The proliferation of the Internet, social networks, smartphones, tablets and branded in-store and mobile contact points in Italy are presenting increased opportunities to build successful relationships with the consumer, and Italian consumers are increasingly taking advantage of their multi-channel options.

Consumers have an increasingly wider range of shopping choices available to satisfy their needs, making the competition for shoppers keener than ever. But what categories benefit the most and how can retailers attract a greater portion of consumers’ shopping dollars?

Good news for retailers with companion websites: multichannel consumers — those who shop both on- and offline – typically spend significantly more than those who shop only online or only offline, Nielsen PreView reported Monday. 
Shoppers who browsed for products both on- and offline at Wal-Mart, for example, spent 38% more than the store’s average customers.
The online/offline consumer connection goes even further, according to Nielsen.