The point of this discussion was to look at ways to better utilize both distribution channels and encourage customers to return back to the store.
Does emphasizing e-commerce capability achieve this objective?
My post  is below and the instructor question above
Hello class,
     The pandemic has affected how business is conducted, and most firms have opted for e-commerce because there are reduced sales, especially for retailers in a physical location due to the health protocols that restrict social interactions. Like the manager in the brick-and-mortar store, I would consider the company investing more resources in e-commerce since the Covid-19 has created a new normal and cannot end anytime soon. The adoption of e-commerce would increase stay-at-home online shopping orders, reducing mall visits (Yohn, 2020). A simple and seamless eCommerce experience is adopted by having the best infrastructure that allows customers to research, select, and purchase products online. As the manager, I would make sure that the website is mobile-responsive and offer integrated services that include the buy online pick up in store and delivering a consistent digital experience that ensure that customers get their products on time with much flexibility.
In Additionally, the second idea is on pricing that ensures that customers get the product at a more affordable cost, especially in this pandemic where people have lost their source of income. The company would give a 5% discount for customers who buy products online, which will increase sales and reduce the number of customers who rely on the physical store and avoid congestion. The strategy would work since most people currently use the online platform that includes social media, which would be the best platform to promote the offer (Yohn, 2020). The increase of customers that demand the products online makes the delivery of the products to their doorstep affordable.
References
Yohn, D. (2020). The Pandemic Is Rewriting the Rules of Retail. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 18 August 2021, from https://hbr.org/2020/07/the-pandemic-is-rewriting-the-rules-of-retail.