Much has been spoken about the importance of the "omnichannel" shopping experience, with retailers across the globe trying to unite their mobile, web and brick-and-mortar operations to better appeal to customers. A new report from CouponCabin highlights the interplay that can happen across these channels.

One of the best ways to reach modern consumers is through their smartphones. More than 120 million Americans own one, according to recent data from comScore, and people carry their phones with them everywhere. CouponCabin found that merchants can actually use these devices to drive in-store traffic and impulse purchases.

After receiving a mobile alert for a sale or coupon, as many as one-in-five respondents said they had visited a store to take advantage of the offering. Seventy percent of respondents said they would at least be somewhat influenced to make an impulse buy after receiving a mobile communication from merchants.

This study illustrates some of the core benefits of the omnichannel shopping experience. For customers, the use of mobile devices is extremely convenient and saves them a tremendous amount of time. They don't need to clip coupons and search through flyers – the deals are sent straight to their phones automatically and according to the customers' preferences. They also don't have to worry about whether they are getting the best deals on retail products because they are sent relevant deals automatically.

Mobile coupons and discounts are only one illustration of a cohesive omnichannel shopping experience. Consumers are using the web, mobile phones and physical stores to get the products and services they desire at the prices they want to pay. It's up to merchants to up hold their end of the bargain and deliver this cross-channel experience to customers.

Creating an omnichannel platform has a lot to do with the customer in question. Merchants must know their target audience to create an experience that's relevant to their needs. ECommerce software such as SalesWarp can help merchants consolidate customer and order data from a variety of channels and influence the creation of the omnichannel engagement approach. Omnichannel revolves around the customer, and by taking action on the right data points, businesses will be better positioned to serve their audience with the most relevant shopping experience.