What is omnichannel retail? A guide for Australian retailers

Key takeaways

• Omnichannel retail connects sales channels – online store, marketplaces, social and physical store – so customers get one consistent experience and you get one view of stock, customers and payments.

• Australians spent a record A$82.6 billion online in 2025, about 24% of all retail spend.

• Connecting payments across channels cuts reconciliation work. With Airwallex, you can accept payments on your site, plugins and payment links from one account.

Omnichannel retail is a way of selling where your online store, marketplaces, social channels and physical store work as one connected business. For Australian retailers, it matters now because shoppers move between channels constantly – and they expect stock, prices and returns to line up wherever they buy.

This guide explains what omnichannel retail is, how it differs from multichannel, and how it works in practice. You'll also find Australian examples, a seven-step plan to get started, and the platforms that make it possible.

What is omnichannel retail?

Omnichannel retail is a retail model that connects your sales channels so they share the same stock, customer, order and payment data. Customers can browse, buy, collect and return across any channel, and the experience stays consistent. For you, it means one view of the whole business.

Typical channels in omnichannel retailing include:

• Online store: Your own website and checkout.

• Marketplaces: eBay and Amazon AU 

• Social commerce: Instagram and sales through DMs using payment links.

• Physical store or pop-up: A shopfront, market stall or seasonal pop-up.

• Mobile app: A branded app for browsing, buying and loyalty.

The key to omnichannel in retail is that these channels share data, rather than just running side by side.

Omnichannel vs multichannel retail: What's the difference?

Multichannel retail means selling on several channels that run separately, while omnichannel retail connects those channels so they share stock, data and payments.

Some small and medium businesses start multichannel. You open a Shopify store, list on a marketplace, then add a pop-up – and each one runs on its own system.

Omnichannel is a progression, not a switch. You get there by connecting one system at a time, starting with stock and payments.

How does omnichannel retail work?

Omnichannel retail often involves connecting systems across selected channels, including inventory, customer data, fulfilment, returns and payments.

Unified inventory

Unified inventory means every channel draws from the same real-time stock count. When something sells in store, your website and marketplace listings update.

• Stock levels can sync across your website, marketplaces and store.

• You avoid overselling an item that's already gone.

• Customers can check whether an item is in stock at a nearby store before they visit.

A single customer view

A single customer view brings each customer's profile, order history and loyalty points into one record. Your team sees the same information whether the customer shops online, in store or through social media.

• Loyalty points earned online can be redeemed in store.

• Service staff can see past orders from any channel.

• Marketing can be based on what customers actually buy.

If you collect or use personal information across channels, check whether the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles apply. They cover matters including collection, use or disclosure, and security; consent is required in some circumstances.

Flexible fulfilment and returns

Flexible fulfillment lets customers choose how they get their order, no matter where they bought it. Returns can work the same way.

• Click and collect lets customers buy online, pick up in store.

• Ship from store allows you to fulfil online orders using store stock.

• Return anywhere lets your customers send back online orders in store, or the reverse.

Connected payments

Connected payments can link payment acceptance and reporting across channels.

• Accept the right methods: Offer the payment methods Australian shoppers expect – cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and buy now, pay later (BNPL) – plus local methods for international buyers.

• One view of payments: See transactions and settlement from every channel in one place.

• Easier reconciliation: Integrated payment and order data can reduce manual matching.

• Like-for-like settlement: Receive funds from overseas shoppers in the currency they paid, rather than converting every sale.

What is an example of omnichannel retail?

Click and collect is a common example of omnichannel retail: a customer buys online and picks up the order in store, using stock the website can see in real time. Many of Australia's large retailers run their own version.

Myer

Myer offers free same-day click and collect on orders placed before midday AEST. If an item is out of stock at the customer's chosen store, it can sometimes be transferred from another store in the same state.

Bing Lee

Bing Lee offers one-hour click and collect on orders placed before 4.30pm, plus scheduled collection on a date the customer chooses. At checkout, shoppers pick from stores that have the item available.

JB Hi-Fi

JB Hi-Fi's checkout lists nearby stores with the item in stock, and click and collect orders are usually ready within an hour. Product pages also show whether an item is in stock in store or online.

Bunnings

Bunnings offers click and collect at eligible warehouses, with orders placed before 4pm generally ready within four trading hours. Customers can bring items back to any Bunnings warehouse for a return or exchange.

Kmart

Kmart's click and collect is free with no minimum spend, and customers can collect using the barcode in the Kmart app. OnePass members can use Express Click & Collect, with eligible orders ready within two hours.

Why is omnichannel in retail important?

Customers in Australia and globally are increasingly expecting shopping experiences that are connected across multiple channels:

• Australians shop across channels: Australians shop online: 9.8 million households (82% of all households) shopped online in 2025. Australia Post also reports that 69% of shoppers want a range of delivery options at checkout, including out-of-home collection and returns¹.

• Higher spend: In a March 2026 survey of US and Canadian grocery shoppers, retailers received 31% of grocery spend from omnichannel shoppers, versus 26% from shoppers using only in-store channels².

• Fewer lost sales from stockouts: Shared stock lets you fill an order from wherever the item is.

• Better data for decisions: One view of customers and sales shows what's working across all channels.

• Easier expansion: Connected systems make it simpler to add a new marketplace, social shop or overseas market.

The result is a business that's easier to run and easier for customers to buy from.

What is an omnichannel retail strategy?

An omnichannel retail strategy is a plan for connecting selected channels so customers can move between them and your business can bring relevant data together. It sets out where you sell, how systems link and what customers can expect at each step.

A strategy usually covers:

• Channels: Which channels you sell on now, and which you'll add next.

• Connected systems: How stock, customer data, orders and payments flow between them.

• A consistent experience: The same prices, policies and service on every channel.

How to implement omnichannel in retail

Start small: connect two channels well before adding more.

1. Audit your current channels. List where you sell today and find where customers drop off, such as abandoned carts or failed collections.

2. Map the customer journey. Track how customers move between channels, from discovery on social to purchase online or in store.

3. Connect inventory and order management. Sync stock across connected channels and check how often updates occur before offering click and collect. If you sell in person, choose a POS system that integrates with your online store

4. Unify customer data. Bring profiles and order history into one place, with customer consent and in line with the Privacy Act.

5. Connect payments. Choose payment methods and integrations that suit each channel, and use consolidated reporting where supported.

6. Measure across channels, not per channel. Track total customer value and sales, since a sale that starts on Instagram may end in store.

Common omnichannel retail challenges and how to fix them

The most common omnichannel retail challenges come from systems that don't talk to each other, and most can be fixed by connecting data.

Fix the data flow first, and most customer-facing problems ease with it.

What are examples of omnichannel retail platforms?

Omnichannel retail usually runs on a stack of connected platforms rather than one tool, with each platform handling one part of the business.

When you compare eCommerce platforms and other tools, check how they integrate with each other. A platform with strong features but no link to your stock or payments adds another silo.

How Airwallex supports omnichannel retail

Airwallex supports omnichannel retail by letting you accept online payments across digital channels from one account. With Airwallex Payments, you can take payments on your website with Checkout, on your online store with payment plugins for Shopify and WooCommerce (as well as Magento and BigCommerce), and through social and DMs with Payment Links.

• Offer 160+ payment methods, including Apple Pay, Google Pay and BNPL.

• Settle like-for-like in 20+ currencies, so you can keep funds from overseas shoppers in the currency they paid.

• Speed up checkout with Airi, our one-click checkout, with up to 14% higher conversion and 3x faster checkout than standard card payments.

• Put settled funds to work by paying suppliers from your Business Account or with Corporate Cards.

Frequently asked questions

Who are the biggest omnichannel retailers?

In Australia, the biggest omnichannel retailers include Myer, JB Hi-Fi, Bunnings, Kmart and Bing Lee. Each connects its website, app and stores, so customers can check stock online, buy through any channel and collect or return in store. Many also run online marketplaces alongside their own ranges.

What is an example of omnichannel retail?

Click and collect is the clearest example of omnichannel retail. A customer buys online, the website checks real-time stock at a nearby store, and the customer picks up the order in person. Bing Lee, for example, offers one-hour click and collect on orders placed before 4.30pm.

Why is omnichannel in retail important?

Omnichannel in retail is important because customers shop across channels and expect a consistent experience. Connecting your channels helps you lose fewer sales to stockouts, keep customers coming back and see your whole business in one place. It also makes it easier to add new channels or markets.

How does omnichannel retail affect payments for Australian businesses?

Omnichannel retail means accepting payments across your website, marketplaces, social channels and store. Australian businesses should offer the methods shoppers expect, such as cards, digital wallets and BNPL, and reconcile payments from every channel. Settling into one account with one report makes this much simpler.

Sources

1. https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/ecommerce-reports/annual-ecommerce-reports/ecommerce-report-2026.pdf 

2. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/the-state-of-grocery-north-america