The study found that the board level view among retailers was that omni-channel is a revolutionary change which will profoundly alter the future of retail, and require significant re-engineering of the retail business operating model.
However, the return on investment in omni-channel remained unclear, with many retailers investing in omni-channel simply to compete.
The relative immaturity of the omni model meant that ROI was still difficult to measure given a lack of robust metrics, particularly in relation to customers, their behaviors and interfaces with the business and fulfillment needs.
The study also found that directors see fulfillment as a source of competitive advantage and not simply a cost of doing business. Speed of fulfillment remains a perceived differentiator and one that is still being pursued aggressively. However many questioned whether this is actually driven more by the retailers, with customers valuing convenience and consistency.
