Unified Commerce fails without a modern DOM. Here’s why.

Distributed order management (DOM) is a core component of unified commerce and must do more than just process orders; it must act as a central intelligence layer, synchronising inventory, fulfilment and logistics across all sales channels. Without it, retailers and B2B brands remain trapped in fragmented operations, inconsistent inventory visibility and inefficient fulfilment workflows.

Here’s how a DOM enables a scalable, efficient and profitable unified commerce strategy.

Unified inventory visibility: Breaking down silos

The traditional approach to managing inventory is outdated. Inventory sits in warehouses, retail stores, regional distribution centres, 3PL facilities and even supplier locations, but most brands still lack real-time visibility into these disparate pools of inventory. This leads to:

• Overstocks in one location while another is out of stock.
• Stranded inventory that could be sold but is locked in the wrong channel.
• Expensive last-minute stock transfers due to lack of synchronisation.

A DOM-based unified commerce approach eliminates these inefficiencies by:

• Creating a single, real-time view of inventory accessible across all sales and fulfilment channels.
• Synchronising inventory data across ERP, WMS and PIM, ensuring that inventory updates are instantaneous.
• Dynamically allocate inventory based on demand shifts, prioritising the most optimal source of fulfilment for each order.

Customer promise accuracy: setting and meeting expectations

Enterprise commerce isn’t just about moving products, it’s about meeting customer expectations.

B2B buyers need accurate stock availability, lead times and fulfilment options before committing to large orders. DTC buyers won’t accept vague or inaccurate delivery times, any uncertainty leads to lost conversions.

A DOM-enabled unified commerce strategy ensures that brands can make, and keep, accurate fulfilment promises:

• Real-time inventory validation at checkout, preventing overselling.
• AI-driven fulfilment optimisation, selecting the best fulfilment option based on cost, speed and proximity.
• Proactive re-allocation when disruptions occur (e.g. warehouse delays), orders are dynamically re-allocated to alternative fulfilment points.

Intelligent order management: Connecting all sales channels

Managing separate order workflows for DTC, B2B and marketplaces is no longer sustainable. Brands need a single order orchestration engine that integrates all sources of demand into a central system. 

A modern DOM enables:

• Consolidated order processing from eCommerce, marketplaces, distributors and field sales.
• Automated fulfilment routing, dynamically adjusted based on stock availability and order priority.
• Seamless inventory reconciliation, ensuring that stock isn’t tied up in one channel while another is out of stock.

Intelligent fulfilment and logistics: Reduce costs, increase speed

Order fulfilment is no longer a single-channel operation. Enterprise brands need to leverage multi-node fulfilment networks to optimise costs and delivery speed.

A DOM-powered unified commerce system:

• Automates fulfilment decisions, routing orders to the lowest cost, fastest option.
• Minimises split shipments, reducing unnecessary carrier and logistics costs.
• Prioritises local fulfilment where possible (e.g. ship-from-store for same-day delivery).

Technology interoperability: Seamless system integration

For unified commerce to work at scale, DOM needs to integrate seamlessly with the broader enterprise technology stack. This means real-time synchronisation across:

• ERP: Centralised financials, supplier management and inventory reconciliation.
• WMS: Real-time fulfilment tracking and inventory updates.
• PIM: Product data accuracy across all sales channels.
• 3PL and carrier networks: 3rd party fulfilment automation and last-mile delivery optimisation.

A modern, API-first, composable DOM enables brands to:

• Extend their existing systems without having to completely replace them.
• Scale to new channels (marketplaces, DTC, B2B platforms) without adding operational complexity.
• Quickly adapt to market changes and supply chain disruptions.

Why enterprise brands and B2B can’t afford to wait

The future of enterprise and B2B commerce is already here and brands relying on legacy order management risk being left behind.

What’s at stake?

• Loss of revenue due to inaccurate stock availability and poor fulfilment execution.
• Rising costs due to inefficient stock transfers and poor order routing.
• Customer churn, when fulfilment fails, customers switch to competitors who can deliver on their promises.

Meanwhile, brands that embrace unified commerce today will significantly increase their profitability by transforming fulfilment from a cost centre to a strategic advantage. By unifying inventory, delivering an accurate and reliable promise and ensuring that each order is fulfilled in the most cost-effective way, companies can protect margins while maintaining high service levels.

• Reduce lost sales and maximise revenue opportunities by providing real-time inventory visibility, eliminating out-of-stocks and ensuring that high-demand products are always in the right place to meet customer demand.
• Strengthen customer retention and lifetime value by delivering a consistent, reliable fulfilment experience across all channels. Customers who receive accurate customer promises and seamless post-purchase service are more likely to return, increasing repeat purchase rates.
• Optimise logistics costs by selecting for each the best fulfilment scenario , including the selection of warehouse and carrier, considering the warehouse and shipping costs
• Gain a long-term competitive advantage by building a scalable, resilient commerce infrastructure – one that adapts to fluctuating demand, seamlessly integrates with new sales channels, and continuously improves efficiency through AI-driven decision-making

By moving to a profitability-first fulfilment strategy, brands ensure that every order contributes to both revenue growth and cost efficiency, rather than eroding margins through inefficiencies in inventory allocation, order routing and logistics execution.

This transformation isn’t optional, it’s a strategic imperative.