Seamless Omnichannel Shopping in 2025: Best Practices & Future Trends
Modern consumers expect a seamless omnichannel shopping experience – one that unifies digital and physical storefronts into a single, cohesive journey. Retailers in 2025 are breaking down barriers between online and offline commerce, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and platforms like Adobe Commerce (Magento) to meet customers wherever they shop. Below, we explore the latest best practices for truly seamless omnichannel retail, from integrating e-commerce with stores to AI-driven personalization, unified inventory management, and innovative fulfillment strategies like BOPIS. We also look ahead at future trends (predictive analytics, cashierless stores, AR/VR) shaping the next generation of retail. Each section highlights clear takeaways and actionable insights for retailers aiming to excel in omnichannel engagement.
Bridging Online and Offline Commerce
Creating a unified experience across online and offline channels is now essential. Shoppers want to start a purchase on one channel and finish on another without missing a beat emarsys.com. For example, a customer might browse products on their phone, add items to cart, then visit a physical store to try or pick up those items – all with consistent information and service. Retailers achieving this “phygital” integration see higher loyalty and sales, as customers feel understood and catered to “no matter where they shop” commercetools.com. Key integration strategies include:
Unified Customer Profiles: Merge data from online behavior and in-store interactions into one profile. This ensures a sales associate can access a shopper’s online wish list or past purchases, enabling personalized service in-store. Avoid data silos – if store staff lack visibility into online interactions (or vice versa), the customer experience becomes disjointed bloomreach.com. Shoppers notice these gaps; inconsistent information or personalization across channels leads to frustration and potential lost sales bloomreach.com
Consistent Pricing and Promotions: Ensure that promotions, loyalty rewards, and product pricing are the same online and in-store (or clearly linked). A customer should encounter the same sale or earn/redeem the same loyalty points regardless of channel, reinforcing a cohesive brand experience.
Connected Payments and Checkout: Integrate payment systems so that whether a purchase is made on the e-commerce site, mobile app, or cash register, it feeds into a single view of the customer. For instance, Adobe Commerce’s partnership with Adyen enables retailers to connect online and in-store payments to get a complete customer view and reward loyal shoppers seamlessly pymnts.com. This unified payment experience not only simplifies checkout but also aggregates valuable data (transaction history, payment preferences) in one place.
Insight: Omnichannel integration is about removing friction. Leading retailers treat online and offline not as separate silos but as complementary parts of one journey. As Lowe’s CIO Seemantini Godbole put it, shopping is “less of a discrete activity and more about how it’s integrated into everyday life” biztechmagazine.com. In practice, this means every channel (website, app, store, social media) should “talk” to each other. If only 41% of businesses today truly put the customer at the center by leveraging data across channels emarsys.com, there’s a huge opportunity for those who do. Retailers that invest in connecting touchpoints and data build trust and “make customers feel seen and understood,” leading to lasting relationships emarsys.com.
Actionable Takeaways: To bridge online and offline commerce, invest in a unified tech stack and strategy that links your e-commerce platform, POS system, CRM, and marketing tools. Ensure inventory systems are unified (more on that below) and train teams to utilize cross-channel data. Audit the customer journey: Can a shopper smoothly transition from your website to your store (and back)? If not, identify where data or process silos hinder the flow and prioritize those for integration. By doing so, you lay the groundwork for true omnichannel experiences that foster loyalty and increase lifetime value emarsys.com.
Adobe Commerce (Magento) as an Omnichannel Enabler
A robust platform is critical to omnichannel success. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) plays a central role for many retailers by providing the flexible infrastructure to unify commerce across channels. Adobe Commerce is designed to integrate online and offline sales channels, acting as a hub for products, inventory, orders, and customer data thepaypers.com. Here’s how Adobe Commerce/Magento supports seamless omnichannel strategies:
End-to-End Experience Management: Adobe Commerce isn’t just an e-commerce storefront – it’s part of Adobe Experience Cloud, which combines web content management, analytics, a customer data platform, and personalization in one suite cmswire.com. This means retailers can manage consistent content and branding, track customer behavior, and personalize experiences all through connected Adobe tools. For example, Adobe’s Real-Time CDP can merge in-store and online customer interactions, so a shopper’s recent in-store purchase immediately informs the product recommendations they see online cmswire.com. The result is a continuous experience: whether a customer is browsing your site or speaking to an associate, the context and data carry over.
Unified Inventory & Order Management: Adobe Commerce offers advanced inventory management and order orchestration capabilities that span online and physical stores. Retailers can use it (often alongside Adobe’s Order Management or third-party OMS) to maintain a single source of truth for inventory across warehouses and stores magento.com. This enables omnichannel scenarios like Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS), ship-from-store, and even store-to-store transfers. Magento’s “endless aisle” features allow store associates to access the entire inventory catalog – if an item is out of stock in one location, they can locate it in another store or warehouse and ship it to the customer, preventing lost sales magento.com. In fact, simply enabling an endless aisle (letting customers order products not physically in that store) can lift store sales by up to 10% magento.com. Adobe Commerce’s architecture (with its API-first capabilities and headless commerce support) makes it easier to integrate with in-store systems like POS or clienteling apps, ensuring real-time inventory visibility and order updates across all channels.
Omnichannel Fulfillment Tools: Adobe Commerce has introduced specialized tools for store fulfillment. Notably, Store Fulfillment for Adobe Commerce (developed with Walmart Commerce Technologies) provides an end-to-end solution for BOPIS and curbside pickup. It equips store employees with a mobile app to manage online pickup orders, from picking and staging to customer handoff experienceleague.adobe.com. This kind of integration means online orders flow directly to stores, where staff can efficiently prepare them. By leveraging such built-in solutions, retailers can implement BOPIS faster and more effectively, since the e-commerce platform and store operations are tightly connected. Features like automatic order queueing, alerts for pickup preparation, and customer check-in notifications (to let staff know when you’ve arrived) are already part of Adobe’s omnichannel toolkit pwc.com.
Adobe Commerce’s impact is best seen in the success of retailers that use it. For example, a major guitar brand, Gibson, leveraged Adobe/Magento along with AI tools to deliver predictive, personalized journeys across channels, strengthening relationships with their retail store partners emarsys.com. Another case is a regional home goods retailer that unified its online catalog with store stock using Adobe Commerce; this empowered store associates to “save the sale” by ordering unavailable items for customers from the e-commerce inventory, turning what would have been out-of-stock disappointments into satisfied sales magento.com. Retailers working with Adobe Commerce also benefit from a broad ecosystem of extensions and partners (like the Adyen payment integration) that further enhance omnichannel capabilities pymnts.com.
Actionable Takeaways: If you’re on Adobe Commerce or considering it, leverage its omnichannel features to the fullest. Ensure your Adobe Commerce implementation is integrated with your store systems – for instance, use Adobe’s APIs or commerce services to connect your POS and ERP for real-time inventory sync. Explore Adobe’s Order Management or the Walmart-powered Store Fulfillment module to operationalize BOPIS and ship-from-store without heavy custom development
experienceleague.adobe.com cmswire.com. Additionally, consider a headless commerce approach with Adobe Commerce: this lets you use the same backend for multiple frontends (e.g., a website, a mobile app, and an in-store clienteling tablet app), all drawing from the same data and business logic. Headless, combined with Adobe’s Experience Manager for content, can deliver app-like experiences on any device and in any context cmswire.com. In short, make Adobe Commerce your unified commerce engine – its flexibility and rich ecosystem can bridge online and offline when configured with an omnichannel mindset.
AI-Driven Personalization Across Channels
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the linchpin of personalization in 2025. Retailers are using AI to tailor experiences both online and in-store, meeting customers with the right recommendations, content, and assistance at every touchpoint. The key is using AI to harness customer data (browsing history, past purchases, context like location) in real time and deliver something uniquely relevant. Done well, this AI-driven personalization boosts engagement, conversion, and loyalty.
Personalizing Digital Experiences: On e-commerce sites and apps, AI analyzes behavior to recommend products or content a customer is most likely to want. For example, beauty retailer Sephora segments its omnichannel audience by analyzing data, then serves “personalized experiences for each segment to accommodate different shopping behaviors,” according to experts
biztechmagazine.com. Even anonymous visitors can receive tailored suggestions through AI. Yves Rocher, a cosmetics brand, uses AI-powered recommendation engines to suggest products to even first-time browsers, increasing the chance of conversion bloomreach.com. AI algorithms study patterns (e.g., “people who viewed X also like Y”) and quickly adapt the homepage, search results, or marketing emails to each individual. This level of relevance makes customers feel understood – a cornerstone of omnichannel success. In fact, personalization is no longer a bonus; it’s foundational. It shows customers that “your brand understands their needs and wants to give them the best experience possible,” which significantly strengthens loyalty bloomreach.com.
In-Store Personalization & Clienteling: AI isn’t just for online. Forward-thinking retailers bring AI-driven insights into physical stores to enhance service. This might mean equipping sales associates with a mobile app that shows a shopper’s profile and product recommendations as soon as they check in or identify themselves (via loyalty ID, app notification, or even facial recognition in some cases). In 2025, sales associates armed with AI-powered customer insights can offer highly tailored suggestions in person thestorefront.com. For example, a clothing store associate could see that an arriving customer has been browsing certain jeans online and can proactively prepare those in the fitting room along with matching items. AI can also power smart digital signage or kiosks that adjust content based on the shopper nearby. Even store layouts respond to data: some retailers are localizing inventory and merchandising for each store’s demographic profile using AI predictions thestorefront.com. The result is that when the customer walks in, the experience “feels” as personalized as their online shopping – because it’s informed by the same data. And when the shopper leaves, their in-store purchases feed back into the AI models to personalize subsequent online interactions (e.g., showing accessories to complement the store-bought item). Adobe’s tools facilitate this loop by linking offline and online interactions in a Real-Time CDP, so the AI has a 360° view of the customer cmswire.com. This kind of integration is why 73% of retailers are already using some form of AI, with more planning to, as they recognize AI’s value in both personalized recommendations and inventory/demand optimization mytotalretail.com.
Predictive Analytics and Next-Best Actions: AI-driven personalization often relies on predictive analytics – forecasting what a customer might want or do next, and then acting on it. With the huge advances in AI and generative AI models, retailers in 2025 are moving toward experiences where the store or site anticipates needs. According to NRF experts, AI’s predictive proficiency allows retailers to “anticipate what shoppers need before they start shopping”, enabling proactive suggestions and assistance nrf.com. Think of a grocery app that, based on your past behavior and time of week, pops up a reminder to reorder milk, or a fashion retailer’s site that shows a complete outfit including a jacket because it knows cold weather is coming and you bought sweaters last week. These predictions are increasingly accurate thanks to AI analyzing not just your data, but wider trends (weather, local events, similar customers’ patterns, etc.). Retailers like Gibson Guitars have tapped predictive intelligence to automate personalized outreach – for instance, sending a music teacher tailored content about new guitar models right when data indicates they might be considering an upgrade emarsys.com. The key is subtlety and utility: great omnichannel personalization should feel helpful, not intrusive. When AI is used ethically and smartly, customers appreciate the convenience of not having to dig for what they need. In fact, three in four customers are more loyal to retailers that deliver consistent, relevant experiences across channels mytotalretail.com, which is exactly what AI personalization aims to do.
Insight: AI is the engine powering omnichannel personalization at scale. The days of one-size-fits-all marketing are gone; in 2025, every interaction can be dynamically tailored. Generative AI and advanced machine learning make it possible to personalize content (like product descriptions or images) on the fly for different audiences nrf.com. Chatbots and voice assistants (AI agents) now handle many routine inquiries both on websites and in stores (for instance, info kiosks or shopping assistants on mobile) – they not only answer questions but also guide customers with personalized suggestions, mimicking a helpful store associate. AI-powered chatbots can “help customers navigate shopping spaces and answer queries fast,” essentially serving as a digital concierge in-store or online biztechmagazine.com. The more data collected from each touchpoint, the smarter these AI agents become, continually refining the personalization.
Actionable Takeaways: Retailers should invest in AI tools that tie into their commerce systems. Consider deploying an AI recommendation engine (many are available as plugins or services compatible with platforms like Adobe Commerce) to personalize product sorting, recommendations, and content for each user. Use analytics to segment customers and tailor marketing – for example, identify your “store-only” shoppers vs “online-only” vs “hybrid” shoppers, and personalize messages for each segment biztechmagazine.com. In-store, empower your associates with customer data: even a simple clienteling app or access to a customer’s online wishlist can enable more relevant suggestions. Bridge your data sources – connect your CRM, e-commerce, and loyalty systems so AI algorithms have rich data to learn from. Lastly, be transparent and respectful with AI-driven personalization: ensure customers opt in to data sharing (loyalty programs can encourage this) and always provide value in exchange (like truly useful recommendations or time savings). With AI, even smaller retailers can deliver personalization that feels as if you have a personal shopper guiding you – and that experience differentiates you in a crowded market bloomreach.com.
Unified Inventory Management Technologies (RFID, AI Forecasting, Headless Commerce)
A seamless omnichannel experience hinges on unified inventory management. Shoppers don’t care whether an item is in a warehouse or on a store shelf – they just want to know if they can get it, and how fast. For retailers, this means having accurate, real-time inventory visibility across all channels and the ability to fulfill orders from anywhere. The latest technologies in 2025 are making this easier, ensuring that your online and brick-and-mortar inventory act as one pool. Key technologies and approaches include:
Item-Level RFID for Real-Time Tracking: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has matured into a game-changer for inventory accuracy. By tagging products with RFID chips and using sensors/readers in stores and distribution centers, retailers can automatically track inventory movement and stock levels in real time. This drastically reduces errors compared to manual stock counts. Most retailers today operate with only ~70% inventory accuracy (in stores, many have even less) mytotalretail.com, which can wreak havoc on omnichannel promises – e.g., selling an item online that is actually out-of-stock in the store for pickup. RFID can boost accuracy to over 98% mytotalretail.com. Such precision is the foundation of unified commerce. When every item’s location is known, your website can confidently display store availability for BOPIS, and your fulfillment system can reliably route online orders to the best store or warehouse. Retailers like Inditex (Zara’s parent) have implemented RFID across their inventory, resulting in far better stock visibility and fewer cancellations of online orders due to stockouts. RFID data combined with AI also opens new possibilities: stores can see which items are tried on but not bought (helpful for merchandising), and AI can analyze this rich data to refine stocking decisions and even personalize offers thescxchange.com mytotalretail.com. The bottom line: RFID provides the live data stream needed to connect inventory systems across channels, ensuring that online promises (like “Only 2 left at [Store Name]!”) are accurate.
AI-Powered Demand Forecasting and Stock Optimization: Beyond knowing current stock, retailers must anticipate future demand to ensure the right products are in the right place at the right time. Enter AI-driven forecasting. Advanced machine learning models chew through historical sales data, market trends, seasonality, and even external factors (weather, social media buzz) to predict demand for each SKU at each location. This helps in several ways. First, it optimizes inventory levels – avoiding overstock in one store and stockouts in another. AI can forecast, for example, that a particular shoe model will sell fast in urban stores next month but slower in suburban ones, prompting redistribution or ordering more for urban locations. This kind of forecasting directly supports omnichannel fulfillment: if you promise 2-day pickup for BOPIS, you need to have the item nearby. AI forecasts ensure that inventory is allocated optimally across e-commerce warehouses and stores, reducing the need for costly inter-store transfers or shipping from a distant location. Retailers are increasingly using AI to also manage dynamic safety stock (buffer inventory) in real time, adjusting to sudden demand spikes. The result is higher fill rates for online orders and higher on-shelf availability in stores – both crucial for a seamless customer experience. As Deloitte’s 2024 outlook noted, retailers are using AI not just for personalization but also to “streamline operations, optimize inventory” and even speed up product design based on trends nrf.com. In practice, AI might flag that a certain product is trending online, so the retailer can quickly transfer extra units to stores where pickups are surging (or vice versa). This intelligent inventory orchestration keeps omnichannel promises (like one-hour pickup) viable.
Headless Commerce & API-First Architecture: Headless commerce refers to decoupling the front-end presentation layer from the back-end commerce logic. In terms of inventory management, a headless (or API-first) approach is invaluable for omnichannel. It means any channel or device – whether it’s your website, mobile app, an in-store kiosk, or even a voice assistant – can access the same inventory data and order capabilities via APIs. For example, a store associate’s tablet could use an API to check stock in real time or place an online order for a customer, using the same backend as the online store. Headless commerce platforms like Adobe Commerce support this, allowing retailers to build “endless aisle” apps or kiosk interfaces that tie directly into the central inventory magento.com. Likewise, integrating new touchpoints (say, a pop-up store or a new marketplace) becomes easier – they just consume the inventory and order APIs. Headless architecture also often goes hand-in-hand with microservices, which can include specialized services for inventory, fulfillment, etc., that are reused across channels. The benefit is consistency: no matter how a customer interacts, the system is drawing from one source of truth for product availability. Additionally, headless setups make it simpler to implement smart shelves and IoT devices in physical stores. For instance, an IoT sensor on a shelf that detects low stock can trigger an API call to update the system or even alert staff. NRF experts highlight IoT as a key enabler of seamless connections between online and physical stores biztechmagazine.com. Imagine a future where the moment an item is picked up from a shelf, the online store reflects one less in stock – that’s the direction we’re heading, and API-centric design is what makes it feasible.
Insight: A unified inventory is the backbone of omnichannel. You can’t offer services like “buy online, pick up in 1 hour” or “ship from store” reliably without knowing exactly what you have and where. Yet many retailers still struggle with inventory accuracy and visibility. Studies found 75% of retailers have mismanaged or inaccurate in-store inventory levels magento.com. To overcome this, retailers are investing in technology that essentially digitizes their inventory, blurring the line between online and offline stock. RFID tags turn physical products into data points that systems can track in real time, while AI ensures that the data is used to make optimal decisions (e.g., predictive restocking). These technologies work best in tandem – as one expert noted, combining item-level RFID with AI creates a powerful synergy for inventory management, forming a “pivotal” part of a unified commerce strategy mytotalretail.com. With these tools, the goal of global, up-to-date visibility of inventory across all channels becomes achievable magento.com. And when retailers have that, they can confidently promise products to customers via any channel and fulfill those promises profitably.
Actionable Takeaways: Start by assessing your inventory accuracy – if it’s low, consider a pilot of RFID in one category or store to measure the improvement. RFID implementation can be scaled, starting with high-value or high-turnover items. Invest in an inventory management system or OMS that aggregates stock from all locations and integrates with your e-commerce platform (Adobe Commerce, for instance, can serve as a hub when extended with the right modules). Use AI forecasting tools (many ERP and analytics providers offer these, or even services that plug into your data) to regularly balance inventory and update buying plans. Also, make inventory data transparent internally: give both your e-commerce managers and store managers visibility into the omni-stock picture, so they can make data-driven decisions (like a store knowing to set aside some stock for online orders). Finally, adopt an API-first mentality – ensure your systems can “talk” to each other. If you’re replatforming or upgrading, choose solutions that are headless-friendly and can easily connect. In essence, treat inventory as a shared asset across the company, enabled by technology: when one channel sells an item, all other channels should immediately reflect that change. This will enable the flexible fulfillment options that omnichannel shoppers expect.
Omnichannel Fulfillment Strategies: BOPIS, Ship-from-Store, and More
A major part of seamless omnichannel retail is offering flexible fulfillment options. Consumers love the convenience of choosing how they receive (or return) purchases – whether it’s BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store), curbside pickup, shipping from a local store, or even reserving online and trying in store. Implementing these options requires coordination across digital and physical operations, but it pays off in higher sales and customer satisfaction. Let’s look at three core omnichannel fulfillment strategies and best practices for each:
Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS): BOPIS has evolved from a nice-to-have to a must-have. It perfectly bridges online and offline: customers browse and buy online, then collect the product at a nearby store, often the same day. This appeals to shoppers who want instant (or at least faster) gratification without shipping costs, and those who simply prefer picking up themselves. It’s estimated that 67% of shoppers used BOPIS at least once in the first half of 2023 pwc.com, signaling how mainstream this option has become. In fact, many consumers now expect BOPIS as a standard offering, not a niche service
pwc.com. For retailers, BOPIS can drive significant incremental sales: when customers come into the store to pick up, a large percentage end up buying additional items on the spot. One study found 47% of BOPIS users purchased something else during pickup bloomreach.com (another survey put this figure even higher, at 85% blog.shipperhq.com). That’s a huge opportunity for upselling and cross-selling. Moreover, BOPIS can boost customer loyalty by offering convenience and eliminating shipping fees. However, to succeed with BOPIS, execution is key. Best practices include: (1) Dedicated Pickup Areas or Service – have a clearly marked spot or counter so BOPIS customers can quickly get their items without standing in general checkout lines (long wait times will sour the experience) blog.shipperhq.com. (2) Real-Time Inventory Updates – ensure the online storefront only offers BOPIS for items actually in stock at the chosen store, and update promptly when things sell out to avoid disappointing customers at pickup blog.shipperhq.com. (3) Efficient Order Processing – use order management systems to create an auto-generated picking queue for store staff pwc.com. This helps employees prioritize and fulfill orders in a timely manner (for example, by picking items in batches by promised pickup time). (4) Customer Notifications – keep buyers informed at each step: order confirmation, “ready for pickup” alert, and instructions for where to go. Some retailers enable customers to check in via the app when they are on the way, so the order is handed over even faster pwc.com. Adobe’s Store Fulfillment solution, for instance, integrates such features: it notifies staff when a customer has arrived (or when a curbside pickup car pulls up) pwc.com. Done right, BOPIS improves satisfaction and loyalty – shoppers appreciate the flexibility, and retailers gain extra foot traffic and sales. It’s no wonder BOPIS is described as “fast becoming an expected option and necessary convenience” for large retailers pwc.com.
Ship-from-Store: This strategy turns physical stores into miniature distribution centers. Instead of fulfilling an online order from a regional warehouse, the retailer routes the order to a local store for packing and shipping to the customer’s address. Why do this? Because it can speed up delivery times (the item is closer to the customer) and optimize inventory utilization. If one store has excess stock of an item that’s selling well online, fulfilling from that store prevents buildup of aging inventory and reduces shipping distance. Ship-from-store was a secret weapon for many retailers during the pandemic and remains so. It effectively extends your e-commerce assortment by adding the store’s inventory. Best practices for ship-from-store: (1) Implement intelligent order routing – use software that considers proximity, stock levels, and store workload to decide which store should fulfill each order. The goal is to meet promised delivery times at lowest cost. (2) Train store staff and adjust operations – fulfilling online orders is a different task than serving in-store shoppers. Retailers often dedicate a small team or specific times of day for staff to handle picking and packing for shipments. (3) Use stores for peak load balancing – during high-demand periods (holidays), warehouses can get swamped; having stores as backup fulfillment nodes can prevent delays. Ship-from-store also helps reduce markdowns: if a particular store has items not selling locally, those can be sold online and shipped out, rather than eventually put on clearance. One challenge is ensuring shipping supplies and processes are in place at stores – forward-thinking retailers equip stores with packing materials and even on-site label printers integrated with the order system. When mastered, ship-from-store leads to faster delivery and higher online conversion (items show as available more often), and it raises overall inventory turnover by leveraging the whole network. As one Magento omnichannel guide put it, this approach lets you “leverage inventory more efficiently” across channels magento.com.
Store-to-Store and Other Flexible Fulfillment: Beyond BOPIS and shipping to customers, omnichannel strategies also encompass transferring inventory between stores to meet demand. If a customer is in Store A looking for a product that’s only at Store B, associates can arrange a store-to-store transfer or direct the customer to buy online for delivery from Store B. This saves the sale and keeps the customer within your ecosystem rather than going to a competitor. Modern order management systems allow an “endless aisle” approach where any store can sell any item, regardless if it’s on its shelves, by pulling from another location. Another strategy is BORIS (Buy Online, Return In-Store) – while not a fulfillment of delivery, it’s an important part of the omnichannel experience. Allowing customers to return online purchases to a physical store drives store visits and often leads to exchanges or new purchases. It also reassures customers that if something isn’t right, they have a convenient return option, which can increase initial online purchase confidence. In 2025, some retailers are also experimenting with curbside and even locker pickups (an extension of BOPIS) for extra convenience, as well as same-day local delivery from stores (sometimes via gig economy couriers) for those who want home delivery quicker than standard shipping. Underpinning all these fulfillment options is a need for tight inventory control and process efficiency. For example, if you promise that an item will be ready for pickup in two hours, your staff and systems need to consistently hit that mark. Tools in Adobe Commerce and similar platforms help by, as noted, creating clear picking/staging workflows pwc.com and even handling exceptions like out-of-stock substitutions on the fly pwc.com (e.g., offering a similar product or allowing partial fulfillment from another source). The future of omnichannel fulfillment is about meeting customers where they are, on their terms. Whether that’s shipping from a store to cut delivery time, or letting a customer reserve online and have the item transferred to their nearest store, flexibility is the name of the game.
Insight: Implementing BOPIS or ship-from-store is not without challenges – it requires rethinking store operations and investing in technology. It’s crucial to have aligned strategy and training: teams from e-commerce, store operations, and supply chain must collaborate. Retailers that succeed often start with small pilots, build playbooks, and ensure everyone from management to front-line staff understand the goals. For instance, building consensus around a shared omnichannel vision internally is highlighted as a first step to successful BOPIS rollouts pwc.com. Also, keep an eye on costs: BOPIS can save on shipping, but if not managed well, labor costs in store can rise (hence the need for efficient batching and clear processes) blog.shipperhq.com. Metrics like pickup wait time, percent of online orders fulfilled from store, and attachment rate (extra sales on pickup) should be tracked to gauge success. Ultimately, offering these fulfillment options tends to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, because you’re giving them more control. Many shoppers use a mix of channels – they might order online but enjoy the instant pickup, or browse in store and then have a larger item shipped from another location. By covering all bases, you not only capture more sales but also get a fuller picture of customer behavior.
Actionable Takeaways: If you haven’t implemented BOPIS, start by enabling store pickup on your e-commerce site for a few pilot stores. Ensure your inventory accuracy is high (consider cycle counting key items daily or using tech like RFID to improve this mytotalretail.com) because nothing undermines BOPIS more than a customer arriving to find their item isn’t actually available. Set up a designated area and process for pickups, and train staff on the importance of prompt fulfillment. For ship-from-store, identify stores with surplus inventory or those in strategic locations and pilot online order fulfillment from there. Use your order management software to automate routing, but also get feedback from store employees – they’ll have insights on how to make the process smoother. Clearly communicate any new processes: for example, if store associates are expected to pick online orders within an hour, that needs to be built into their workflow and staffing. Additionally, market these options to customers: make “Pick up today!” or “Also available for curbside in 2 hours” highly visible on your product pages pwc.com, as it can be a conversion driver. Many customers choose retailers that offer multiple fulfillment choices, so highlighting this can be a competitive advantage. In summary, diversify your fulfillment: the retailers that can fulfill flexibly (ship from anywhere, let customers pickup or return anywhere) will outshine those stuck in siloed channel logistics.
Future Trends Shaping Omnichannel Retail
Looking ahead, the omnichannel landscape of 2025 and beyond is poised to be even more high-tech and customer-centric. Several emerging trends and technologies are set to redefine how consumers shop and how retailers operate across channels. Here are some of the most significant future trends in omnichannel retail, along with what they mean for retailers striving to stay ahead:
Predictive Retail & AI Everywhere: If 2023-2024 saw the rise of AI in retail, 2025 will solidify it. We’ve discussed AI personalization and forecasting, but the vision is that retail becomes truly predictive. AI agents or virtual shopping assistants could soon become commonplace, helping consumers with decisions in a conversational way. For example, AI in a shopping app might proactively suggest a grocery list for you on Friday based on your habits, or a fashion AI might become a stylist that knows your wardrobe and the latest trends. AI-driven predictive analytics will increasingly anticipate customer needs, to the point where the “friction of shopping” is minimized by seamless, personalized assistance throughout the journey nrf.com. Retailers like Amazon are pushing this envelope (e.g., predicting what you might order and pre-staging items in local warehouses) and others will follow. Internally, AI will help retailers optimize everything – from staffing (predicting store foot traffic and scheduling employees accordingly) to dynamic pricing (adjusting offers in real-time based on demand). Generative AI also plays a role: marketing content, product descriptions, even store signage could be tailored on the fly for different segments by AI, reducing content production time and increasing relevance nrf.com. The trend is clear: retailers that harness AI deeply – beyond isolated use cases to a holistic AI-driven strategy – will deliver more intuitive and satisfying omnichannel experiences. Now is the time to plan how to responsibly scale AI use, while keeping transparency with customers about how their data is used. Retailers must also navigate data privacy and bias issues, ensuring the AI enhancements maintain consumer trust nrf.com.
Cashierless and Frictionless Stores: In the physical retail realm, cashierless store technology is gaining momentum. Pioneered by concepts like Amazon Go’s “Just Walk Out” stores, this trend uses a mix of computer vision, shelf sensors, and AI to let customers literally grab items and leave, with the purchase automatically recorded and charged. By 2025, more retailers are piloting cashierless or minimal-checkout formats – from convenience stores to supermarkets and even fashion apparel shops. The aim is to eliminate one of the last pain points of in-store shopping: waiting in line to pay. With systems tracking what’s taken, payment can happen via an app or automatically to a stored card. This not only improves convenience but also frees up staff to focus on customer service or fulfillment tasks rather than ringing up transactions. Supporting technologies like smart carts (which detect products as you place them in the cart) and mobile self-checkout apps (where you scan items with your phone and pay digitally) are bridging towards fully cashierless models
scannthru.com. The rise of these technologies means that the checkout experience is blending into the shopping experience – much like online, where checkout is just a quick step and not a separate ordeal. For omnichannel, cashierless tech can integrate with loyalty apps (so the app knows what you bought in store, adding to your profile instantly) thestorefront.com. We’re also seeing mobile point-of-sale (POS) systems enabling staff anywhere in the store to help customers check out (Apple Stores have done this for years, now many others do too). The future might even allow customers to use one app for everything: find a product in store, get information (via AR maybe), and then pay in-app without ever going to a register. Retailers are advised to “invest in mobile POS or cashierless technology to speed up transactions and enhance customer satisfaction.” thestorefront.com
This trend aligns perfectly with omnichannel ideals: a seamless, convenient experience regardless of channel.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Shopping: AR and VR technologies are transforming how customers experience products, both online and in store. Augmented Reality overlays digital information or visuals onto the real world – for retail, this means customers can virtually “try on” or visualize products. Already, eyewear brand Warby Parker offers an AR app for virtual glasses try-on, letting customers see how frames look on their face using their smartphone camera bloomreach.com. This not only enhances confidence (reducing the likelihood of returns) but also merges the online-home experience with the in-store try-on experience. Furniture retailers like IKEA use VR/AR to let customers place life-size 3D models of furniture in their living room via a mobile device bloomreach.com. Shoppers can ensure fit and style before buying, which is incredibly valuable for heavy goods and has become a favorite omnichannel tool for home shoppers. Looking forward, AR will increasingly be used in physical stores too: think smart mirrors in clothing stores that show you with different outfit combinations or colors, or AR displays where pointing your phone at a product shows reviews and ratings hovering next to it. Virtual Reality could enable entirely virtual store environments – imagine putting on VR goggles at home and “walking” through a virtual replica of a store, picking items off virtual shelves. As consumer VR adoption grows (with more affordable headsets or even VR via web browsers), retailers might invest in these immersive shopping experiences that bring the tactile exploration of stores to e-commerce. These technologies make shopping more interactive and engaging, and importantly, they connect channels. A customer might use AR at home to try a product, then go to the store to buy it (or vice versa). By 2030, experts predict AR and VR will be a defining part of e-commerce scayle.com, and right now many retailers are testing these features to stay ahead. The takeaway: immersive experiences are a key differentiator that physical-digital synergy can deliver – something pure e-commerce can’t do alone, and pure brick-and-mortar can’t scale without digital help.
“Phygital” Store Experiences & Experiential Retail: The role of the physical store is changing from purely a point of sale to a point of experience. Stores in 2025 are often designed as experiential showrooms or community hubs that complement online shopping. We see retailers hosting events, workshops, or creating Instagrammable moments in stores to draw customers in for reasons beyond transactions thestorefront.com. The term “phygital” – blending physical and digital – encapsulates this trend: stores are infused with digital elements (like interactive kiosks, AR displays, endless aisle screens) to enrich the experience, and digital channels strive to emulate some of the discovery and engagement of physical shopping. A phygital strategy might include: interactive product demos via tablets, QR codes on products that link to online content or reviews, and the use of data from online to personalize in-store offerings (for instance, a store event invite tailored to a customer’s interests). The immersive environment trend means retailers are turning stores into destinations that can’t be fully replicated online thestorefront.com. This drives brand identity and loyalty. For omnichannel, the implication is that every channel has a role: online for convenience and breadth, and offline for tactile and emotional connection. The future successful retailers are those who let customers fluidly weave between these – for example, attend an in-store workshop or demo, scan a code to save a product to their online wishlist, later purchase it from home, and maybe return it in store if needed, all without friction. Even live streaming and social commerce are bridging channels – a trend in which stores broadcast live product showcases that customers can watch and shop online. In China, this has been huge, and globally it’s catching on as a way to turn retail staff and store events into omnichannel sales drivers.
Sustainability and Ethical Omnichannel Practices: Consumers in 2025 are increasingly concerned with sustainability, and this affects omnichannel strategies too. Retailers are looking at how to make fulfillment more eco-friendly (e.g., ship-from-store can reduce carbon footprint by shortening delivery distance; consolidated pickup can lower packaging waste). Also, offering omnichannel services like repair, resale, or recycling programs (sometimes called circular retail models) can enhance brand loyalty for the eco-consciousthestorefront.com. For example, a customer might buy a product online and later bring it to a store for recycling or resale/trade-in, closing the loop. While not a technology trend per se, sustainability is a lens through which future omnichannel operations will be judged. Retailers that use their integrated channels to promote green initiatives (like digital receipts to save paper, or optimizing delivery routes with AI to cut emissions) can stand out to consumers who prioritize values. In essence, the future of omnichannel isn’t just seamless and high-tech – it’s also responsible and customer-value driven. Retailers like Isadore Apparel have shown that consolidating omnichannel operations (marketing, sales, returns) on one platform not only boosted sales but also cut return rates by 29%, reducing waste and emissions bloomreach.com. This indicates that efficient omnichannel is often sustainable omnichannel. Expect to see more focus on such dual wins.
Actionable Takeaways: To prepare for these future trends, retailers should stay agile and keep experimenting. If possible, pilot a cashierless or scan-and-go system in one or two stores to learn how customers respond. Begin incorporating AR into your digital assets – for instance, use 3D models of your products that customers can view in AR through their phones (Adobe Commerce and other platforms increasingly support 3D/AR content for products biztechmagazine.com). For AI, consider implementing an AI assistant or chat interface on your site that can handle advanced queries, and keep an eye on developments in AI agents (perhaps start with a chatbot that can recommend products). Training and change management will be vital: educate your team about these coming technologies so they’re ready to embrace them. Also, engage your customer community – often your most loyal customers will gladly test new features (like an AR beta or a new store tech) and give feedback. Lastly, measure and iterate: if you roll out a new tech-driven experience, monitor its impact on sales, satisfaction, and operational efficiency. The future is coming fast, but by aligning each innovation with customer needs (convenience, speed, fun, values), you can adopt the right ones at the right time. Remember, the core of omnichannel won’t change – it’s about serving customers seamlessly – but the tools to do so will continuously evolve. Embrace the mindset of constant innovation, and your omnichannel experience will remain cutting-edge yet customer-friendly in the years ahead.
Conclusion
In 2025, omnichannel retail is no longer just a buzzword – it’s the baseline of customer expectations. Shoppers move fluidly between online and offline touchpoints, and they reward brands that allow them to do so without friction. The best practices we’ve explored emphasize one unifying theme: deliver a consistent, personalized, and convenient experience everywhere. Whether it’s integrating your online store with physical inventory, using Adobe Commerce’s robust platform to unify commerce operations, leveraging AI to tailor each interaction, or offering flexible fulfillment like BOPIS and curbside, every tactic serves the goal of making the customer journey seamless.
Retailers should take a holistic approach: technology (from RFID to AR to AI) is an enabler, but success comes from aligning tech with strategy and operations. That means breaking down silos – ensuring your e-commerce, store, marketing, and logistics teams work in concert – and always keeping the customer’s perspective in focus. When evaluating any omnichannel initiative, ask “Does this make shopping easier, faster, or more delightful for our customer?” If the answer is yes, it’s likely worth pursuing.
Adobe Commerce (Magento) and similar platforms provide a powerful foundation for these efforts, as we’ve seen, but it’s the innovative application and continuous refinement that truly set leaders apart. Case studies from forward-thinking brands show that investments in omnichannel pay off: higher sales, improved loyalty, and often operational savings from efficiencies. For instance, brands that unified their commerce saw big lifts in profitability (one study predicted up to 30% increase) by cutting redundant costs and increasing revenue magento.com.
As future trends like AI agents, cashierless stores, and immersive reality shopping mature, the gap between digital and physical retail will narrow even further. The retailers that thrive will be those who adopt a customer-centric, technology-enabled approach – essentially becoming unified commerce companies rather than “online vs. offline” businesses.
In summary, creating a seamless omnichannel shopping experience in 2025 entails: integration, information, and innovation. Integrate all channels so they act as one. Make information flow freely (inventory data, customer insights) to the right places in real time. And keep innovating with new technologies that enhance the customer experience. Do this, and you’ll not only meet the omnichannel standard – you’ll set new ones, delighting customers at every turn of their journey.
Key Takeaways for 2025 Omnichannel Success:
Unify the Experience: Break down walls between online and offline channels. Ensure customers can start and finish transactions on different channels seamlessly, with consistent pricing, branding, and service emarsys.com bloomreach.com.
Leverage a Strong Platform: Use commerce platforms like Adobe Commerce that support API-driven integration, centralized inventory, and omnichannel workflows (BOPIS, endless aisle, etc.) out of the box
magento.com experienceleague.adobe.com. This provides a solid backbone to build on.
Harness AI for Personalization: Deploy AI tools to personalize both digital and in-store experiences. Real-time data and predictive analytics can surprise and delight customers with relevance (and boost sales) when used thoughtfully
Invest in Inventory Visibility: Technologies like RFID and AI forecasting vastly improve inventory accuracy and allocation, which are non-negotiable for fulfilling orders from any channel without errors mytotalretail.com. This underpins all omnichannel offerings (you can’t sell what you don’t know you have).
Expand Fulfillment Options: Implement BOPIS, curbside, ship-from-store, and easy returns across channels. These services drive incremental revenue and cater to how modern consumers shop bloomreach.com blog.shipperhq.com. Make sure to back them with efficient store processes and clear customer communications pwc.com blog.shipperhq.com.
Embrace Emerging Tech: Keep an eye on innovations like cashierless checkout, AR/VR shopping, and AI assistants. Pilot them as appropriate to stay ahead of customer expectations for convenience and engagement
biztechmagazine.com bloomreach.com. Early adoption, done in a customer-centric way, can set your brand apart.
Align and Adapt: Finally, remember that omnichannel success is as much about people and process as tech. Train your staff, align your departments with common goals, and be ready to adapt based on feedback. Build a culture that views the customer journey holistically. As one retail leader advised, make sure all your channels are talking to each other to put the customer first biztechmagazine.com.
By following these practices and staying agile with trends, retailers can create an omnichannel shopping experience in 2025 that is truly seamless – delighting customers wherever they shop, and driving growth across every channel.
