Omnichannel retailing: exploring future research avenues in retail marketing and distribution management

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the present state of research related to omnichannel retail, investigates retail's different sub-areas and suggests future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

The subdomains of omnichannel retail have been identified using a keyword co-occurrence network (KCN) map and content analysis. The 5W1H method assisted in finding the bibliographies of 258 SCOPUS-indexed and ABDC-ranked journal articles and showcasing the omnichannel retail landscape.

Findings

Most research on omnichannel retail is concentrated on five subdomains: customer behaviour, channel integration, technological innovation, supply chain and operations and strategy. The study's conceptual framework illustrates the omnichannel retailing environment and the variables that must be considered whilst establishing an omnichannel strategic vision. Besides, future researchers have been urged to concentrate on interdisciplinary research, as a seamless experience is unachievable if focussed on a single subdomain.

Research limitations/implications

There is a slight probability of missing out on some good articles as this study considered only those articles that have been published in SCOPUS and ranked by the ABDC quality list.

Practical implications

This study emphasises that for businesses to capitalise on the omnichannel model, the businesses must undergo a transformation involving technology convergence, customer-centricity and internal process reorganisation that integrates consumer feedback to co-create value. When a business adopts an omnichannel model, the business's priorities shift. Rather than depending solely on technology, faster delivery and channel integration, an omnichannel strategy requires strong leadership, a clear vision, training for all stakeholders and an understanding of customer pain points to reach the full potential.

Originality/value

The illustration of the omnichannel retail landscape using the 5W1H methodology and antecedents-decisions-outcomes (ADO) framework.

Citation

Sharma, N. and Dutta, N. (2023), "Omnichannel retailing: exploring future research avenues in retail marketing and distribution management", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 51 No. 7, pp. 894-919. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-05-2022-0166