The retail industry is in the midst of a profound digital transformation, driven by rapidly evolving customer expectations, the convergence of digital and physical channels, and the need for agility in a post-pandemic world. At the heart of this transformation is the imperative to deliver seamless, personalized, and unified experiences—wherever and however customers choose to engage. Pandora, the world-renowned jewelry brand, offers a compelling case study in how retailers can successfully navigate these challenges and accelerate change.
For many retailers, the journey to digital maturity is complicated by legacy systems, siloed operations, and a history of prioritizing physical store expansion over digital innovation. Pandora’s story is emblematic of this: as recently as 2019, e-commerce was a relatively new and regionally fragmented part of the business, often viewed as an IT project rather than a core commercial engine. The onset of the pandemic, however, made it clear that digital was no longer optional—it was existential.
Pandora’s transformation began with a foundational overhaul of its digital platforms. The company rebuilt its websites, consolidated codebases, and modernized backend operations, including customer service capabilities. This groundwork proved fortuitous, as it enabled Pandora to respond with agility when the pandemic hit, rapidly deploying new digital features such as virtual queuing, click-and-collect, virtual assistants, and endless aisle capabilities. These innovations bridged the gap between online and in-store experiences, ensuring customers could engage with the brand on their terms, even as physical retail was disrupted.
One of the most striking insights from Pandora’s transformation is the fluidity with which customers move between digital and physical channels. Over 80% of Pandora’s transactional journeys now start online, but 80% are completed in a store. This underscores the importance of a unified commerce strategy—one that recognizes customers don’t think in terms of channels, but simply expect a consistent, high-quality experience wherever they interact with the brand.
To achieve this, Pandora focused on aligning internal KPIs and organizational structures to support omnichannel journeys. The company invested in integrating platforms and data layers, enabling real-time visibility into customer behavior and inventory across all touchpoints. This integration not only supports seamless customer journeys but also empowers store associates with the information and tools they need to deliver personalized service.
Personalization is a key differentiator in modern retail, but it requires more than just marketing automation. Pandora’s approach has been to liberate data across the organization, using it to wrap the experience around each customer. By implementing a customer data platform and orchestration tools, Pandora can now understand customer preferences and behaviors at a granular level, enabling tailored recommendations, offers, and communications.
Crucially, Pandora adopted agile development practices—not just as a methodology, but as a cultural shift. The company established rapid test-and-learn cycles, working closely with regional teams to pilot new features, measure their impact, and scale successful innovations globally. This approach replaced top-down decision-making with data-driven experimentation, accelerating the pace of change and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Pandora’s journey has culminated in the creation of a unified commerce platform, underpinned by modernized technology and integrated data. This platform supports not only customer-facing experiences but also backend operations, from supply chain optimization to workforce planning. Predictive analytics are now used to forecast demand, optimize inventory, and inform product development, ensuring the business is both responsive and resilient.
The integration of digital and technology functions—combining IT, digital, data, and analytics into a single organization—has been a critical enabler. This structure breaks down silos, aligns incentives, and ensures that every part of the business is focused on delivering value to the customer.
The pandemic fundamentally altered shopping habits, accelerating the adoption of digital channels and raising the bar for convenience and flexibility. Pandora’s experience highlights several key shifts:
Pandora’s transformation offers valuable lessons for retailers seeking to thrive in the digital age:
At Publicis Sapient, we partner with retailers like Pandora to navigate these complexities, build unified commerce platforms, and deliver the simple, useful, and personalized experiences that today’s customers demand. The future of retail belongs to those who can integrate digital and physical, harness data for personalization, and move with the speed and agility that the modern consumer expects.