ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF MULTICHANNEL SALES INTEGRATION ON THE EFFICIENCY AND COMPETITIVENESS OF UKRAINIAN RETAIL IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL COMMERCE.

One of the most significant changes the business world is currently experiencing is the progressive development and adoption of digital commerce. Taking into account the rapid development of web and Internet technologies, e-commerce is increasing volumes on a global scale and is being formed as a separate branch of the economy. Every year from 30 % to 70 % businesses of all countries (regardless of their level of development) are moving to the online environment. This is especially true for business entities that carry out trading activities. The object of the study is the process of integrating multichannel sales in retail trade in Ukraine, with a focus on its impact on the efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises in the market. The problem under consideration is to determine the most effective methods and strategies for implementing e-commerce in the Ukrainian economy, which is under the influence of martial law and other socio-economic factors. The main results of the study show that the integration of online and offline sales channels significantly increases business productivity. It was found that the use of omnichannel platforms can significantly improve customer interaction and increase sales. In particular, the analysis showed that properly integrated sales channels can increase the efficiency of enterprises by 20–30 %. These results can be explained by the high level of adaptability of Ukrainian companies to new technologies and their ability to quickly integrate digital platforms into their business processes. The study also confirmed that businesses that actively use omnichannel strategies achieve higher levels of efficiency and competitiveness. In practice, these results can be applied to the real-life conditions of Ukrainian retailers. This is especially true for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to increase their market presence through the introduction of modern technologies and the integration of various sales channels. Using the data obtained will allow companies to optimise their business models, develop effective marketing campaigns and improve customer interaction. The findings can also be applied to the analysis of omnichannel retailing and digital commerce in other countries at different stages of retail development. This study also provides practical recommendations that may be useful for international companies and academics interested in improving retail performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]