Chapter 1. Omni-channel operations: Challenges, opportunities, and models -- Chapter 2. New Functions of Physical Stores in the Age of Omnichannel Retailing -- Chapter 3. Omni-Channel Assortment Planning -- Chapter 4. Returns Policies and Smart Salvaging: Benefiting From a Multi-Channel World --...

We study the effects of the introduction of cross-channel functionalities on the overall sales dispersion of retailers and the implications of these effects for inventory management. To do that, we analyze data from a leading U.S. retailer who introduced a “ship-to-store” (STS) functionality...