2025 RETAIL CAPABILITY INDEX

Unified Commerce Benchmark for Specialty Retail

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Introduction

The new Unified Commerce Benchmark reveals how top brands are redefining retail in 2025. Through in-depth analysis into Shopping, Checkout, Fulfillment, and Service experiences, this benchmark unveils the strategies used by leading retailers to boost conversion, increase loyalty, and maximize profitability. Download the reports today to explore the evolution of unified commerce—and gain actionable insights to accelerate your own success.

Why Unified Commerce?

With rising customer expectations, economic shifts, and fierce competition, retail is at a crossroads. Strategies that worked for specialty retailers just two years ago no longer guarantee success today.

In 2023, the first Unified Commerce Benchmark measured how specialty retailers integrated digital and physical channels. By late 2024, our executive survey revealed a stark divide: while some brands accelerated growth with seamless, high-impact shopping experiences, many retailers have struggled to adapt—despite recognizing unified commerce’s impact on revenue and efficiency.

The 2025 Benchmark goes deeper than ever, examining how retailers are transforming shopping journeys to bridge the digital and physical, drive revenue, and build lasting advantages. With insights from 220+ specialty retailers, 300+ experience attributes, and deep dives into market leaders and the evolution of unified commerce, this study delivers a clear roadmap to winning in an industry where experience is the ultimate differentiator.

Those who embraced transformation didn't just keep pace; leaders in unified commerce unlocked measurable gains, from revenue expansion to stronger customer relationships:

3X

1.7X

31%
Revenue Growth Customer Lifetime Value Lower fulfillment costs

How The Benchmark Was Built

How Brands Were Assessed

8+

shopping trips, including 5+ digital journeys and 3+ physical store visits. This includes real transactions and interactions, including purchases, returns, and customer service.

What Was Assessed

300+

customer experience capabilities across four key experience areas: Shopping, Checkout, Fulfillment, and Service.

Who Was Assessed

225

leading retailers, including 124 from the original 2023 benchmark. These are top omnichannel retailers by annual revenue within each segment, with strong financials and active store networks across regions.

How Retailers Were Ranked

4 Maturity Levels

across all four experiences and within each specific area, spanning Basic, Developing, Advanced, and Leading capabilities.

UNIFIED COMMERCE FOR SPECIALTY RETAIL

Shopping Assessment

Shopping is undergoing its most profound transformation in a generation. A wave of younger consumers – shaped by economic uncertainty, sustainability concerns, and new definitions of value –is fundamentally changing what it means to shop. They don't distinguish between channels or touchpoints. They seamlessly blend discovery and purchase across social media, stores, live commerce, and marketplaces.

The Expertise Revolution

The role of human expertise in retail is being fundamentally redefined. Where digital once threatened to make store associates obsolete, Leaders have instead transformed them into powerful engines of discovery and inspiration.

Digital Amplications
0
%
of Leaders

equip store teams with clienteling tools that extend their influence across channels, versus 23% of others.

Curated Commerce
0
%
of Leaders

enable associates to create and share personalized digital collections, versus 23% of others.

At Sephora®, store associates use clienteling tools to access purchase history and customer profiles, offering personalized product suggestions and post-visit follow-ups that seamlessly blend in-store and digital experiences.

At Lululemon®, associates create personalized gear recommendations and share fitness content through digital tools, fostering stronger connections with customers and extending engagement beyond store visits.

The New Discovery Canvas

Physical and digital discovery are no longer separate tracks that occasionally intersect. Leaders have created a unified canvas where inspiration flows naturally between channels, adapting to how customers explore and engage. 

Seamless Visibility
0
%
of Leaders

maintain real-time inventory visibility and shopping assistance across channels, versus 22% of others.

Adaptive Pathways
0
%
of Leaders

personalize discovery paths based on cross-channel behavior, versus 13% of others.

At Hugo Boss®, real-time inventory tracking across channels shows item availability, remaining stock, and recent customer activity, creating urgency and ensuring a seamless shopping experience.

At Wayfair®, AI-powered tools analyze customer browsing habits and preferences to curate shopping journeys, seamlessly connecting digital exploration with physical product experience.

Wait, there's more

Download our 2025 Unified Commerce Benchmark for more Shopping Experience insights.

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UNIFIED COMMERCE FOR SPECIALTY RETAIL

Checkout Assessment

The traditional view of checkout as the final hurdle in customer's journey is being fundamentally challenged. A new generation of shoppers – shaped by digital-first experiences, instant gratification, and heightened expectations – is forcing retailers to reimagine what checkout means. They don't see checkout as a process to be endured but as an experience to be optimized.

The Intelligent Cart

The shopping cart has transcended its role as a mere collection point for transactions. Leaders have reimagined it as a dynamic hub of customer engagement that adapts and evolves with each interaction.

Real-Time Synchronization
0
%
of Leaders

maintain intelligent cart experiences that sync and adapt across channels, versus 31% of others.

Proactive Intelligence
0
%
of Leaders

enable predictive cart communications and personalized recommendations, versus 24% of others.

At Apple®, real-time cart synchronization allows customers to start their shopping journey on one device and complete it on another. For instance, items added to the Apple Store app cart are seamlessly synced across devices and in-store, providing a consistent experience.

At Sephora®, predictive cart recommendations suggest complementary products based on previous purchases and browsing behavior. For example, adding a foundation triggers recommendations for matching concealers and primers.

The New Payment Paradigm

Payment has emerged as a strategic lever for customer experience, not just a transactional necessity. Leaders have created an architecture of payment flexibility that adapts to individual customer preferences while maintaining operational simplicity.

Payment Orchestration
0
%
of Leaders

offer a sophisticated mix of payment options seamlessly integrated across channels, versus 62% of others.

Contextual Integration
0
%
of Leaders

maintain unified payment experiences with smart promotions across channels, versus 42% of others.

At Dick's Sporting Goods®, payment orchestration provides customers with a wide variety of seamless options, including credit cards, digital wallets, and flexible "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) services. These options are integrated across online and in-store channels.

At Ulta Beauty®, unified payment experiences incorporate loyalty rewards and smart promotions that automatically apply at checkout, whether online or in-store, enhancing convenience and value for customers.

Wait, there's more

Download our 2025 Unified Commerce Benchmark for more Checkout Experience insights.

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UNIFIED COMMERCE FOR SPECIALTY RETAIL

Fulfillment Assessment

Fulfillment is undergoing its most profound reinvention since the dawn of e-commerce. A new generation of consumers – shaped by same-day delivery, real-time tracking, and flexible pickup options – is fundamentally redefining fulfillment expectations. They don't distinguish between buying channels or fulfillment methods. They seamlessly switch between home delivery, store pickup, and third-party collection points.

The Network Effect

Leaders have transformed traditional fulfillment networks into dynamic ecosystems where every store, warehouse, and partner acts as an intelligent node. This shift from rigid to fluid fulfillment enables unprecedented speed and efficiency while reducing costs.

Distributed Fulfillment
0
%
of Leaders

enable any store to fulfill any order type with real-time routing optimization, versus 42% of others.

Forward Deployment
0
%
of Leaders

leverage predictive analytics to position inventory across nodes, versus 26% of others.

At Belk®, retail stores double as fulfillment centers, leveraging a “shipfrom-store” model. This approach uses real-time routing to direct online orders to the nearest store, reducing delivery times and optimizing inventory allocation to ensure a seamless customer experience.

Nike® uses predictive analytics, to match inventories to consumer needs, allowing it to optimize inventory across an omnichannel environment through hyper-local demand predictions.

The Transparency Revolution

Real-time visibility has evolved from a nice-tohave feature to a fundamental driver of customer confidence. Leaders have moved beyond basic tracking to create proactive communication frameworks that build trust and reduce anxiety.

Seamless Visibility
0
%
of Leaders

maintain real-time inventory visibility and shopping assistance across channels, versus 22% of others.

Real-Time Synchronization
0
%
of Leaders

maintain intelligent cart experiences that sync and adapt across channels, versus 31% of others.

Apple® provides customers with real-time, personalized updates throughout the fulfillment journey via email and the Apple Store app, including order confirmation, shipping status, and delivery notifications.

At Nordstrom®, customers can communicate directly with fulfillment teams via live chat email to update order details, resolve issues, or request delivery updates, ensuring transparency throughout the process.

Wait, there's more

Download our 2025 Unified Commerce Benchmark for more Fulfillment Experience insights.

Download Benchmark

UNIFIED COMMERCE FOR SPECIALTY RETAIL

Service Assessment

Service is undergoing a profound reconnection with its roots in specialty retail. A new generation of consumers – fluent in digital yet craving authentic human connection – is driving retailers to reimagine how expertise, technology, and physical presence work together. They don't see channels, they see relationships. They move fluidly between store visits, online chats, and phone calls, expecting each interaction to build on the last.

The Connected Service Revolution

Leaders have transformed service from siloed interactions into a unified experience by anchored stores. This shift from fragmented support to connected expertise has redefined how specialty retailers deliver service value.

Comprehensive Context
0
%
of Leaders

equip store teams with complete customer context and service tools, versus 68% of others

Advanced Services
0
%
of Leaders

enable stores to provide advanced services like repairs, customization, and classes, versus 42% of others.

Apple® equips its store teams with comprehensive customer profiles that are accessible through their internal systems, enabling personalized service and efficient issue resolution.

REI® offers advanced services in-store, such as gear repairs, custom fitting for outdoor equipment, and classes/workshops that engage customers in outdoor skills.

The Unified Service Experience

Service capabilities have evolved from separate physical and digital offerings into a seamless ecosystem. Leaders have transformed stores into experience centers that blend human expertise with digital convenience.

Unified Support
0
%
of Leaders

provide unified service platforms that enable smooth transitions between store, digital, and phone support, versus 33% of others.

Comprehensive Self-service
0
%
of Leaders

equip stores with self-service tools that complement associate expertise, versus 12% of others.

Best Buy's® integrated Geek Squad service enables seamless transitions between in-store, online chat, and phone support, ensuring consistent service across all channels.

Nike® offers self-service kiosks in select stores where customers can check inventory, customize products, and place orders independently, complementing the expertise of store associates.

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