In today’s retail and consumer products landscape, the pace of change is relentless. Shifting consumer behaviors, technological innovation, and global disruptions have made digital business transformation not just a competitive advantage, but a necessity for survival and growth. At the heart of this transformation is the customer journey—how brands engage, serve, and delight customers across every touchpoint. Publicis Sapient stands at the forefront of this evolution, helping retailers unlock new value through omnichannel strategies, supply chain modernization, and data-driven engagement.
The pandemic fundamentally altered how consumers interact with brands. Today, 75% of U.S. consumers are fully omnichannel, seamlessly moving between digital and physical touchpoints—online, in-store, mobile, curbside, and more. Omnichannel is no longer a differentiator; it’s the baseline for relevance and growth. Retailers have responded by rapidly deploying new capabilities such as curbside pickup, same-day delivery, virtual assistants, and endless aisle solutions. However, the real challenge lies in integrating these features into a cohesive, data-driven ecosystem that delivers value for both customers and the business.
Publicis Sapient’s SPEED framework—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data—ensures that omnichannel capabilities are not siloed, but work together to create seamless, personalized experiences. This approach enables retailers to meet customers wherever they are, anticipate their needs, and deliver consistent value across every channel.
While digital sales have soared, profitability remains a critical concern. Many brick-and-mortar retailers with e-commerce channels report that online sales are less profitable than in-store, and even pure-play e-commerce retailers face challenges in hitting profit targets. Rising logistics costs, supply chain complexity, and the need for significant investment in technology and talent are key factors.
Publicis Sapient helps clients break through these barriers by aligning strategy and execution, modernizing technology stacks, and building agile, cross-functional teams that can respond to market shifts in real time. Our SPEED framework provides a clear path forward, ensuring that every investment drives measurable business outcomes.
Personalization is now an imperative. Customers expect brands to know them, anticipate their needs, and communicate seamlessly across channels. Publicis Sapient enables retailers to:
Case in Point: A global retailer, facing post-pandemic growth plateau and digital-native competition, defined a vision for personalized marketing and set up agile marketing pods. The result: $135M+ incremental revenue in six months and a 5% lift in average order value.
The supply chain has moved from a back-office function to a boardroom priority. Disruptions have exposed the fragility of traditional models, but they have also created opportunities for reinvention. Leading retailers are investing in supply chain visibility, automation, and AI-driven optimization to reduce costs, improve fulfillment speed, and enhance the customer experience.
Publicis Sapient partners with global retailers to implement AI-powered route optimization, micro-fulfillment centers, and dynamic inventory management, enabling same-day delivery and curbside pickup at scale. These initiatives not only drive operational efficiency but also unlock new revenue streams and business models.
Despite the rise of digital, in-store experiences remain critical—72% of U.S. retail sales still occur in-store. The challenge is to make the store experience as effortless and enjoyable as digital, leveraging the advantages of sensory engagement and instant gratification.
Loyalty is no longer just about points—it’s about creating emotional connections through personalized, omnichannel experiences. Publicis Sapient helps brands evolve from transactional programs to loyalty-driven engagement platforms, leveraging data to:
Impact Example: A global quick-service restaurant enabled seamless loyalty enrollment via mobile app, resulting in 21M+ new loyalty members and a 5x increase in loyalty transactions.
The next frontier in retail is not just digital—it’s human. As technology becomes more pervasive, the brands that win will be those that use digital to create more meaningful, personalized, and emotionally resonant experiences. This means designing journeys that are intuitive, inclusive, and responsive to the evolving needs of customers.
Publicis Sapient’s work with leading brands demonstrates the power of this approach. By integrating strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data, we help retailers:
Digital business transformation in retail and consumer products is complex, but it’s also an unprecedented opportunity. Publicis Sapient brings deep sector expertise, a proven transformation framework, and a track record of delivering results for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Our SPEED philosophy ensures that every aspect of your transformation journey is integrated and aligned to drive continuous innovation and growth.
Ready to transform? Connect with us to learn how Publicis Sapient can help your retail or consumer products business navigate the future of omnichannel, profitability, and customer experience.