The question “Where does e-commerce sit?” is holding retail back. As consumer behavior evolves across search, social, aisle, and app, it’s clear: digital isn’t a channel—it’s how people shop.
A new report from the Digital Shelf Institute, discussed by Executive Director Lauren Livak Gilbert, lays out a blueprint for transforming organizational structure to align with a truly omnichannel strategy.
Beyond E-Commerce Silos
Historically, e-commerce has been placed under sales, marketing, or digital—an outdated move in today’s hybrid shopping reality. Consumers flow seamlessly between digital discovery and physical fulfillment, and organizations must evolve to reflect that journey.
This means replacing siloed functions with shared P&Ls, common KPIs, and pod-based collaboration models that enable agility across departments.
AI and Talent: Dual Forces of Change
AI is accelerating workflow automation—from content generation to forecasting—but raises a critical question: if entry-level tasks disappear, how will companies train future leaders?
The solution is rotational development, where digital talent cross-trains with in-store teams and vice versa, creating well-rounded, omnichannel leaders.
Operational Models That Work
The report identifies four emerging models:
- Agile Teams with generalist leaders
- Pod-Based Structures aligned to categories
- Dynamic Shared Ownership for cross-functional responsiveness
- AI-Enabled Teams combining human creativity with machine speed
Continuous Optimization Is Key
Organizations succeeding in omnichannel don’t wait for annual restructuring—they adjust quarterly or in real time.
The focus isn’t constant reorgs, but constant relevance to the consumer. Retailers must reward experimentation and create a culture of adaptability to thrive.
The Bottom Line
Winning in today’s market means reorganizing around how consumers shop—not where teams used to sit.
Omnichannel isn’t a strategy add-on. It’s the new operating model.
