Historically, retail has evolved significantly over the last hundred years. From the emergence of the first physical stores, which operated independently without the need for integration between units, to the current scenario dominated by digitalization and real-time integration, the sector has undergone technological and behavioral transformations that have radically changed the consumer experience.
In the early days of retail, physical stores operated in isolation. Each unit had its own inventory control, customer service, and management. The main focus was the local consumer experience. However, this simplicity became unsustainable with the growth of retail chains, societies, and increasingly complex relationships between brands and consumers.
The arrival of integrated management systems in the early 1990s, such as ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning), was the first step toward centralizing operations, enabling a new era of scalability for businesses.
Moreover, with the advent of new channels such as phone, email, and digital platforms, retail began operating in a more complex environment. Multichannel retailing emerged as a response to this diversification of touchpoints, allowing consumers to interact with brands in different ways and through multiple service and contact points.
In practice, multichannel retailing enabled consumers to buy online and pick up in-store, or even seek post-sale solutions through channels like WhatsApp and social media. Recent data shows that 50% of consumers prefer resolving post-sale issues via WhatsApp, highlighting the importance of offering agile, convenient options that engage directly with the consumer.
However, despite its efficiency, multichannel retailing often fails to deliver an integrated experience. Operations across different channels rarely communicate with each other, resulting in consumer frustration and operational challenges for businesses.
Unified Commerce: Total Integration
Given this scenario, Unified Commerce emerges as the natural evolution of multichannel retailing, offering an integrated and centralized approach that unifies data, inventory, logistics, and customer service into a single orchestration system. The goal is to deliver a seamless, real-time experience for the consumer, regardless of the channel used.
Unified Commerce is not just about connecting sales channels. It requires integrating the entire chain of operations, from inventory to delivery logistics, using advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to anticipate needs and personalize interactions. The concept meets consumer expectations for frictionless experiences, where there are no barriers between physical and digital. It is an evolution—enabled by technology—of the concept of omnichannel, often discussed but always implemented with great difficulty by businesses.
Who is leading this revolution?
Several retailers have already adopted Unified Commerce as a core strategy. Examples include:
Walmart: the retail giant has heavily invested in technology to integrate its online and physical operations, allowing customers to shop from anywhere and receive products quickly and efficiently.
Amazon: although traditionally a digital platform, the company is expanding its physical presence with initiatives like Amazon Go, where data and technology integration eliminate queues and simplify the shopping experience.
Magazine Luiza: in Brazil, Magalu is an example of how total integration can benefit customers. The company uses systems that connect inventory, logistics, and customer service, allowing consumers to choose where and how to receive products.
Implementing Unified Commerce, however, is not simple. It involves technical challenges, such as integrating legacy systems, and strategic ones, like training teams to operate in a highly connected environment. Additionally, it requires significant investments in technology and infrastructure, changes in incentive and reward mechanisms for sales teams, truly placing the customer at the center of management, and much more.
On the other hand, the benefits are clear. Companies that adopt Unified Commerce can better meet the demands of modern consumers, increasing loyalty and driving operational efficiency. In an increasingly competitive market, this can be a decisive differentiator.
Therefore, the transition from multichannel retailing to Unified Commerce represents a revolution in retail. More than a technological change, it is a cultural transformation that places the consumer at the center of all operations. Companies that embrace this change will be better prepared to compete in a landscape where customer experience is the most valuable currency. Total integration is no longer a differentiator but a necessity for those who wish to remain relevant in today’s market.
