Omnichannel has been part of the retail vocabulary for well over a decade. Yet for many organisations, delivering on its promise remains a work in progress. While the concept itself is well understood, execution has proven far more complex, particularly at scale. Too often, omnichannel is approached as a template to be replicated, rather than a strategy to be tailored.
5In reality, one of the most significant barriers to omnichannel success is the assumption that there is a single, universally “correct” model. There is not. The most effective omnichannel strategies are those designed around a retailer’s customers, operating model and long-term ambitions, rather than around a pre-defined set of capabilities.
At its core, omnichannel is about enabling consumers to engage with a brand in the way that suits them best. Customers no longer distinguish between digital and physical channels, they simply expect a consistent experience across all touchpoints. Whether purchasing online and returning in store, checking product availability on an app, or receiving the same pricing and returns terms regardless of channel, consistency has become a baseline expectation rather than a differentiator.
Meeting that expectation is not simply a matter of convenience. When designed effectively, omnichannel can drive stronger engagement, repeat visits and incremental spend. However, the customer promise sits on top of a complex operational reality that many retailers are still working to address.
Inventory visibility is one of the most persistent challenges. Most retailers must manage inventory across multiple locations simultaneously: distribution centres, stores and stock in motion, including transfers, replenishment and returns. Accuracy varies across these environments, often with far tighter control in warehouses than in stores. Returns add a layer of complexity, particularly when inventory is in different stages of assessment or refurbishment.
Getting accuracy right is critical. It helps retailers avoid the risk of promising products that are not actually available, while also enabling more effective promotions, stronger forecasting and faster, better-informed decision-making.
These challenges are compounded by the fact that many organisations continue to operate separate systems and financial structures by channel. A sale may be recorded online, while fulfilment costs sit with a physical store, and promotions can deliver very different margin outcomes depending on where and how a transaction is completed. Without a unified view of inventory, cost and profitability, omnichannel strategies become difficult to scale in a sustainable way.
For this reason, successful omnichannel strategies don’t begin with technology or infrastructure investment alone. They begin with clarity. Retailers must first define what they are trying to achieve. Is the priority to improve customer convenience? To increase store utilisation? To extend reach without expanding physical footprint? Or to support new growth channels such as marketplaces or social commerce?
From there, network design and operating models can be built to support those objectives. In many cases, progress does not require a wholesale transformation overnight. Incremental steps such as adjusting transport flows, increasing replenishment frequency to selected locations, or enabling certain stores to act as fulfilment points can unlock meaningful improvements without major structural change.
At the same time, the front end of omnichannel continues to evolve rapidly. Social commerce is now firmly established in categories such as fashion, beauty and home, where inspiration and transaction increasingly happen within the same environment. Meanwhile, conversational AI platforms are emerging as a new layer of discovery, comparison and purchase, creating fresh expectations around speed, transparency and fulfilment.
These developments place new demands on the supply chain. Being present in emerging channels is only valuable if retailers can reliably fulfil the promises made there. This is where advanced technology, including AI, is becoming essential. At DHL, we’re deploying AI-driven solutions to improve forecasting, orchestrate replenishment, validate store deliveries and enhance order visibility across complex networks. The objective is not automation for its own sake, but greater predictability and responsiveness in an increasingly interconnected environment.
With ongoing cost pressures, inflationary risk and macro-economic uncertainty, some retailers may question whether now is the right time to invest in omnichannel capabilities. However, omnichannel should not be viewed as a discretionary initiative separate from core operations. It is, increasingly, the way retail operates.
Consumer behaviours will continue to evolve, spanning physical stores, digital platforms, social environments and AI-enabled interfaces. The retailers that will remain competitive over the long term are those that adapt in line with these shifts, aligning customer experience with operational reality in a way that is both consistent and commercially viable.
There may be no single blueprint for omnichannel, but there is a clear imperative, retailers must design strategies that reflect how their customers choose to engage today, and how they are likely to do so tomorrow.
