Tractor Supply Takes Omni-Channel Initiatives To The Countryside
By Sam Lewis
Multi-faceted agriculture and home improvement retailer to expand how customers engage with company
It seems Tractor Supply is catching on to the multi-channel offerings so many retailers are undertaking. The company’s CEO, Greg Sandfort, released some of the details regarding the company’s upcoming moves at the Goldman Sachs investor conference. “We have to have our site geared to giving customers the options for any way they like to engage with us,” he says.
This seems to be an effort to get Tractor Supply up to speed with the rest of its competition. Sandfort recognizes that there is an abundance of online retailers who sell the same merchandise as his company’s 1,200+ stores, but Tractor Supply isn’t currently capitalizing on e-commerce. The intention is for Tractor Supply to gain traction in that realm with omni-channel initiatives.
To get there, Sandfort is borrowing a lot of catchphrases that other retailers are tossing around in their e-commerce and omni-channel offerings. First, the company wants the site to be easy, filling every customer’s needs in property and animal ownership. Next, Sandfort recognizes the potential for mobile, as 30 percent of Tractor Supply’s online sales come from it now. “That tells me they (customers) have some savvy with technology,” says Sandfort. “The power of the social side, how it can drive business longer term, and its impression to the consumer is going to be something we all must pay attention to. Look for us over the next few years to enhance our customer engagement, buying, shopping and researching products easier.” He adds, “Never underestimate the social aspect of a website,” praising the “apostles” of Tractor Supply’s Facebook page who come to the company’s rescue when a user speaks critically about the company. It’s this aspect of omni-channel retailing that Sandfort is looking for Tractor Supply to enhance and grow in the coming years.
This news comes riding the coattails of the company’s recent expansion westward, into its 47th state, Nevada. “After successfully entering Colorado in 2012 and Arizona earlier this year, we will continue to develop our store base in this region, as we are committed to being the most dependable supplier of basic maintenance products to farm, ranch and rural customers,” said Sandfort in a September press release. Between the company’s plans to open more 100 new stores in 2013, and its recently announced omnichannel endeavors, it seems Tractor Supply is putting all the pieces in place to be a successful, multi-faceted retailer.