Get Fluent in Commerce Media

Plain language explainers to help you keep up with the evolving digital landscape.

Connected Commerce

What is Connected Commerce?

Connected commerce is a retail approach that blends online and offline channels into one smooth shopping experience. It lets customers browse, buy, and engage through any channel they choose. By bringing together media, data, and transactions, brands can guide shoppers from the first moment they discover a product to after the purchase. This connection creates a consistent journey and, as a result, improves marketing performance.

How does Connected Commerce work?

Simply put, it links every step of the customer journey.

For instance, a shopper might see a tailored ad online, check product stock in a mobile app, visit a store to buy, and then get personalized offers after checkout. Since the system connects inventory, customer data, and marketing placements, each step feels relevant and easy. In turn, shoppers can move between channels without losing context or convenience.

Types of Connected Commerce experiences

  • Omnichannel checkout – One cart and payment system across website, mobile app, and store
  • Buy Online, Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) – Order digitally and collect items in-person or curbside
  • Post-purchase personalization – Exclusive offers, loyalty rewards, or content at confirmation or delivery
  • Shoppable media – Ads, videos, or social posts linked to real-time product availability
  • Cross-channel loyalty – Points and rewards recognized across all shopping channels

How to measure Connected Commerce

To see the impact, marketers can track:

  • Conversion rates across all connected touchpoints
  • Extra revenue from post-purchase or cross-channel offers
  • Accuracy of cross-channel tracking and unified customer profiles
  • Growth in customer lifetime value (CLV)
  • Higher engagement both in-store and online

Why is Connected Commerce important to marketers?

It allows brands to manage the full customer journey. As a result, they can create relevant experiences at each stage and prove business results with clear metrics. In addition, it removes the barriers between marketing, sales, and operations, which improves data use and keeps messaging consistent. This approach also builds loyalty, boosts extra revenue, and helps brands stay competitive in a fast-changing market.

Who needs to know about Connected Commerce?

  • Retail marketers
  • Ecommerce managers
  • Omnichannel strategists
  • Customer experience leaders
  • Media and partnerships teams

Use Connected Commerce in a sentence:

“By using a connected commerce strategy, the brand unified its online and in-store experiences, increased loyalty, and grew extra sales by 20%.”