The ‘buy online, pick-up in-store’ model (BOPIS), also known as ‘click and collect’, is nothing new, however, it’s quickly gaining popularity.
Many retail businesses offer the options of in-store and online purchasing, with additional options of home delivery, delivery to a collection point, or for pick-up in-store.
With all of these options available, the modern day consumer enjoys an omnichannel shopping experience that can be tailored to their individual preferences.
Looking at the statistics, around 75.4% of customers have used BOPIS at least once.
Due to convenience and ease, repeat business is high, with over 56% of customers having used BOPIS 6+ times within the last year.
To assess whether or not the BOPIS model is beneficial for your business, here are a few benefits and considerations to keep in mind:
Benefits
For the customer
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They can save money on delivery fees by collecting in store.
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It’s more convenient (with lower risk of exposure to COVID-19) when browsing online and shopping from the comfort of their home.
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Being able to view the physical product in store when they collect it gives more reassurance of the quality of the product.
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Depending on stock, customers could order online and collect their items the same day, reducing the waiting time.
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BOPIS models usually come hand-in-hand with an easier, flexible return policy.
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It’s really the best of both worlds — the ease of shopping online and the ability to visit the physical store too.
For the business
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Additional, unplanned in-store purchases are made by a large percentage of consumers when coming to collect an item they ordered online, according to Business Insider. This increases retail traffic as well as in-store conversion.
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The customer experience is improved as a wider variety of options caters to every need, which reflects well on your brand and leads to repeat business.
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You’re not reliant on the shipping company to deliver products to your customers in a timely manner, and therefore are no longer held accountable for delivery delays.
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BOPIS increases in-store footfall, which maintains reason to keep the physical store open, as well as opens up the potential to upsell.
Considerations
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Your business cannot only exist online; will need to have a physical, brick-and-mortar store too for the BOPIS model to work, so customers can collect their items.
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There should be a designated pick-up area that’s easy to locate, so customers aren’t held up in long queues or left wandering around the store confused.
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It will be crucial to merge, track and oversee both your online and in-store inventory. When managed well, this can be an advantage, as it reduces the risk of items being out of stock when you’re able to source products from both the manufacturers/distributors or the store stock.
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Having an app is useful to be able to send push notifications to your customers to alert them when their order is ready to be collected.
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Constant communication during the customer journey is essential to make the process as smooth as possible, and to ensure they know all their options when purchasing from you.
As with many consumer-facing solutions, the pandemic has accelerated the rate at which businesses are promoting and benefitting from BOPIS.
Although many stores across the world had to close their physical doors during national lockdowns, several were still able to offer the option of collecting purchases in-store or at collection points.
As stores have been reopening, many businesses and consumers alike have been cautious about browsing and handling items in the same way as before.
Offering BOPIS eliminates this, allowing customers to minimise contact with products and other customers.
