ABSTRACT
Omni-channel retail means consumers want the same experience across all retail channels. As stores may be supplied from several distribution centers, a customer order might need to be fulfilled from several distribution centers. Given today's market dynamics and global competition, companies following an omni-channel strategy will also need to explore new ways to optimize inventory which can be supported by effective sales and operations planning. Specifically, there will be a large impact on warehouse IT processes, as modifying traditional warehouse processes to handle the increased-volume, smaller sized "pick and pack" Web-based orders is just one of the many impacts that the warehouse management system will face. Even before omni-channel became a "hot" topic, manufacturers were focusing on having timely and accurate visibility of retail demand and consumption on the production line, distribution center, and store in order to fulfill orders on time and at the lowest cost possible. Manufacturers must react to more frequent, smaller orders of more items.
