From Fragmentation to Value Cocreation: A Meta-Review of Omnichannel Research

This study conducted a meta-review (a systematic review of systematic reviews) to critically synthesize the existing body of omnichannel literature. By treating prior reviews as the unit of analysis, this study analyzes 38 reviews and systematic reviews, covering over 5,000 studies, to identify recurring conceptual patterns, inconsistencies, and blind spots in the current omnichannel landscape. The analysis reveals that existing reviews are largely siloed into customer-centric, firm-centric, logistics-oriented, and management-focused perspectives. However, previous reviewing studies have offered partial representations of the omnichannel phenomenon. Building on this synthesis, the study develops a value cocreation model for seamless omnichannel integration that explicitly integrates firm-side interdependencies, customer behavior, and environmental and contextual forces within a unified systems framework. This model advances prior conceptualizations by reframing omnichannel integration as a dynamic, bidirectional value cocreation process. This study contributes to restoring conceptual coherence in omnichannel research and offers a theoretically grounded foundation for future empirical inquiry and theory development. JEL CLASSIFICATION: D01, D80, D90