Omnichannel gets real – From patchwork to platform

For years, omnichannel was retail’s favourite buzzword. Frequently promised, rarely delivered. In 2025, that’s changing. Customers no longer differentiate between channels; they expect a single, seamless and unified brand experience whether browsing online, shopping in-store, or scrolling through social media.

Today’s customers expect fluidity. They want to start their journey on one platform and finish it on another without friction, confusion, or delay. They expect the brand to remember who they are, what they like, and what they’ve done, no matter where they show up. This is omnichannel maturity, and it’s reshaping everything from store design to tech architecture to staff training. True omnichannel isn’t just about presence. It’s about continuity. It’s about one brand, one experience, everywhere. 

“This is omnichannel maturity, and it’s reshaping everything from store design to tech architecture to staff training.”

Retailers that are getting this right have unified not just their sales channels but their thinking. They no longer view stores and ecommerce as separate businesses. Instead, they’ve embraced the idea of “commerce everywhere”, backed by centralised data, shared inventory, and integrated customer profiles. This allows them to deliver consistent pricing, service, and personalisation whether the customer is on an app, in a flagship store, or speaking to a chatbot.

But omnichannel excellence doesn’t stop at the front end. It extends deeply into operations. Distributed order management, real-time stock visibility, and flexible fulfilment options (like ship-from-store and click-and-collect) are no longer competitive differentiators, they’re customer expectations. To deliver them, retailers are leaning on OMS platforms, API-driven architecture, and a service-oriented mindset.

The store itself has also been redefined. No longer a standalone unit, the store is now a hub for fulfilment, service, content, and community. Associates are empowered with mobile tools that allow them to access customer preferences, locate inventory across locations, and complete sales from anywhere on the floor. These capabilities turn the store from a channel into a platform that strengthens loyalty and accelerates conversion.

Retailers like Sephora, Nike, Starbucks, and Nordstrom are leading the way with experiences that feel effortless across all touchpoints. From in-app booking of in-store services to loyalty rewards that follow customers wherever they go, these brands have mastered the art of consistency in a fragmented world.

“The store itself has also been redefined. No longer a standalone unit, the store is now a hub for fulfilment, service, content, and community”

Omnichannel in 2025 is also about sustainability. Reducing unnecessary shipments, consolidating deliveries, and enabling localised fulfilment are all ways that integrated commerce contributes to environmental goals. When done well, seamlessness is not only better for the customer - it’s also better for the planet.

Ultimately, omnichannel success requires more than tech investment. It requires strategic alignment, cultural change, and operational courage. It asks retailers to break down silos, rethink roles, and constantly optimise for how customers shop, not how organizations are structured.

Because in 2025, omnichannel isn’t the future. It’s the foundation. And the retailers who build it right will unlock new levels of loyalty, efficiency, and growth. But true omnichannel success isn’t just a matter of being present in every channel, it’s about integrating them. And in 2025, retailers are learning that omnichannel only works when built on connected systems, consistent data, and coordinated teams. Otherwise, it would be as we simply refer to as ‘omnichannel washing’.

The end of omnichannel washing 

Too many retailers have claimed omnichannel status while still operating in silos. Separate inventory pools, disconnected customer data, and inconsistent experiences are signs of omnichannel washing.

It’s no longer about offering multiple channels; it’s about making every channel feel like one brand. A shopper might discover a product on Instagram, check availability via mobile app, visit a store to try it on, and complete the purchase online, all within 24 hours. Retailers must adapt to this hybrid behaviour by: 

• Creating consistent content and experiences across all platforms
• Using AI and personalisation to tailor messaging and recommendations
• Ensuring customers can start, pause, and complete their journey on their terms

Retailers who move beyond it are: 

• Centralising inventory and order management across all channels
• Providing unified promotions, pricing, and service regardless of touchpoint
• Enabling staff to access full customer histories and preferences—anywhere

Empowering the frontline

Omnichannel excellence isn’t just about systems, it’s about people. Retailers must equip store staff to function as digital ambassadors with mobile POS systems for endless aisle capabilities, access to customer profiles and order status and training on omnichannel workflows, fulfilment, and clienteling.

Retailers like Nike and Glossier blur the line between digital and physical by empowering employees to assist, recommend, and transact in any context. 

Best-in-class retailers

Nike – Has long focused on premium fulfilment. Its OMS supports flexible delivery and high-touch returns—crucial for maintaining its luxury reputation.

Starbucks – Leverages OMS insights for better demand planning, stock balancing, and reducing deadstock.

Sephora – Integrates its OMS with its sustainability engine, offering customers the greenest shipping option at checkout and optimising the return loop.

Nordstrom – Uses OMS to streamline its click-and-collect service and optimise cross-border order flows from a central platform.

Final thought

In 2025, omnichannel is not about where customers shop, it’s more about how they experience your brand. The retailers who succeed are those who think beyond the store and the screen. When technology, data, and people come together to create unified journeys, omnichannel becomes more than a promise, it becomes a platform for growth.

Are you interested in the full report? Find it here.