What Leading Retailers Are Doing Now to Win at Omnichannel

What Leading Retailers Are Doing Now to Win at Omnichannel

When I sit down with retail CEOs these days, three themes come up again and again: personalization at scale, frictionless fulfillment, and leveraging data to drive unified experiences. These aren’t trendy buzzwords, they’re the frontline tactics delivering measurable ROI and customer loyalty right now.

The Power of Personalization

Take two brands I regularly connect with: one a mid‑sized apparel retailer and the other a national electronics chain. Both report that when they align personalized product recommendations across website, mobile app, and in‑store kiosks, they see a 15–20% uptick in average order value. Customers are also twice as likely to engage with an email or push message tied to a personalized experience, and those signals feed back into the store experience.

The secret sauce here is AI‑powered recommendation engines that are constantly trained on cross‑channel behavior. That ensures continuity: if someone browses running shoes online, they’ll see curated accessories when they walk into your store later that week. It sounds simple but the magic lies in the details: matching digital footprint with in‑person experience without redundancy or creepiness.

Fulfillment That Feels Like a Superpower

Inventory has become the battlefield for nimble omnichannel retailers. Now more than ever, brands that meet customers where they are, whether that’s curbside, store pickup, local delivery, or direct ship, are standing out. One pet‑food chain shared that same‑day curbside pickup adoption increased 70% after they integrated real‑time inventory visibility and put pickup in customers’ hands within two hours.

Another regional cosmetics retailer now offers a “try‑before‑you‑buy” option: customers can reserve product samples online, pick them up in‑store, and if it works for them, convert to a purchase, sometimes even on the spot. That seamless blend of digital planning and physical experience drives conversion but also reduces returns and fosters brand trust.

Unified Data Is the Secret Ingredient

One common thread: every leader I talk to is investing in a centralized data layer. We’re talking POS, CRM, webshop, mobile app, loyalty, and even third‑party marketplaces all talking to the same “single customer view.” This isn’t a futuristic idea, it’s happening now.

When you strip out channel‑based silos, you uncover trends that matter. One retailer noticed that customers who searched for “vegan” products online but came into physical stores tended to buy premium skincare when staff made recommendations using their online preferences. The insight sparked a training initiative that increased upsell conversions in over 150 locations, pure omnichannel strategy.

Loyalty Beyond Points

Loyalty programs have evolved. They’re no longer just about points; they’re about perks tied to behavior across channels. One high‑end home‑goods retailer now grants loyalty “status” when customers visit a showroom or engage in virtual design consultations, not just when they buy. Redeemable benefits include free design services or local delivery discounts.

By treating loyalty as experiential, brands are generating emotional connection and repeat visits. That’s how you turn a one‑time purchase into a long-term relationship.

Tech That Literally Connects Channels

Underpinning all of this is orchestration technology. Imagine this: a customer uses a mobile app to book an in‑store wardrobe styling session, browses suggested outfits, buddies up with a stylist and has a pop‑up video call with them in the fitting room. Meanwhile, the stylist uses a handheld device tied to the central CRM and checkout flows are seamless.

Tools like headless commerce platforms, store tablets, and in‑house CRM systems are powering real‑time connection. The feedback I keep hearing: it’s not just about the shiny new checkout kiosk or mobile app—it’s about how each piece connects invisibly behind the scenes.

Why It Matters Right Now

These strategies aren’t just “nice to have.” They matter because customer expectations are changing. People expect a retail experience that fits their life not the other way around. They expect speed online and convenience offline. They expect brands to remember them. And the brands that deliver that get loyalty, lifetime value, and market buzz.

In feedback sessions I host with fellow execs, those who call themselves “omnichannel winners” have all three of these ingredients: personalization, fulfillment, and data. They all work in concert. Tinker with one without the others, and you end up with expensive experiments that don’t add up.

A Real‑Life Snapshot

Let me share a quick story. A footwear brand I work with set out to improve online sales with free shipping and returns. Good fallback but the real wins came when they added ship‑from‑store functionality, in‑store pickup, and in‑store kiosks showing online assortments. They also tagged emails with “products you viewed online.”

The result? A 25% increase in total sales, 30% reduction in return shipping costs, and a significant bump in loyalty enrollments, almost all driven by the improved omnichannel flow. The key? They built on what customers already did: researching online, buying offline or the other way around. Ensuring that flow is seamless is what matters.

Bottom Line: Start With the Signals

If you’re leading or guiding an omnichannel initiative today, here’s the approach my peers swear by:

• Map your real customer journeys—not what you think they do.

• Enable real-time inventory visibility and ship-from-store or curbside fulfillment.

• Invest in shared data infrastructure to sync marketing, loyalty, and store systems.

• Treat loyalty as experiential, not transactional.

• Use tools that connect channels silently, like headless commerce platforms and store tablets.

Your competitors likely know some of this already. The arm that wins isn’t the one that innovates more—it’s the one that connects better.

If any of this resonates, let’s connect:

• 📧 Email us at info@ctoinput.com

• 📞 Schedule a free strategy call: https://ctoinput.com/connect

• 🧭 Or learn more about our work: https://ctoinput.com