Getting the most from E-commerce in the context of omnichannel strategies

E-commerce in the context of sales and distribution strategy has become a heavily used channel and companies need to manage it correctly and integrate it with a variety of other online and offline channels. Based on the literature, two factors are recognized as relevant for the elaboration of a conceptual framework able to explain the actions undertaken by leading companies to effectively get the most from an e-commerce strategy integrated within the overall omnichannel strategy. The two factors are: main distribution channel (direct/indirect) and product value density (high/low). Through the analysis of four case studies (Luxottica, Henkel, Ikea, and Ferragamo), we show that these factors produce different benefits and challenges that companies face when embracing e-commerce. We analyze these benefits and challenges from the viewpoint of both Marketing and Supply Chain Management.