The future of order management: OMS as a strategic advantage

Order management started as a behind-the-scenes function—built to record, track, and reconcile orders. Legacy OMS platforms fit that mold: rigid systems designed for linear commerce, when fulfillment was straightforward and customer expectations were easier to meet. But as commerce fractured across digital and physical spaces, that static back-office role became a liability. Business models evolved. New sales touchpoints emerged. Speed, flexibility, and real-time accuracy became essential. In that shift, the OMS moved from silent operator to orchestration engine—no longer just pushing orders through a pipeline, but actively shaping the entire fulfillment journey.

Modern OMS platforms are built for that complexity. They don’t just process transactions; they make decisions. At any given moment, they evaluate stock levels across warehouses, fulfillment capacity at stores, proximity to the customer, shipping costs, carrier SLAs, and business logic. All of it—automated, intelligent, invisible to the buyer. But the impact is felt. Customers don’t just want fast delivery; they want reliable, flexible, and clear fulfillment. The right OMS makes that possible while still prioritizing the protection of logistics costs and activities. And as expectations continue to rise, the brands that win will be the ones whose order systems are not just connected—but composable, configurable, and built for what comes next.

The limitations of legacy OMS

Legacy OMS platforms often fall short not because they were flawed—but because commerce outgrew them. They struggle to support the speed and complexity that omnichannel operations require.

Why they fall short:

1. Hardcoded logic: Business rules are embedded in code. Updating them requires IT involvement.
2. No real-time inventory: Batch inventory syncs lead to overselling, backorders, and order cancellations.
3. Slow integrations: Connecting to POS, ERP, CRM, or marketplaces is time-consuming and unstable.
4. Limited fulfillment flexibility: Features like BOPIS or split shipments need workarounds or custom builds.
5. Rigid architecture: Monolithic systems slow down scaling and innovation.

The omnichannel reality

Shoppers don’t think in channels—they browse on mobile, buy on desktop, pick up in-store, and return by mail. According to Salesforce, 73% of shoppers use multiple channels in one journey. Yet, only 28% of B2C companies can support that fluidity.

Since the covid 19 pandemic, expectations have shifted. Buyers now expect real-time inventory, personalized fulfillment options, and proactive communication—regardless of where or how they shop. They don’t just want convenience; they want control, transparency, and speed. In the age of AI and predictive commerce, the bar keeps rising.

Meeting these needs requires more than connectivity—it demands orchestration. An OMS must not just route orders, but anticipate demand, optimize fulfillment paths, and adapt in real time. In omnichannel commerce, fulfillment plays a big role in defining shoppers’ experience —and brands that get it right earn trust, loyalty, and lasting advantage.

The rise of modern OMS

Modern Order Management Systems (OMS) have emerged as critical tools for businesses aiming to stay competitive and responsive. These systems are designed to handle the intricacies of omnichannel retail, real-time inventory visibility, and flexible fulfillment scenarios. Unlike their predecessors, modern OMS platforms are modular, scalable, and built to adapt as business needs evolve. Retail leaders increasingly recognize their value—according to a 2024 survey, 68% of executives plan to improve or replace their OMS in the next 6 to 18 months. Another 60% aim to optimize order workflows, and 52% are focused on improving how order changes are handled. Nearly all respondents said they’re likely to upgrade with their current vendor, signaling OMS as a long-term differentiator—not just for B2C, but for complex B2B operations as well.

Source: The 2024 Order Management Trends Survey

Leading organizations in OMS

Modern OMS vendors vary not just in capabilities, but in how they align with business models, complexity, and integration needs. Below is a breakdown of leading solutions by category—each offering a distinct path to unified, scalable fulfillment.

Enterprise OMS – tried and true OMS platforms that have invested and modernized to meet the demands of today’s shoppers. Enterprise OMS is ideal for large organizations and global brands with complex fulfillment networks, high order volumes, and deep integration needs.

• Sterling: Enterprise-grade OMS with centralized control across fulfillment channels, built for reliability and scale.

• Manhattan: Offers robust omnichannel fulfillment and sourcing logic, ideal for large organizations with complex operations.
  

Unified commerce – OMS platforms that are rolled into other platforms. Great for organizations looking for a seamless experience between their commerce and OMS engines. Ideal for mid-sized to enterprise companies who prioritize simplicity, speed to launch, and unified data across the customer journey.

• Shopify: Modular, API-first OMS that integrates directly with Shopify’s broader commerce stack for end-to-end visibility.

• Kibo: Unifies OMS with personalization and commerce tools, designed for brands wanting simplicity with control.
  

Best in Breed – OMS platforms that do one thing and they do it well: order orchestration. These tools excel when faced with the most complicated use cases and inventory operations. Ideal for companies with distributed fulfillment models, advanced inventory logic, or a need for maximum flexibility and control.

• Fluent Commerce: Cloud-native and API-first, built to handle complex, multi-node scenarios with near-unlimited customization.

• OneStock: Feature-rich and retail-focused OMS offering rapid deployment, real-time orchestration, and strong native capabilities.

These organizations represent the shift toward flexible, intelligent, and customer-centric OMS platforms that support unified commerce.

How OMS impacts customer experience

Order management systems may be invisible to the buyer, but they define the post-purchase journey. Everything from inventory accuracy to delivery timing depends on how well the OMS operates behind the scenes.

OMS enhances CX through:

• Real-time inventory visibility: Accurate stock views prevent cancellations and improve trust.

• Flexible fulfillment: Enables BOPIS, ship-from-store, and split shipments across locations.

• Reliable delivery promises: Smart sourcing ensures promised timelines are met.

• Frictionless returns: Streamlined return workflows improve post-purchase satisfaction.

• Omnichannel consistency: Unified data enables service parity across every buying channel.

How businesses are streamlining operations with modern OMS

Organizations across industries are rethinking how they manage orders, inventory, and fulfillment to keep pace with omnichannel demand. Modern OMS platforms are central to this shift, bringing agility, visibility, and speed to operations that directly impact satisfaction.

A strong example is REEDS Jewelers, a legacy luxury brand, modernized to meet growing omnichannel demands accelerated by the pandemic. With Kibo’s unified OMS, inventory was connected across locations, enabling smarter routing and fewer missed sales. When warehouse stock runs out, Kibo automatically fulfills from stores. Now core to REEDS’ tech stack, Kibo has supported over 55,000 fulfilled orders—driving faster delivery and agile, customer-first growth.

Another success is the ALDO Group, a global fashion retailer with 1,500+ stores across 110 countries. To unify fragmented inventory data, ALDO adopted Fluent Commerce’s distributed OMS, optimizing fulfillment across hundreds of locations. The result: near real-time visibility into 50M+ SKUs, smarter pick-pack-ship workflows, and fewer cancellations. ALDO’s composable -based, API-first OMS is fully integrated with its ERP and ready for future growth.

Meanwhile, Pilgrim, a fast-growing Canadian jewelry brand, needed to streamline fulfillment across online and retail channels. Frequent order changes and sync delays slowed operations. With Shopify’s OMS, they centralized fulfillment, improved team coordination, and introduced custom order views and shipping presets. The result: more orders fulfilled per hour, lower overhead, and a smoother customer experience.

Rethinking fulfillment as a growth engine

Investing in a modern Order Management System has become a customer experience strategy. As fulfillment complexity grows and buyer expectations accelerate, the ability to manage orders intelligently and flexibly can directly impact satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term growth. The brands leading this evolution aren’t just improving operations; they’re redefining what seamless, omnichannel commerce looks like. Whether you’re optimizing fulfillment across regions or eliminating friction in post-purchase workflows, the right OMS can be a powerful lever for scalable, future-ready performance. If you’re exploring how to modernize your order operations—or simply want to have a conversation—our team is here to help.