Mastering Omnichannel Strategy: From Transaction to Touch Point

Key Points

• Omnichannel strategy can increase overall sales by offering seamless and integrated customer connections across all channels — online, mobile, in-store and social media platforms.
• U.S. click-and-collect retail sales are expected to reach $154.3 billion in 2025 and grow to $335.9 billion by 2030.³
• Technologies designed to elevate the omnichannel shopping experience boost efficiency and sales while unlocking rich customer insights that power more effective, individualized marketing.

The Evolution of Omnichannel Strategy

Omnichannel strategy is no longer a cutting-edge strategy, but in many retail sectors, may now be considered table stakes. Not long ago, the typical shopping experience was simple. Customers would browse aisles and displays, talk with store employees for assistance, and compare products side-by-side. Price tags, product packaging, and demonstrations or samples influenced their choices. The trip ended with a cashier scanning a barcode.

Digital technology has fundamentally changed the retail customer journey. Today, shopping has moved from a linear, store-centered path to a dynamic, omnichannel experience that combines online and offline interactions. Consumers easily switch between devices, apps and physical stores — buyer behaviors that retailers can use to their advantage.

By adopting an omnichannel strategy that leverages multiple channels like online, in-store, social media and email, retailers can turn their stores into powerful hubs. These hubs can help optimize inventory, boost sales and offer unmatched visibility into the customer experience.

“Omnichannel retail isn’t just a tool — in today's environment, it’s table stakes,” says Jarret Arnold, Strategic Lead, UPS. “It meets today’s customer expectations, streamlines operations and unlocks the insights retailers need to deliver truly personalized experiences.”

Where Clicks Meet Bricks Seamlessly

Click-and-collect has become a vital part of the omnichannel shopping experience, providing customers with convenience and flexibility while increasing retail foot traffic and sales.¹ While online shopping — which begins and ends in the digital space — dominates categories like books, electronics, home goods and hard-to-find niche products, the overall landscape remains a lively mix of online and in-store shopping.

Customers browse social media platforms, websites, mobile apps and physical stores to decide what they want, then either buy in-store, ship it to their home or office, or purchase online and pick up in the store. Shipping either to the home or to the store is an essential part of an omnichannel retail strategy because it provides customers with flexible fulfillment options that align with how, when and where they prefer to shop.

This cross-channel flexibility gives customers the power to choose the delivery method that fits into their lifestyle and in turn, gives retailers insight into shopper behavior across channels. Result: a data bridge between e-commerce and physical stores that provides a comprehensive 360° view of the customer journey.

Retail Power, Redefined

As the retail environment grows more complex, omnichannel strategies are proving essential for resilience, growth and customer loyalty. Consider these facts:

• Most retail experiences begin online, with 83% of consumers utilizing internet research before visiting a physical store.²
• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is changing the search landscape, and discoverability on AI platforms and AI overviews should be considered when optimizing content.
• Once they arrive, 72% of these shoppers use their smartphones to compare prices or peruse reviews.²
• More than 97 million U.S. consumers used buy online, pickup in store (BOPIS) options regularly in 2024. U.S. Sales through this channel are expected to hit $154.3 billion in 2025.³

Click-and-collect options give customers an additional level of convenience, with enhanced flexibility and security. Retailers in turn benefit from increased retail foot traffic as customers enter the store to access secure pick-up points. UPS not only makes click-and-collect options fast, flexible, and seamless, but also helps retailers turn these moments into lasting customer experiences.

Future-Ready Tech for a Fast-Moving Retail World

Success with omnichannel strategies depends on ongoing investments in time, training, and technology. Systems lacking top-tier analytics or staff training can quickly lead to missed orders, product mismatches and frustrated customers. With UPS, retailers of all sizes can offer online customers a variety of BOPIS-style delivery options and technologies that provide insights while solving last-mile delivery challenges.

“Omnichannel success depends on two essentials: flexible delivery options and smart inventory management,” Arnold says. “Through our partner program, UPS offers access to integrations that allow store associates and online shoppers access to real-time, accurate visibility into what’s available and where.”

UPS Access Point® Locations: A Smarter Way to Deliver and Receive

A UPS Access Point® location is a secure, convenient pickup and drop-off network located at homes and offices, giving customers more flexibility for receiving and returning packages. Locations are diverse and varied – from secure exterior locations for 24-hour self-service access, to network points inside retail pharmacies, Michaels stores, some Staples stores and independently owned small business partner locations.⁴

When packages arrive at a UPS Access Point location, customers receive email or text notifications with pickup instructions, reducing missed deliveries and porch theft. UPS Access Point^® locations provide a flexible, store-free BOPIS solution for retailers without widespread physical storefronts.

Connected Omnichannel Technology

Simple e-commerce shopping cart integrations through multiple UPS partners can enable quick and affordable setup to enable flexible delivery options at checkout. This connectivity enables the fast, flexible, and reliable delivery options that today’s shoppers have come to expect at every customer touch point.

UPS also supports end-to-end connectivity with buy online, return in stores (BORIS) services, where customers can drop off return packages at a nearby UPS Store or other location, even if there’s no retail store involved. The system improves retailer visibility into the return process by digitally tracking each package.

Smart Analytics for Real-Time Results

UPS Intelligent Analytics gives retailers detailed insights and visibility into order fulfillment and pickup trends, customer behavior, and product return timing, reasons, and locations. Using real-time operational dashboards, UPS provides retailers with data on logistics and delivery metrics, along with alerts for delays, bottlenecks, and anomalies to improve inventory management across channels, reducing stockouts while avoiding overstock.

Omnichannel Agility: The Key to Retail Resilience

As consumers rethink their spending habits, retailers must offer convenience and value across all channels. The ability to order online, pick up in-store, and potentially discover new products in person creates a revenue feedback loop, resulting in higher average order values, optimized shipping costs, and increased brand engagement. In this new retail landscape, those who embrace omnichannel strategies will likely be better prepared to adapt to rapidly shifting market dynamics.

^1. “What is BOPIS (Buy Now, Pickup In Store) & How Can It Increase Sales?” Merchant Maverick, August 17, 2024.
^2. “Must Know Omnichannel Statistics For Marketers (2025),” Uniform Market, April 25, 2025.
^3. “Buy Online Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) Statistics,” CapitalOne Shopping Research, May 13, 2025.
^4. “Can You Drop Off UPS Packages At Staples In 2025? The Complete Guide,” Expert Beacon, June 17, 2025.

Individual results and options will vary. UPS makes no promises of any specific outcome in this document but instead provides only example outcomes based on certain UPS customer experiences.