Omnichannel Transformation in Specialty Retail: Lessons from Jewelry, Sports, and Gaming

In today’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, specialty retailers are redefining what it means to deliver seamless, customer-centric experiences. While the apparel sector has long been a proving ground for omnichannel innovation, verticals such as jewelry, sports, and gaming are now at the forefront of this transformation. Publicis Sapient’s work across these sectors demonstrates that omnichannel transformation is not a one-size-fits-all journey—it’s a tailored approach that addresses the distinct needs, expectations, and operational realities of each specialty retail category.

Consumers now expect to interact with brands on their own terms—whether browsing online, shopping in-store, or engaging through mobile and social channels. For specialty retailers, the challenge is to deliver a unified, personalized experience across every touchpoint, while managing the complexities of high-value inventory, agile fulfillment, and community-driven commerce. Publicis Sapient partners with leading brands to unlock this transformation, leveraging deep industry expertise and a proven methodology to deliver measurable business impact.

Jewelry retail is defined by high-value inventory, the need for trust, and a demand for personalized service. A global jewelry brand, with a presence in over 100 countries, recognized the imperative to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience regardless of where or how customers shopped. Publicis Sapient partnered with this brand to overhaul its order management system, addressing pain points such as manual processes, limited inventory reconciliation, and outdated customer service tools.

Key transformation initiatives included:

• OMS Modernization: Migrating to a cloud-based order management solution enabled real-time inventory visibility and streamlined fulfillment across all channels.
• Enhanced Fulfillment Options: The introduction of Click-and-Collect, Store Fulfillment, and optimized return/refund processes, all supported by improved logistics and partner integrations, provided customers with greater flexibility and convenience.
• Scalability: The new platform allowed the brand to quickly scale omnichannel capabilities to new markets, ensuring consistent experiences for customers worldwide.

The results were immediate: operational improvements, increased inventory accuracy, and the ability to launch new e-commerce services that delighted customers and strengthened brand loyalty. By leveraging advanced analytics and intelligent order routing, the brand reduced delivery times, minimized shipping costs, and maintained tight control over high-value inventory—a critical differentiator in the jewelry sector.

Sports and recreation retailers operate in a highly competitive, fast-moving environment where customer expectations for speed, flexibility, and fulfillment options are paramount. One major U.S. sports retailer partnered with Publicis Sapient to modernize its commerce platform and processes, enabling new digital offerings such as buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) and streamlined online ordering.

Transformation highlights included:

• Cloud-Based Commerce Platform: Implementing a robust, resilient digital commerce platform on the cloud provided the scalability and reliability needed to support peak demand and rapid innovation.
• Re-architected Order Management: A modern order management system streamlined inventory and fulfillment processes, enabling new customer offerings like BOPIS and agile fulfillment.
• Agile Product Engineering: Adopting a product engineering approach transformed not just technology, but also team structures and processes, fostering a customer-focused, agile culture.

The impact was significant: order processing became 170% faster during peak periods, with no site downtime. Improved system integration across inventory, order management, and fulfillment enabled seamless customer experiences, while the cloud-based platform ensured ongoing scalability and disaster recovery. These capabilities are now table stakes for sports retailers seeking to lead in omnichannel agility.

The gaming retail sector is undergoing a dramatic evolution, driven by digital distribution, streaming, and the rise of social gaming. Facing intense competition from digital disruptors, one top gaming retailer partnered with Publicis Sapient to reinvent its business as a true omnichannel ecosystem.

Key elements of the transformation included:

• Peer-to-Peer Marketplaces: Launching a member-driven marketplace where gamers can buy, sell, and trade titles at competitive prices, fostering a sense of community and value.
• Community and Content: Creating an all-access member community with social events, exclusive content, and an integrated eSports platform, deepening engagement and loyalty.
• Omnichannel Experience: Enhancing web and mobile platforms, expanding purchase and delivery options, and introducing a cloud PC hub to eliminate hardware barriers and broaden access.

The results were striking: an 800% year-over-year revenue increase, a dramatic rise in customer satisfaction, and the rapid release of new products and services. The retailer’s shift to customer-focused product development and agile delivery enabled it to continuously innovate and capture new revenue streams, setting a new standard for community-driven commerce in gaming.

Across jewelry, sports, and gaming, several common themes emerge as critical to omnichannel transformation:

• Real-Time Inventory Visibility: Foundational for seamless fulfillment and customer satisfaction, especially in sectors with high-value or fast-moving inventory.
• Agile, Modern Platforms: Cloud-native, microservices-based architectures enable rapid innovation, scalability, and resilience.
• Personalization and Loyalty: Integrated loyalty programs and data-driven personalization foster deeper relationships and drive repeat business.
• Process Transformation: Streamlined operations, automation, and upskilled teams empower retailers to deliver new experiences faster and more efficiently.

Publicis Sapient’s SPEED methodology—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI—ensures that every transformation is holistic, outcome-driven, and tailored to the realities of specialty retail.

With a track record of delivering measurable results for leading specialty retailers, Publicis Sapient is uniquely positioned to help brands modernize, innovate, and lead. Our end-to-end partnership model, deep industry knowledge, and commitment to continuous improvement empower clients to:

• Deliver seamless omnichannel experiences
• Unlock new revenue streams and business models
• Optimize operations and reduce costs
• Build lasting customer loyalty

Ready to transform your specialty retail business? Connect with Publicis Sapient’s experts to discover how we can help you deliver the experiences your customers expect—now and in the future.

Relevant Links

• How One Gaming Retailer Leveled Up Its Omnichannel Gaming Ecosystem
• Engineering Transformation in Retail: Modernizing Platforms for Omnichannel Success
• Transformation omnicanale dans le retail spécialisé : Leçons pour l’Europe (Europe)
• Transformación Omnicanal en el Retail Especializado: Lecciones para Ejecutivos Latinoamericanos (LATAM)
• How One Gaming Retailer Leveled Up Its Omnichannel Gaming Ecosystem