How Omnichannel Fulfilment Powers Growth in Every Aisle

In modern retail, shopping paths are no longer straightforward. Research now shows that 73% of customers shop across multiple channels, using almost six touchpoints before buying - a figure that has risen from just two around 15 years ago. 

Whether browsing on a phone, checking stock online or visiting a shop, consumers expect one smooth, consistent experience. It is this expectation that has transformed supply chain operations, as stores now double as distribution hubs, supported by tightly connected online and offline systems - blurring the lines between physical and digital shopping. 

Omnichannel fulfilment, an approach to order management and logistics which merges this journey into one unified network, is central to this idea.

It means consumers can buy through any route - be that the brand’s site, app or physical shop - before the system draws from one shared stock pool, co-ordinating orders and delivery to ensure speed, flexibility and consistency across the board. 

Retailers that implement strong omnichannel strategies retain 89% of their consumers, in contrast with 33% for those with weaker fulfilment strategies. This then means those loyal customers spend 30% more with that brand across their lifetime - leading to real additional value for the business. 

Cosmetics across all channels 

At DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s largest omnichannel premium beauty retailer, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Management Kai Schaal is steering a shift. The retailer is moving from numerous small distribution sites to a handful of large, cross-border warehouses. 

“We’re not just moving products,” Kai says. “Our customers expect a premium experience every time they shop—whether that’s in a boutique, on their laptop or through our app. Omnichannel fulfilment is how we deliver on that promise.”

Kai oversees 1,900 stores, more than €4.45bn (US$5.2bn) in annual sales and brands including DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, parfumdreams and Niche Beauty. He calls the integration “essential—not just to compete, but to thrive in a rapidly evolving market.” 

DOUGLAS’ strategy centres on what it calls ‘One Warehouse, All Channels’ (OWAC) - a network of seven omnichannel facilities serving both stores and consumers from one shared stock pool. So far, the results yield better product availability, faster delivery, more adaptable ranges and leaner operations across partner networks. 

That said, infrastructure is only one part of the operation. The strategy also includes advanced analytics-based demand forecasting, a unified inventory and order management system and close collaboration with logistics providers. By standardising this process across multiple countries, DOUGLAS is unlocking further scalability and agility down the road. 

“This is the future of retail,” Kai adds. “Speed matters, but so do options, trust and shared values. It’s about smart, real-time orchestration of inventory and logistics combined with empathy to what customers expect and value.”

Thinking like a consumer

That certainty is shared by Adheer Bahulkar, Global Supply Chain Leader for Consumer Goods and Services at Accenture, who advises some of the world’s biggest brands. An engineer by training, he explains: “I learned early on that understanding people and markets was just as vital as understanding numbers.”

He tackles challenges with care, examining his clients’ supply chains with the real people whose livelihood is affected by transformation centred in his mind: “What would I do if this were my company?” he asks. “That question keeps me grounded. It’s not theory—it’s practical, actionable insight.”

When it comes to omnichannel fulfilment, Adheer outlines three pillars: 

• Know why consumers buy
• Invest in data and technology
• Ensure profitability

“The real discipline is in making the right calls for your brand, your customer and your bottom line,” he adds.

Achieving that means recording inventory at every stage, using IoT tagging such as RFID and ensuring partners are equally tech-enabled. 

“Inventory visibility is table stakes,” he explains “Imagine I have one item that can be sold across 10 different outlets. I can’t afford to hold 10 pieces in each outlet, but I need to be agile enough to move it to the right outlet, in real time, to convert the sale—and do it profitably.”

It’s clear the reward could be high, but Adheer warns: “One broken link can exponentially erode the value of full visibility.”

Can stores really catalyse growth?

For retailers, the challenge extends beyond strategy to real-time execution, which is where the physical store plays an evolving and vital role.

“Stores aren’t just selling spaces anymore,” explains Lesley Simmonds, Vice President of Industry Strategies for Retail at Blue Yonder. “They’re mini warehouses, return centres and growth engines.”

A store can lift nearby digital sales by 6–10% if run well, though the new goal is to orchestrate the entire network—linking planning and execution, breaking down silos and using real-time data to manage inventory from deployment to returns.

“It’s not about being the fastest,” Lesley says. “It’s about being the most useful.”

This means adapting to varying consumer expectations, with some requiring same-day delivery, others waiting for free shipping and others valuing click-and-collect options. 

The smartest retailers therefore pool inventory across channels, reintegrating returns quickly and aligning teams to these new goals. Automation across these channels, and within the supply chain, can also aid this transition - reducing labour pressures and increasing speed. 

Lesley says Blue Yonder’s platforms help companies implement such changes, “showing customers accurate availability, rerouting orders on the fly and meeting unexpected demand using returns or inbound shipments, eliminating the need for extra buffer stock.” 

Combined with AI, this tailors fulfilment to the consumer’s needs, whether that’s speed, cost or sustainability.

“Unified commerce will tear down the walls between stores, warehouses and digital channels,” Lesley asserts, “allowing inventory, orders and customer data to work together in real time.”

The road ahead

Looking ahead, businesses like DOUGLAS - and beyond - will be tackling logistics and e-commerce challenges differently. 

“It won’t be enough to market to a person—you’ll need to effectively ‘market’ to their AI,” Adheer says. Kai somewhat agrees, adding: “Automation is the foundation of modern logistics.

The ability to flex, especially in industries like premium beauty with pronounced seasonal peaks, is make-or-break.

“It reduces dependency on increasingly constrained labour markets, while delivering standardised, scalable and highly adaptable processes.”

He’s not wrong; during Black Friday 2024 DOUGLAS’ e-commerce orders hit eight times a normal day - a high made possible by automation. It adds precision, predicting demand to store level and verifying parcels in real time.

The key however, will come when these tools reach across departments, ensuring collaboration between channels from supplier to consumer. 

“The future leaders won’t just ship faster,” Lesley says. “They’ll turn fulfilment into a competitive edge—engineered for loyalty, efficiency and margin.”

What unites these perspectives is a shared understanding that omnichannel fulfilment is a defining function for growth and brand differentiation.

Real-time visibility, powered by connected technologies, is becoming the standard as AI and automation provide supply chains with the boost they need to fulfil consumer demands. 

We know physical and digital networks will merge in time, unlocking new ways to anticipate demand, personalise service and operate profitably at scale.

What is less clear is what will define tomorrow’s winners - will it be those who can orchestrate complexity with agility or those who deliver the exact experience the consumer values most? Will brands even need to choose - providing it all in one seamless shopping experience? That, I suppose, is the goal.