eStar and Viare CEO, Matt Brovelli, Shares Insights on Omnichannel Fulfilment and OMS: What Retailers Need to Get Right in 2025

Omnichannel shopping is no longer a strategy. It is the way customers expect to shop and buy. Whether they browse on a mobile device and pick up in store, or check stock online before visiting, shoppers now move fluidly between digital and physical channels. To keep up, retailers must deliver fast, convenient and reliable fulfilment experiences that work every time.

At the centre of this is the order management system. A strong Order Management System (OMS) gives retailers the tools to manage inventory in real time, route orders to the most efficient fulfilment location, provide efficient pick & pack workflows, and ensure customers get accurate delivery or pickup options from the moment they hit the product page.

In Australia, more than 70 percent of online shoppers choose to Click & Collect when it is offered. Offering a seamless Click & Collect experience, is not just about convenience, it also increases foot traffic in store with most customers making an extra purchase when picking up an order. Click & Collect only works when retailers can show accurate stock availability and fulfil quickly from stores. Many retailers are now also using their OMS to support in-store pick, pack and dispatch. This turns each store into a mini fulfilment hub, reducing delivery time and cutting freight costs.

Retailers are looking to improve how orders are assigned and fulfilled. Instead of shipping everything from a central warehouse, a modern OMS can automatically decide the best location to fulfil from, based on inventory, delivery time, cost and store capacity. This kind of intelligent order routing helps retailers reduce split shipments, avoid delays, and better manage high volumes during sales or peak trading periods. It also allows retailers to make better use of store stock, avoiding overstock in one location and sell-outs in another.

Customers expect accurate, reliable information about what is available and when it will arrive. That is only possible with a single view of inventory across the business. A good OMS will sync data from warehouses, stores and suppliers in real time so that what customers see online reflects what is actually in stock. Retailers using this approach are able to offer more accurate delivery dates, reduce order cancellations, and build customer trust. It also supports more advanced fulfilment options like ship from store, split delivery, and partial dispatch.

Post-purchase experience is just as important. Customers expect to be able to return online orders in store, or vice versa, with minimal hassle. That means returns need to be processed across channels without friction, and stock needs to be tracked and updated accordingly. An OMS can help manage this by giving customer service teams a clear view of the order history, return eligibility, and current stock status. This not only improves the customer experience but also helps retailers get returned stock back into circulation faster.

As more retailers adopt store-based fulfilment, same-day delivery, and personalised shipping options, the demands on their technology stack will only grow. A reliable OMS is the foundation that supports this shift, giving retailers confidence in every order and every promise made to the customer. For retailers in Australia and New Zealand, the focus is clear. Serve customers where they want to shop, fulfil orders with speed and accuracy, and build trust through transparency. With the right tools in place, these goals are within reach.