Omnichannel Is Dead. The Future Is Harmonized Retail.

I’m calling it. “Omnichannel” is dead. And in my mind it’s long overdue. Nearly 16 years since its apparent coining, I think most of us can agree that if “omni-channel” ever had any real usefulness (debatable), as a concept it is now well past its expiration date. And while I’ve been bashing the term for quite some time now, based upon discussion at the last few conferences at which I have spoken, it sounds like others might be finally willing to put omnichannel out to pasture as well. Ever since certain CEO’s started saying “omnichannel” in just about every sentence (I’m looking at you Terry Lundgren), the term quickly became problematic. First, it was alway ill-defined. Second, it was often served up as the panacea for what ailed every struggling retailer–and therefore the center piece of many a conference keynote, white paper and technology provider sales pitch. Third, it’s repeated so mindlessly and ad nauseam I wonder if someone is getting a royalty every time it’s uttered. Lastly, and most importantly, to the extent it was pointing at the right idea, it all got lost in the “omni”. Simply stated, a great customer experience has never been about being everywhere and being all things for all people. What matters is showing up for the right customers, where it really matters, in remarkable ways. Read more at Forbes.