2Apotheke im Pfersee Park, Franz-Kobinger-Straße 9a, 86157 Augburg, Germany; [email protected] 3Department of Administrative Law, Academy of the Police Force in Bratislava, Sklabinská1, 835 17 Bratislava, Slovakia *Correspondence: [email protected] (A.W.); [email protected] (K.K.) Abstract: This study focuses on the effect of multichannel marketing communication in retail pharmacies to establish customer satisfaction in a world experiencing the digitalization of health sectors. The objective of the study is to understand customer acquisition and retention practices, the role of online and offline integrated communication, and the extent of customer preference for various marketing communication channels. As part of the study, the quantitative analysis of the publications included in the review was made using articles and reports published from 2014 to 2024. The review was conducted on the aspects of marketing using multiple channels in retail pharmacy and the healthcare-associated fields. The studies identified that comprehensive communication channel enhancement policies positively affect the generation of revenues, reduction in costs, and information delivery schedules in pharmaceuticals. Depending on the channel, consumers’ needs and wants differ, and there is success in personalizing and presenting reasonably logical thoughts to people. Synchronicity of online and offline communication effectively increases the customers’ power, trust, and satisfaction. E-marketing has always been significant in enhancing customers’ touch points, which is why digital transformation is vital. This study further supports the fact that multichannel marketing is mandatory for the success of a retail pharmacy in the prevalent, highly competitive environment. The implementation also presupposes knowledge of consumer differences, the synergy of online and offline contacts, the emphasis on personalization, and fast adaptation to the changing technological environment, but often within the framework of severe legislation. Keywords: digital transformation; multichannel marketing; omnichannel strategy; pharmacy; retail pharmacy 1. Introduction Given the recent advances in technology and the growing trend for a change in consumer expectations, this is the current situation in the retail pharmacy industry. Community pharmacy physical retail stores are not exclusive sellers of medicines, but they have turned into multiple-stop healthcare centers comprising immunizations and weight-loss and nutrition guidance (Irgang et al. 2023). This switch, together with the effects of e-commerce and particularly the new approaches to health and medicine, has dramatically shifted the competitive dynamics of pharmaceutical retailing (Baines et al. 2020). Thus, niche segments, including retail pharmacies, must actively evaluate and change their marketing approaches to sustain themselves and succeed. The need for this particular adaptation must be addressed. Community retail pharmacies are essential in enhancing the health status of populations because they act as the first point of contact for many groups (Strand et al. 2016). They are usually the initial healthcare givers that people approach for consultation on conditions that do not require hospital admission, purchase drugs without prescriptions, or pick their prescribed medications. Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14090210 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/admsci Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210 2 of 17 In addition, especially in rural or developing regions, retail drug stores may be unique, easily accessible facilities with healthcare services (Qato et al. 2016;Proença 2021). Being an essential part of the healthcare sector, the future and viability of retail pharmacies entail a potential impact on the population’s well-being and the ability to access necessary medicines (Mutambik et al. 2024). However, the retail pharmacy sector today faces several problems. This change in customer buying behavior has brought new players into the online pharmacies and mailorder prescription services market that threatens the traditional market share (Lin 2021). Furthermore, consumers’ shifts in their behavioral patterns over the globe when focusing on preferences shift over time (Anshari et al. 2019), especially in the context of the threats posed by viral diseases, including COVID-19, and instant promotion of digital solutions and remote care solutions (Gadgil et al. 2024). This study poses that these changes have brought forth new opportunities and threats for retail pharmacies to remarket their commodities and modify their strategies for interacting with clients. Accordingly, in current circumstances, multichannel marketing is a potentially transformative strategy for retail pharmacies. Multichannel marketing is a concept that involves using several channels through which customers are reached to ensure that interactions with the firm occur harmonized (Verhoef et al. 2015). Such channels include physical outlets, a company’s website and a mobile application, social media platforms, mailing lists, and print and television media (Tripathi and Dave 2017). Using a multichannel strategy means that all the channels are interconnected and complementary, through which retail pharmacies can increase their market share and prospects for customer interaction and, as a result, create business opportunities (Cao and Li 2015). Further, this study utilized the systematic literature review approach to analyze the impact of multichannel marketing strategies on the performance of retail pharmacies. In line with the systematic geographical research by Denny Prabowo et al. (2021), this paper applied a five-step approach to systematically analyze the literature: analysis, synthesis, induction, description, and comparison. Population and sample inclusion required the development of search strings based on terms relevant to retail pharmacies’ success and multichannel marketing strategies. These keywords were searched in various academic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and other databases, and the articles were collected from January 2014 to December 2024. There are different methods of scientific analysis, referred to as analysis, synthesis, induction, description, and comparison, used during the review to study and interpret the material collected. This approach enabled the review of the literature on the topic, the establishment of patterns and themes, and the making of valuable conclusions on utilizing multichannel marketing to enhance the value of retail pharmacy. This study, therefore, aims to explore the effects of multichannel marketing strategies on the performance of retail pharmacies (Dhanraj and Lavanya 2022). In particular, we intend to assess how the efficiency of integrated marketing communication can influence the following factors: the rate of new customers, customer loyalty, the volume of sales, and the business’s overall development. In so doing, we hope to offer pertinent information to retail pharmacy operators, marketers, and healthcare administrators on the state and likely future trends of pharmaceutical retailing. Therefore, the study’s importance is realized in its ability to fill several significant voids in the existing social body of knowledge on marketing in retail pharmacy businesses. First, even though multichannel marketing has been investigated in different contexts, including general and specialized retail, its peculiarities and the results of its implementation in retail pharmacies need to be sufficiently studied. The legal constraints and the type of work that entails the flow of sensitive health-related information all call for a separate examination of this unique business category due to its specificity rooted in its healthcare activities (Akter et al. 2019). Second, since the development of patient-centered care will become the mainstream healthcare industry, it is crucial to investigate how multichannel marketing can increase patient engagement and satisfaction (Subasri et al. 2021). As such, this research Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210 3 of 17 seeks to advance knowledge on how various marketing communication tools can generate organizational sales and profit and enhance patient experiences and health status. Third, the constant development rates and the growing usage of information technologies in healthcare mandate that marketing approaches be assessed and anticipated to be up-to- date. This research aims to present trends in multichannel marketing and the most effective practices for retail pharmacies, thereby rendering timely information to the stakeholders and placing them on the right side of the current trend (Pantano et al. 2019). 2. Materials and Methods This section provides the methodology used in this study, including the data collection and analytical approaches. The study employed a systematic literature review, chosen for its effectiveness in synthesizing existing research and providing comprehensive insights into the study’s focus areas: Optimizing Retail Pharmacy Success and the Role of Multichannel Marketing Strategies. This design made it easy for the study to incorporate a range of relevant literature while at the same time reducing the chances of selective review by following a standardized procedure of data collection, analysis, and synthesis. The initial phase of the data collection involved the creation of a search string where a distinct set of keywords were generated. The initial collection comprises terms associated with Optimizing Retail Pharmacy Success, and the second set regarding the Role of Multichannel Marketing Strategies. The search string was generated by combining terms from both sets using wildcard symbols, with the aim of minimizing the total number of search strings. The search terms were subsequently utilized in the PubMed search engine, as well as in other electronic databases including Web of Sciences, Scopus Google Scholar, Taylor and Francis, Emerald, Springer, and others focusing on studies and journals between 1 January 2014 and December 2024. This study was undertaken to confirm the accuracy and completeness of all pertinent data that had been documented. The review was undertaken in five steps, following the accepted procedure of a systematic literature review, as stated by Denny Prabowo et al. (2021). When deciding on the use of the correct scientific research methods, we were inspired by several current scientific works by authors such as Abbas et al. (2024), Kaššaj and Peráˇcek (2024b), Kaššaj (2023), and Zsigmond et al. (2024). During the systematic literature review, the following scientific methods were used: for analysis, categorization was employed to dissect the data retrieved from the literature to facilitate their scrutiny at a more granular level. This made it easier to comprehend each one of the factors concerning the enhancement of the success of retail pharmacy and the overall multichannel marketing strategy. Therefore, after data extraction from different sources, a synthesis was performed to develop a synthesized narrative from other sources. Such an approach allowed for cross-referencing the patterns and trends regarding the research topic, enabling the development of an integrated understanding of the research topic. The inductive approach was used to arrive at a general conclusion based on the data reviewed in the literature. This approach helped the study to obtain more general conclusions on the significance of multichannel marketing in the achievement of retail pharmacy establishments. Descriptive research approaches were used mainly to depict the features and results of the analyzed studies. This ensured that all the studies conducted were described with precision and accuracy to ensure that the details of each study were well captured. To conclude the reviewed studies, a comparative analysis was performed to assess their similarities and differences. This method was useful in comparing and contrasting the various practices and results associated with the research theme, agreement, and disagreement. These scientific methods ensured that all pertinent resources up to the present date were incorporated into the analysis. Initially, a review method was created to ascertain the selection and arrangement of particular phrases and keywords. Afterward, the study developed certain criteria to determine the relevance of studies and decide whether they should be included or excluded in the review. Furthermore, retrieving materials entailed utilizing pre-established keywords that were formed by combining the Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210 4 of 17 key phrases. Before extracting data and summarizing the findings, a thorough examination of the materials obtained through the search was conducted. 3. Research Questions Answering these research questions will help advance the theoretical knowledge of multichannel marketing in healthcare retail and enrich the practice of employing related strategies in retail pharmacies. 1. How do multichannel marketing strategies impact retail pharmacy success and customer engagement? 2. What are retail pharmacies’ most effective multichannel marketing approaches regarding customer acquisition and retention? 3. How does integrating online and offline marketing channels influence pharmacy sales and prescription volume? 4. What are the customer preferences and behaviors across different marketing channels in the retail pharmacy context? 5. What framework can be developed for implementing and optimizing multichannel marketing strategies tailored to retail pharmacies? The findings of this study will help develop strategies in other types of healthcare retailing, including pharmacy supply shops or optical stores. Furthermore, understanding how the marketing personnel engage in different concerted communication over time by incorporating the four Ps in creating a digital and traditional tangible marketing communication mix might be relevant to other industries amid regulation in the healthcare field. It is crucial to consider several contextual factors that influence the retail pharmacy landscape and, by extension, the application of multichannel marketing strategies: Regulatory Environment: This industry has many legal restraints, like limits on drug advertisement, protection of the patient’s information, and restrictions on health information sharing. However, marketers must avoid violating such regulations when implementing these strategies and reach out to customers (Halpern et al. 2020). Technological Advancements: Pest analysis: Marketing of retail pharmacy operations— technology. The contemporary world has seen a rapid advancement in the application of technology in retail pharmacy, some of which include artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and the Internet of Things. All the technologies mentioned above are opportunities and threats for retail pharmacy marketing. Awareness of how these technologies can be effectively applied in multichannel sales will be critical in the future (Rokonuzzaman and Paswan 2017). Changing Consumer Expectations: The current generation of consumers is quite diverse, and they are also demanding greater personalization, greater convenience, and greater integration of the services they receive across all relevant channels. Retail pharmacies must shift their marketing strategies to address these new expectations despite the business model comprising strict producer–consumer trust and confidentiality compared to patient–doctor (Helkkula et al. 2018;Peráˇcek 2022). Competition from Non-Traditional Players: E-commerce giants and new entrants from the technology industry redefine the industry structure. Retail pharmacies must understand how to differentiate themselves and communicate their propositions to the public through various media campaigns (Klaysung et al. 2022). Health Trends and Public Health Concerns: In scalability, global health events like the COVID-19 pandemic change how consumers behave and their healthcare needs. These dynamic strategies must continuously change to pass important information regarding the population’s health status to the public (He and Harris 2020;Dumitru and Tomescu 2020). Therefore, by answering the presented research questions and considering the identified factors, this work will give a clear understanding of the factors affecting multichannel marketing to achieve the optimal success rate of the retail pharmacy business. The findings of this study would not only add to the theoretical knowledge of healthcare marketing but Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210 5 of 17 also provide strategic directions for the managers of retail pharmacy businesses challenged with growing competition and changes in the business environment. When following a course of action in this study, the authors also acknowledge the limitations and difficulties that may be identified. First, the effectiveness of the marketing communication mix in the tangled tangible retail selling environment makes it hard to specify definite channels of the marketing communication mix. Second, the regulatory environments in the numerous regional markets may have divergent standard settings, though this may only be expected to affect our study for a short time. Last, technological changes may alter the applicability of the evaluation results, though, at the time of this study, this was not noted to be an influence. However, since both the methodological and the content frameworks of this study are grounded in sound research practices, and since the concern is with the theoretical and managerial implications of multichannel marketing for retail pharmacy performance, we anticipate that the results of this study will be helpful in the investigation of the said topic. In the following sections, the authors describe the research methods, followed by the results, discussion, and conclusion. This study of multichannel marketing in retail pharmacies might further enhance efforts to transform healthcare retail for the continued provision of essential services in the best interest of the community’s health. 4. Literature Review 4.1. Effectiveness of Multichannel Marketing Strategy Rahayu et al. (2022) investigated the involvement of the MSMEs in increasing state revenue for the Indonesian nation during the COVID-19 pandemic under multichannel marketing. However, a few seized food and beverage businesses in Surabaya and Malang adopted the proposed research using a new quantitative method. The findings of this study show that the use of multichannel marketing and proper market logistics enhances MSME sales during the period, underscoring the need for MSMEs to embrace the existing digital opportunities that see the firms expand their markets beyond the conventional lumpen approaches, hence turning a new face to moderate risk-taking in the economy. Tamilmani et al. (2019) examined the Indian e-commerce landscape, highlighting the profitability of niche players like Flintobox amidst a competitive market dominated by loss-making horizontal players. The study employed a case study methodology, combining interviews and unobtrusive data collection methods. Findings reveal that traditional search engine marketing could have been more effective for Flintobox. At the same time, discovery platforms, including social media and native advertising, significantly improved their performance—reducing bounce rates from 90% to 50% and increasing conversion rates from 0.5% to 2%, thus revealing the importance of innovative marketing strategies in enhancing customer engagement and driving sales in the evolving e-commerce sector. As Aliaj and Tiri (2023) state, a similar situation exists in other countries as well. In their study, Banerjee and Bhardwaj (2019) focused on the appropriate management of sales compensation to respond to the multichannel attribution issue affecting companies operating in business and retail selling. The study used analytical models to examine three contract types: revenue sharing, lead generation, and sales self-sufficiency. Research suggests that these contracts need to deliver the best profit owing to the budget constraints of being budget balanced, qualification costs, and the fact that the sales force are not marketers by trade. The authors also uniquely focus on risk aversion and overall uncertainty in the context of contract preferences. Certain approaches, such as a contest or stack rankingbased pay, can achieve first-best profit where uncertainty is moderate. Herein, the findings benefit managers seeking insights into the marketing-sales interface and contemporary multichannel lead generation and conversion challenges. Luvayo (2017) sought to determine how much the pharmaceutical industry in Kenya has expanded and if it has positively impacted the economy. The implications describe pharmaceutical firms’ challenges in delivering pertinent, timely, and useful information to overburdened HCPs as cost-efficiently as possible while controlling marketing costs. The Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210 6 of 17 study adopted a descriptive research design to address the research questions and surveyed 62 of the 306 registered pharmaceutical firms in Nairobi County, emphasizing multichannel marketing strategies and company performance. The results show that multichannel marketing determines income, costs, and timely delivery of customer insights. The research established that integrating multiple communication channels benefits the pharmaceutical industry’s efforts in the competitive market. It stresses the need to conduct extensive analysis to establish suitable channels for communication with the target population to fully exploit the strength of multichannel marketing in the pharmaceutical industry (Hurina et al. 2023). Marzouk et al. (2022) respond to the problems of communicating concise and persuasive short advertisements and where to advertise in the multichannel setting. Utilizing the persuasive systems design model, the study conducted an experiment involving 33,848 customers of an international telecom company to compare the effectiveness of three persuasion strategies—rational, emotional, and social—across three marketing channels: SMS marketing communication channels, including short message service, social media advertising, and mobile application. The results show that rational messages lead to higher response rates irrespective of the media applied in the study. Moreover, the characteristics of customers have the largest effect on response rates, and they differ by the communication channel but are otherwise similar regarding message/product type. However, there is a notable issue that different consumers failed to agree with each other on ratings of the persuasive strategies, which might imply that consumers have difficulties in identifying these strategies, or advertisers’ interpretation of such a difference may be reductionist. This study offers significant theoretical contributions to understanding persuasive communication and useful implications for enhancing advertising appeals while preserving the digital environment. Wick et al. (2023) and (Bombard et al. 2018) examined an effective multi-marketing approach for pharmacies and accentuated the need for the target audience analysis while considering their preferences for media channels in certain regions. Thus, the study emphasizes that choosing media channels can increase brand familiarity, customer loyalty, and sales. It stresses that the marketing messages of pharmacies require consideration of the local communities’ values, especially identifying ones connected to the families. The authors’ objectives are thus to find out customer interest in the advertisement of medical products and which media channel is most preferred for such ads. An analysis of the findings derived from the customer survey shows that there is recognition of the advertising communication across the channels even if the overall engagement is low, meaning that only a portion of the intended audience is attending to the medical product advertisements. Thus, there is a need to advance a strategy of multiple-channel marketing that would favor local consumers in the pharmaceutical industry. In this context, however, Kaššaj and Peráˇcek (2024a) points out that in order to achieve this goal, in today’s electronic age, sufficiently powerful internet coverage is inevitable. 4.2. Multichannel Marketing Approaches for Retail Pharmacies in Terms of Customer Acquisition and Retention Irawan et al. (2020) examined the necessity for PT Citra Kreasindo Mandiri to embrace digital transformation in response to global changes and technological advancements. The evaluation of current business conditions involving business strategies, technologies used, customers, organizational structure, and culture is conducted based on the results collected from the selected business owners and employees via qualitative interviews. The results stress the call for digital marketing as a strategic management initiative directing efforts toward optimizing customer acquisition and retention proportions. Through gap analysis, the research reveals how marketing capabilities can help support the company’s journey to digitalization, with the benefits potentially translating to the organization’s revenues and customer interactions. By concluding the study, the author emphasizes the assumption that deploying DM activities meets current organizational requirements and takes the company Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210 7 of 17 further in a challenging environment. In aggregate, this research advances knowledge regarding the application of digital marketing in operational strategy in certain types of organizations, primarily traditional ones adjusting to new market conditions. Inas and Belgiawan (2023) investigated the rapid growth of the MedTech market in Indonesia, mainly focusing on the mental health service application Riliv. The study identifies significant challenges in customer acquisition and retention faced by Riliv amidst increasing competition and evolving consumer preferences. In this research, the authors use a numerical research approach with 200 participants; the authors use descriptive research findings and a Likert scale research instrument with closed-ended questions to conduct research. This research combines the evaluation of internal and external factors applying STP and the analysis of the marketing mix applied to Riliv with the 7Ps and PESTEL. It was established that small and tangible symbolic promotion efforts, proper price positioning, and superior service delivery are major determinants of customers’ attraction and retention. This entails strategic initiatives such as advertisements, association with influencers, and subscription of tailored services meant to engage the customers. This study offers various insights into the approach required for Riliv to create its solid market niche and enter the highly saturated MedTech market segment. Lostakova and Horakova (2014) assessed the issues with physical pharmacies in the competition of the OTC market in the Czech Republic with customer retention and loyalty. The study points out that the conventional short-term sales promotion appeals have lost the influence they used to have, and thus, pharmacies are forced to search for exclusive retention strategies. Through quantitative research involving a Likert scale questionnaire distributed to pharmacy clients, the authors identify various retention support forms that resonate with consumers. Thus, one has to match the retention programs to the attractiveness factors perceived by the customers, pointing out that these pharmacies should go beyond traditional promotion techniques. In the context of the OTC market, the authors call for more systematic knowledge of customers’ decisions to increase loyalty and result in higher retention rates. Thus, the findings of this research enrich the knowledge about the current tendencies transforming the field of pharmacy advertising. This suggests that the key to success in conditions of competition lies in targeting the clients’ retention. 4.3. Integration of Channels in Pharmacy Retail Suresh and D’Souza (2019), maintaining the growth of the relaxed rate of the Kenyan pharmaceutical industry, considered pharmaceutical supply chain management as an impact strategic operation performing factor for the industry. Recognizing substantial literature on distribution and marketing channel research, the authors highlight the need for adequate supply chain models in Kenya’s environment. The main objective of the study was to determine the factors that may influence the pharmaceutical value chain and entities such as distributors, wholesalers, and different types of pharmacies. In this cross-sectional study with 15 distributors, five hospital pharmacy managers, and 15 retail pharmacy managers, an online questionnaire and face-to-face interviews for data collection procedures were conducted, followed by qualitative analysis using SPSS statistical software. This study confirms that three factors are central to distributor–supplier relationships, namely, perfect inventory turnovers, better profit margins, and exclusivity to the distributor, and additionally reveals a positive correlation between a firm’s collaborative behavior and supply chain disruption and overall satisfaction. Therefore, this study emphasizes the need for a proper supply chain management framework, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, because of rising health costs and government participation in Kenya. In their study, Tyrväinen and Karjaluoto (2019) investigated the concept and nature of omnichannel retail and how it is transforming due to the digitalization of consumers’ behavior. The study also underlines the urgency of the problem of proper synchronization of the online and offline worlds to increase consumers’ satisfaction levels. This study established critical requirements for optimal channel support based on 20 face-to-face semistructured interviews with 10 customers who shopped in online and physical stores. The Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 210 8 of 17 study shows that consumers use their mobile devices constantly while physically shopping and comparing prices and products, further underlining the concept of channel justice. Consequently, this study offers rich managerial implications for omnichannel management by stressing the centrality of channel coordination in creating favorable brand experiences. The findings indicate that retailers need a single communication strategy that connects all potential channels to effectively serve consumers’ needs and enhance performance when competing with other outlets. Accordingly, Lim et al. (2024) studied the multifaceted aspect of consumer experience management in an omnichannel retail setting. Based on the S-O-R framework, the implications of the various types of retailers, namely high-end specialty shops, department stores, and hypermarkets, on channel integration, consumer empowerment, trust, satisfaction, and patronage intentions are analyzed. In this study, data were obtained from 736 consumers using a purposive sampling technique, and the data analysis technique used was partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that consumers’ perception differs when exposed to omnichannel strategies regarding various types of retail stores, showing the need for strategies to be retail-type specific. Thus, this research adds to a relatively sparse body of knowledge on omnichannel management, understanding customers’ expectations and actions, and stressing the proper integration of channels in improving the total brand image. The study also provides directions for future research to understand the various facets of consumers’ interactions with retailers. Zhang et al. (2018) examined how channel integration affects consumers’ touchpoints in omnichannel retailing. Since retailers attempt to deliver coherent and holistic services across different channels, the study concerns consumers’ control and its impact on trust, satisfaction, and purchasing behavior. Based on the SOR model, the authors examine the hypotheses derived from the theoretical frameworks through a large omnichannel retailer in China. The results support their hypotheses, which state that channel integration positively affects consumer empowerment and trust and subsequently boosts the consumer’s satisfaction and patronage intentions. Consequently, this research has advanced the knowledge regarding the consumers’ behavior in the sphere of the omnichannel environment and the role of integration in creating favorable shopping experiences. The study’s findings can be helpful for retailers who want to focus on their channel strategies and increase the channel’s relevance to the customers as market competition grows. Jiang and Zhang (2016) investigated the reciprocal relationship between online and offline channels in retail through improved channel integration. Researching 552 Chinese customers who used multiple channels from the same retailer, the study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the data. Furthermore, the study establishes that channel integration has a positive and significant direct impact on channel reciprocity while it moderates the impact of trust on channel reciprocity through online or offline premises. The research identifies three key constructs of channel integration: integrated information, integrated channel access, and integrated customer service. Reciprocity between the channel members requires that trust is transferred to members on the other side of the channel; members on both sides should refer channels to each other, and the members should transfer the image of the other side’s channel. The findings of this study will be useful to multichannel retailers who would like to facilitate the blurring between the digital and physical environments to make their customers’ interactions with the physical store positive, and hence the customers are loyal. Reflecting on the influence of digitalization in the field of MC in the Russian pharmaceutical sector, which is exposed to B2B and B2C contexts, Azoev et al. (2019) investigated the field’s trends. The study focused on the need to synchronize the online and offline environments in line with the principles of omnichannel to achieve positive outcomes in the interaction process with partners, intermediaries, and end customers. 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