Today's buyers switch between channels before making a purchase. They might find a product on Instagram, compare it on Amazon, check reviews on Google, and complete the order on your website.
Research shows that most consumers engage with multiple channels before purchasing. This shift in buying behavior makes one thing clear: if you are not selling across various sales channels, you're missing out on visibility and revenue.
Further, modern shoppers expect a seamless experience wherever they interact with your brand through multiple channels.
That's when a multichannel selling strategy comes in! It is a growth strategy that helps you reach customer loyalty, build trust across touchpoints, and drive conversions on a scale.
This article will explain multichannel selling, why it matters more than ever, and how to build a strategy that meets buyers at multiple touchpoints.
What is multichannel selling?
Multichannel selling is a business strategy to offer your products across multiple sales channels (both physical and digital) to meet customers where they prefer to shop.
Rather than depending on a single storefront (like just a website or a retail outlet), businesses diversify their presence across various platforms such as:
- Their eCommerce retailer owns a website
- Third-party multichannel selling on marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, or eBay
- Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook Shops
- Brick-and-mortar stores, pop-up shops, or retail partners
The core objective? Visibility and accessibility.
By showing up in multiple places, brands increase their chances of being discovered and purchased by consumers browsing or buying on those platforms.
For example, a health supplements brand might use a multichannel sales outreach approach:
- Sell direct-to-consumer on its website
- List products on Amazon for wider reach
- Host live TikTok shopping streams for younger audiences
- Stock products in gyms, wellness stores, or fitness expos
This multichannel sales outreach approach helps brands:
- Expand their reach and tap into new customer segments
- Boost revenue by opening more paths to purchase
- Reduce risk by not relying on a single channel for sales
- Customize their marketing efforts to fit each channel's audience and customer behavior
In short, it gives buyers more choice, flexibility, and convenience, which leads to higher conversion and stronger brand loyalty.
Must leverage: Chanel sales guide: Develop an effective channel sales strategy.
Benefits of multichannel selling for your business!
B2B buyers pick an average of 2.5 channels when asked how they prefer to be contacted.
Adopting a multichannel selling strategy isn't just about being present everywhere. It's about creating smarter, stronger, and more scalable pathways to growth.
Whether you're a growing startup or an established brand, selling across multiple platforms unlocks meaningful business advantages. Here's how:
1) Reach more customers
Every channel has its audience. Some shoppers default to Amazon for convenience, others discover brands on TikTok or Instagram, and many still prefer the experience of in-store browsing.
You meet buyers on their terms by selling across these touchpoints, expanding your potential customer base beyond a single source.
2) Boost brand visibility and credibility
A brand that appears on Amazon, Google Shopping, Instagram, and its website instantly feels more trustworthy and established.
This omnipresence positively impacts business growth by increasing sales through their website.
Small businesses can amplify their presence through organic content, influencer campaigns, or platform-specific SEO without blowing the budget, even with a multichannel approach.
Must read: 9 sales strategies revealed by top entrepreneurs and sales experts.
3) Drive more revenue across channels
More channels mean more buying opportunities. Studies show that retailers using three or more sales channels see up to 143% more revenue than those using one or two.
Even better, multichannel shoppers tend to spend more and return more often, resulting in 30% higher lifetime value.
4) Expand into new markets with less risk
Multichannel selling helps you diversify your revenue streams and reduce dependence on a single platform.
Others can carry the load if one channel experiences a downturn or policy change. Plus, it enables you to test and validate new audiences, geographies, or product lines with minimal disruption to your core business.
5) Improve the customer experience
Today's buyers expect flexibility. Some want to order online and pick up in-store. Others prefer direct sales from Instagram or browse your entire collection on your site.
Multichannel retailers give customers options, and when customers feel in control, customer satisfaction and loyalty skyrocket.
6) Gain richer customer insights
Each platform, including a CRM, eCommerce solution, analytics tools, and marketing automation software, captures unique behavioral and transactional data.
When unified, this data gives you a clearer picture of:
- Customer preferences
- Buying patterns
- Campaign performance
- Inventory movement
These insights help you personalize outreach, fine-tune product strategy, and make more accurate, demand-driven channel decisions.
7) Unlock powerful cross-promotion
Use one channel to drive action on another. Send emails linking to Amazon listings, use TikTok to boost website traffic, or run in-store promotions that grow your social following.
A connected strategy amplifies impact.
Explore: eCommerce email marketing guide to boost conversions in 2025.
Key challenges of multichannel selling to consider for your business!
Expanding your presence across platforms means more opportunities and moving parts to manage.
Here are the key challenges every business should be prepared for:
1) Spreading too thin across too many channels
Jumping onto every available platform may seem like a fast track to growth, but it often backfires. You risk underperforming across the board without the resources to manage each channel properly.
The smarter approach: start with 1–2 high-potential channels, optimize them, and then scale your reach with confidence and control.
2) Inventory management becomes more complex
Selling on multiple platforms means juggling inventory across each one. Without a centralized system, it's easy to oversell, run out of stock, or show outdated listings, eroding trust and costing you sales.
Use an inventory management solution that syncs stock levels in real-time across your website, marketplaces, and retail channels. This keeps your listings accurate and your operations in control.
3) Inconsistent customer experience
Consumers expect a seamless experience regardless of where they engage with your brand. However, inconsistent pricing, outdated listings, or poor communication on one channel can hurt your brand everywhere.
Multichannel success demands brand consistency, pricing parity, and platform-standardized support.
4) Rising costs and ROI confusion
Every channel adds costs for ads, logistics, commissions, tools, and team bandwidth. Without tight cost tracking and performance insights, it's easy to overspend without seeing ROI.
Businesses must carefully budget, measure returns per channel, and invest in the platforms that drive the most impact.
5) Order management and fulfillment gaps
Every platform has its order rules, shipping expectations, and return policies. Managing them can overwhelm your fulfillment team, leading to delays, errors, and poor reviews.
A scalable order management system (OMS) that supports automated workflows and unified fulfillment processes is key.
6) Disconnected data and analytics
Each sales channel offers dashboards and KPIs, but you're left guessing without integration. Disconnected data leads to inconsistent reporting, poor forecasting, and wasted marketing spending.
Implementing centralized analytics and unified dashboards gives you a complete, actionable view of your performance.
Unlock smarter decisions with advanced analytics!
Turns your data into real-time insights that drive performance, predict trends, and increase power.
7) Brand and messaging inconsistency
Different teams or external partners may manage different platforms. Your brand voice, visuals, and value proposition can drift without oversight.
Customers might get mixed messages, eroding trust. A successful multichannel strategy requires tight brand governance and unified messaging across all customer touchpoints.
Common channels in a multichannel strategy!
A successful multichannel selling strategy isn't about being everywhere. It's about being where your customers are.
By leveraging a mix of high-performing platforms, you can expand your reach, diversify revenue streams, and deliver a consistent customer experience across every touchpoint.
Below are the most impactful channels businesses use:
1) eCommerce store
Your website is your digital storefront and often your most valuable asset. It fully controls branding, pricing, customer experience, and data ownership.
It's the foundation of most marketing campaigns and is central to building customer trust, loyalty, and lifetime value.
Use your website to drive direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales and capture valuable first-party data.
2) Online marketplaces
Platforms like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Walmart offer massive reach and built-in traffic, making them powerful channels for customer acquisition.
While they come with listing fees and strict guidelines, these marketplaces are excellent for expanding your presence without the need to build an audience from scratch.
Ideal for testing new products and reaching customers you might not access through your site.
3) Social media & social commerce
Social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and even Pinterest are transforming into full-blown sales channels. In-app shopping features allow for seamless purchases, while engaging content, influencer collaborations, and live video can drive product discovery and brand affinity.
Combine content and commerce to boost engagement and shorten the path to purchase.
4) Brick-and-mortar retail
Physical retail remains a vital channel, especially for products that benefit from tactile experiences or in-person assistance. In-store interactions support services like returns, repairs, and reliable customer support, reinforcing trust and improving retention.
Use physical stores to complement online store efforts and build a more omnichannel experience.
5) Affiliate & influencer marketing
Affiliate programs and influencer partnerships turn creators and websites into brand advocates. They promote your products in exchange for commissions, giving you access to new audiences with minimal upfront spending.
Leverage trusted voices to expand the reach and drive high-intent traffic.
6) Email marketing
Still one of the highest ROI channels, email helps nurture customer relationships, upsell existing customers, and bring shoppers back. With the right automation tools, you can deliver personalized messages based on behavior, lifecycle stage, or preferences.
Great for re-engagement, loyalty campaigns, and exclusive offers.
7) Messaging & live chat platforms
Messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Intercom, and Drift enable direct customer interaction during their decision-making moments.
You can answer questions, recommend products, and even complete transactions all in the same conversation. This increases conversion rates by providing instant, human-like support.
8) Reseller & distribution partnerships
Working with resellers, wholesalers, or distributors allows you to scale without building the entire infrastructure. It's a smart way to diversify your sales channels while minimizing direct operational load.
These partners often have established networks and can bring your products into new markets or niches.
9) Content-driven channels (CMS & SEO)
Your blog, landing pages, product guides, and other CMS-managed content are key in lead generation and organic acquisition. Strategic SEO content helps attract, educate, and convert potential buyers throughout their journey.
Supports inbound marketing, brand authority, and SEO visibility.
How does Salesmate help with multichannel selling?
Salesmate provides a comprehensive CRM platform designed to streamline and optimize multichannel selling platforms for businesses of all sizes.
Here's how Salesmate supports your multichannel sales strategy:
- Contact management: It allows you to import, segment, and manage leads from various sources, including your website, social media, email campaigns, and more.
- Sales pipeline management: With Salesmate, you get a visual sales pipeline that displays deals from all channels, making it easy to prioritize and follow up.
- Marketing automation: Salesmate's tools allow you to create targeted, multi-touch campaigns across different channels.
- AI employee: Agentic AI is Salesmate's integrated, AI-powered sales assistant designed to streamline and supercharge multichannel selling tools.
- Integrations: Salesmate integrates with over 700 business applications, allowing you to connect your CRM with eCommerce platforms, marketing tools, and other sales channels.
Sell everywhere, manage it all in one place!
Salesmate helps you streamline multichannel selling tools across your website, marketplaces, and social platforms so you can grow faster without the chaos.
Wrap up!
Customers expect brands to meet them on their terms across websites, marketplaces, social media, and in-store. A well-executed multichannel selling strategy helps you do just that.
The benefits are hard to ignore, from expanding your reach and increasing revenue to building brand consistency and improving customer experience. However, success comes from adding more channels and managing them intelligently.
With a platform like Salesmate, you can unify your sales data, automate key workflows, and maintain consistency across every touchpoint. Take a 15-day FREE trial and experience the expansion!
Frequently asked questions
1. What are the main sales channels used in multichannel selling?
Common sales channels included in multichannel sales software management are:
- The company's website and eCommerce store
- Online marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, Etsy)
- Social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)
- Mobile apps
- Comparison websites (Google Shopping)
- Physical retail stores, pop-up shops, or market fairs
- Catalogs and field sales
2. What are some tips for successful multichannel selling?
There are a few tips for doing multichannel live selling in your business:
-
Start with your platform: Build a strong foundation before expanding to third-party channels.
-
Expand gradually: Only add new channels when you're confident you can manage them well.
-
Maintain consistency: Ensure product descriptions, pricing, and customer service are uniform across all channels.
-
Research each channel: Tailor your strategy for each platform based on its audience and best multichannel selling platform.
-
Know your customer: Use analytics to understand and target the right audience for each channel.
-
Optimize for mobile: Ensure your platforms are mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of traffic is mobile.
3. Is multichannel selling only for large businesses?
No! With the right strategy, even small businesses can benefit from multichannel selling without incurring excessive costs. The key is to choose the right channels and scale at a manageable pace.
4. What is another term for multi-channel selling?
Other terms include multichannel marketing, multichannel retailing, and sometimes omnichannel sales processes (though omnichannel has a more integrated approach).
5. Is it expensive to implement multichannel selling?
Many small businesses can start with low-cost channels like websites or social media for multichannel selling solutions. The key is to scale gradually and ensure each new channel adds value that outweighs its cost in multichannel eCommerce sales businesses.
Key takeaways
Today's buyers switch between channels before making a purchase. They might find a product on Instagram, compare it on Amazon, check reviews on Google, and complete the order on your website.
Research shows that most consumers engage with multiple channels before purchasing. This shift in buying behavior makes one thing clear: if you are not selling across various sales channels, you're missing out on visibility and revenue.
Further, modern shoppers expect a seamless experience wherever they interact with your brand through multiple channels.
That's when a multichannel selling strategy comes in! It is a growth strategy that helps you reach customer loyalty, build trust across touchpoints, and drive conversions on a scale.
This article will explain multichannel selling, why it matters more than ever, and how to build a strategy that meets buyers at multiple touchpoints.
What is multichannel selling?
Multichannel selling is a business strategy to offer your products across multiple sales channels (both physical and digital) to meet customers where they prefer to shop.
Rather than depending on a single storefront (like just a website or a retail outlet), businesses diversify their presence across various platforms such as:
The core objective? Visibility and accessibility.
By showing up in multiple places, brands increase their chances of being discovered and purchased by consumers browsing or buying on those platforms.
For example, a health supplements brand might use a multichannel sales outreach approach:
This multichannel sales outreach approach helps brands:
In short, it gives buyers more choice, flexibility, and convenience, which leads to higher conversion and stronger brand loyalty.
Benefits of multichannel selling for your business!
B2B buyers pick an average of 2.5 channels when asked how they prefer to be contacted.
Adopting a multichannel selling strategy isn't just about being present everywhere. It's about creating smarter, stronger, and more scalable pathways to growth.
Whether you're a growing startup or an established brand, selling across multiple platforms unlocks meaningful business advantages. Here's how:
1) Reach more customers
Every channel has its audience. Some shoppers default to Amazon for convenience, others discover brands on TikTok or Instagram, and many still prefer the experience of in-store browsing.
You meet buyers on their terms by selling across these touchpoints, expanding your potential customer base beyond a single source.
2) Boost brand visibility and credibility
A brand that appears on Amazon, Google Shopping, Instagram, and its website instantly feels more trustworthy and established.
This omnipresence positively impacts business growth by increasing sales through their website.
Small businesses can amplify their presence through organic content, influencer campaigns, or platform-specific SEO without blowing the budget, even with a multichannel approach.
3) Drive more revenue across channels
More channels mean more buying opportunities. Studies show that retailers using three or more sales channels see up to 143% more revenue than those using one or two.
Even better, multichannel shoppers tend to spend more and return more often, resulting in 30% higher lifetime value.
4) Expand into new markets with less risk
Multichannel selling helps you diversify your revenue streams and reduce dependence on a single platform.
Others can carry the load if one channel experiences a downturn or policy change. Plus, it enables you to test and validate new audiences, geographies, or product lines with minimal disruption to your core business.
5) Improve the customer experience
Today's buyers expect flexibility. Some want to order online and pick up in-store. Others prefer direct sales from Instagram or browse your entire collection on your site.
Multichannel retailers give customers options, and when customers feel in control, customer satisfaction and loyalty skyrocket.
6) Gain richer customer insights
Each platform, including a CRM, eCommerce solution, analytics tools, and marketing automation software, captures unique behavioral and transactional data.
When unified, this data gives you a clearer picture of:
These insights help you personalize outreach, fine-tune product strategy, and make more accurate, demand-driven channel decisions.
7) Unlock powerful cross-promotion
Use one channel to drive action on another. Send emails linking to Amazon listings, use TikTok to boost website traffic, or run in-store promotions that grow your social following.
A connected strategy amplifies impact.
Key challenges of multichannel selling to consider for your business!
Expanding your presence across platforms means more opportunities and moving parts to manage.
Here are the key challenges every business should be prepared for:
1) Spreading too thin across too many channels
Jumping onto every available platform may seem like a fast track to growth, but it often backfires. You risk underperforming across the board without the resources to manage each channel properly.
The smarter approach: start with 1–2 high-potential channels, optimize them, and then scale your reach with confidence and control.
2) Inventory management becomes more complex
Selling on multiple platforms means juggling inventory across each one. Without a centralized system, it's easy to oversell, run out of stock, or show outdated listings, eroding trust and costing you sales.
Use an inventory management solution that syncs stock levels in real-time across your website, marketplaces, and retail channels. This keeps your listings accurate and your operations in control.
3) Inconsistent customer experience
Consumers expect a seamless experience regardless of where they engage with your brand. However, inconsistent pricing, outdated listings, or poor communication on one channel can hurt your brand everywhere.
Multichannel success demands brand consistency, pricing parity, and platform-standardized support.
4) Rising costs and ROI confusion
Every channel adds costs for ads, logistics, commissions, tools, and team bandwidth. Without tight cost tracking and performance insights, it's easy to overspend without seeing ROI.
Businesses must carefully budget, measure returns per channel, and invest in the platforms that drive the most impact.
5) Order management and fulfillment gaps
Every platform has its order rules, shipping expectations, and return policies. Managing them can overwhelm your fulfillment team, leading to delays, errors, and poor reviews.
A scalable order management system (OMS) that supports automated workflows and unified fulfillment processes is key.
6) Disconnected data and analytics
Each sales channel offers dashboards and KPIs, but you're left guessing without integration. Disconnected data leads to inconsistent reporting, poor forecasting, and wasted marketing spending.
Implementing centralized analytics and unified dashboards gives you a complete, actionable view of your performance.
Unlock smarter decisions with advanced analytics!
Turns your data into real-time insights that drive performance, predict trends, and increase power.
7) Brand and messaging inconsistency
Different teams or external partners may manage different platforms. Your brand voice, visuals, and value proposition can drift without oversight.
Customers might get mixed messages, eroding trust. A successful multichannel strategy requires tight brand governance and unified messaging across all customer touchpoints.
Common channels in a multichannel strategy!
A successful multichannel selling strategy isn't about being everywhere. It's about being where your customers are.
By leveraging a mix of high-performing platforms, you can expand your reach, diversify revenue streams, and deliver a consistent customer experience across every touchpoint.
Below are the most impactful channels businesses use:
1) eCommerce store
Your website is your digital storefront and often your most valuable asset. It fully controls branding, pricing, customer experience, and data ownership.
It's the foundation of most marketing campaigns and is central to building customer trust, loyalty, and lifetime value.
Use your website to drive direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales and capture valuable first-party data.
2) Online marketplaces
Platforms like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Walmart offer massive reach and built-in traffic, making them powerful channels for customer acquisition.
While they come with listing fees and strict guidelines, these marketplaces are excellent for expanding your presence without the need to build an audience from scratch.
Ideal for testing new products and reaching customers you might not access through your site.
3) Social media & social commerce
Social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and even Pinterest are transforming into full-blown sales channels. In-app shopping features allow for seamless purchases, while engaging content, influencer collaborations, and live video can drive product discovery and brand affinity.
Combine content and commerce to boost engagement and shorten the path to purchase.
4) Brick-and-mortar retail
Physical retail remains a vital channel, especially for products that benefit from tactile experiences or in-person assistance. In-store interactions support services like returns, repairs, and reliable customer support, reinforcing trust and improving retention.
Use physical stores to complement online store efforts and build a more omnichannel experience.
5) Affiliate & influencer marketing
Affiliate programs and influencer partnerships turn creators and websites into brand advocates. They promote your products in exchange for commissions, giving you access to new audiences with minimal upfront spending.
Leverage trusted voices to expand the reach and drive high-intent traffic.
6) Email marketing
Still one of the highest ROI channels, email helps nurture customer relationships, upsell existing customers, and bring shoppers back. With the right automation tools, you can deliver personalized messages based on behavior, lifecycle stage, or preferences.
Great for re-engagement, loyalty campaigns, and exclusive offers.
7) Messaging & live chat platforms
Messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Intercom, and Drift enable direct customer interaction during their decision-making moments.
You can answer questions, recommend products, and even complete transactions all in the same conversation. This increases conversion rates by providing instant, human-like support.
8) Reseller & distribution partnerships
Working with resellers, wholesalers, or distributors allows you to scale without building the entire infrastructure. It's a smart way to diversify your sales channels while minimizing direct operational load.
These partners often have established networks and can bring your products into new markets or niches.
9) Content-driven channels (CMS & SEO)
Your blog, landing pages, product guides, and other CMS-managed content are key in lead generation and organic acquisition. Strategic SEO content helps attract, educate, and convert potential buyers throughout their journey.
Supports inbound marketing, brand authority, and SEO visibility.
How does Salesmate help with multichannel selling?
Salesmate provides a comprehensive CRM platform designed to streamline and optimize multichannel selling platforms for businesses of all sizes.
Here's how Salesmate supports your multichannel sales strategy:
Sell everywhere, manage it all in one place!
Salesmate helps you streamline multichannel selling tools across your website, marketplaces, and social platforms so you can grow faster without the chaos.
Wrap up!
Customers expect brands to meet them on their terms across websites, marketplaces, social media, and in-store. A well-executed multichannel selling strategy helps you do just that.
The benefits are hard to ignore, from expanding your reach and increasing revenue to building brand consistency and improving customer experience. However, success comes from adding more channels and managing them intelligently.
With a platform like Salesmate, you can unify your sales data, automate key workflows, and maintain consistency across every touchpoint. Take a 15-day FREE trial and experience the expansion!
Frequently asked questions
1. What are the main sales channels used in multichannel selling?
Common sales channels included in multichannel sales software management are:
2. What are some tips for successful multichannel selling?
There are a few tips for doing multichannel live selling in your business:
Start with your platform: Build a strong foundation before expanding to third-party channels.
Expand gradually: Only add new channels when you're confident you can manage them well.
Maintain consistency: Ensure product descriptions, pricing, and customer service are uniform across all channels.
Research each channel: Tailor your strategy for each platform based on its audience and best multichannel selling platform.
Know your customer: Use analytics to understand and target the right audience for each channel.
Optimize for mobile: Ensure your platforms are mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of traffic is mobile.
3. Is multichannel selling only for large businesses?
No! With the right strategy, even small businesses can benefit from multichannel selling without incurring excessive costs. The key is to choose the right channels and scale at a manageable pace.
4. What is another term for multi-channel selling?
Other terms include multichannel marketing, multichannel retailing, and sometimes omnichannel sales processes (though omnichannel has a more integrated approach).
5. Is it expensive to implement multichannel selling?
Many small businesses can start with low-cost channels like websites or social media for multichannel selling solutions. The key is to scale gradually and ensure each new channel adds value that outweighs its cost in multichannel eCommerce sales businesses.
Juhi Desai
Juhi DesaiJuhi is a passionate writer and reader. She is working with the team of content creators at Salesmate. Always seeking to learn something new, Juhi has an optimistic approach towards life. When she is not writing you can find her with a book and a coffee by her side.