Customers already understood the convenience of buying online and picking up in store. For this retailer, introducing that option meant connecting its digital and physical presence in a new way. The business needed to move quickly while working through the inventory, technology, and operational requirements behind a dependable pickup experience.
Case Study
Connecting online shopping and in store pickup for a global retailer.
A global footwear and apparel retailer wanted customers to shop online and pick up their purchases in store. Delivering that convenience required coordination across digital commerce, inventory, payments, fulfillment, and retail operations. The Gunter Group helped organize more than 15 teams around a shared plan, preparing the business and technology capabilities needed to bring the experience to life.
Engagement at-a-glance
Industry:
Retail
Organization size:
~70,000 employees
Services:
Program and Product Management
Agile Delivery
Business Analysis
Agile Delivery
Business Analysis
The Challenge
Delivering one customer experience required coordination across the business.
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Customer expectations were already established
Shoppers had used pickup services at other retailers and expected a straightforward experience. The company needed to deliver the convenience customers expected while meeting the service standards associated with its brand.
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Disconnected systems complicated fulfillment
The experience depended on accurate store inventory, payment processing, and order fulfillment working together. Those capabilities spanned legacy and newer systems, with additional complexity from payment methods and technology requirements across global markets.
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Teams needed a coordinated path to delivery
Digital, retail, inventory, and fulfillment teams each owned part of the experience. Different store capabilities and interconnected workstreams made sequencing essential. The retailer needed a shared plan that connected technical delivery to store readiness.
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When a customer places an order for pickup, they expect the product to be there and the store team to be ready. Making that happen takes coordination across inventory, payments, fulfillment, and store operations, and we understand how to get those teams working together so the technology supports the experience you’ve promised.”– Jim Calko, Principal The Gunter Group
Our Approach
Building a delivery plan around how customers shop and stores operate.
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1
Define the capabilities the experience required
Through workshops and requirements gathering, we helped teams identify the business and technology capabilities needed for pickup. Comparing flagship store experiences informed a prioritized product backlog that accounted for differences in store size and customer needs.
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2
Establish a focused pilot and expansion roadmap
We helped define an initial pilot with a limited product selection, creating a manageable starting point for delivery. The roadmap sequenced core functionality and subsequent enhancements to support expansion across products and locations.
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3
Coordinate teams, dependencies, and release planning
We developed a comprehensive project plan covering development timelines, test environments, communications, and stakeholder responsibilities. A shared planning cadence aligned more than 15 teams and helped architects prepare upcoming work across existing and new systems.
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4
Prepare deployment and transition ownership
Working with senior architects and leadership, we developed deployment planning that connected code releases, business tasks, and validation activities. We aligned plans with product directors and delivery teams so they could further define the work and carry it forward.
Value Delivered
A coordinated foundation for a connected retail experience.
Shared direction across teams
The program brought business and technology stakeholders together around a common roadmap. Teams could see how their responsibilities and dependencies contributed to the broader customer experience.
Store requirements reflected in technology planning
Capability mapping connected product decisions to the realities of different stores. This helped teams account for what locations needed to support pickup and how requirements would change as the service expanded.
Structure that supported forward progress
A focused pilot, prioritized backlog, and shared planning cadence gave teams a practical way to begin development while continuing to work through complexity. The approach supported iterative delivery and informed decisions about upcoming work.
Continuity from planning into delivery
Project and deployment plans established a foundation for the teams carrying the initiative forward. Handoffs aligned product leaders and delivery teams around the work, responsibilities, and planning rhythm needed for execution.
Results that reflect the work behind them.
15+ teams
Coordinated across technology, testing, and business functions.
A focused pilot
Initial scope defined around a limited product selection before broader expansion.
A shared delivery plan
Development, testing, deployment, and business activities connected across workstreams.
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