From Click to Collect, how is BOPIS transforming the shopping experience?
In the last few years, BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store) has progressed from a convenient shopping option to a retail must have. Today’s consumers crave both the speed of online ordering and the instant gratification of in-store pickup. Retailers are rapidly adapting to meet this demand, and changing the in-store experience to maximise the benefits of Click and Collect.
What has driven the growth of BOPIS?
Retail is always evolving and there are often several factors that contribute to the growth and changes that we make. Although Click and Collect has been present in retail since the 2000’s, the popularity of BOPIS grew during the Covid-19 Pandemic, as consumers were craving faster and safer shopping methods. Since the pandemic, the need for convenience has remained, so BOPIS has become an essential part of Omni-Channel Retail
Why do consumers like BOPIS?
It gives the customer convenience and flexibility. They can browse and purchase online, as well as avoiding shipping cost and delivery delays. They can pick up their items at their own convenience and can avoid any disappointment as they know that the items that they want are in stock and ready to be collected.
As BOPIS has evolved, you can often collect your purchases on the same day, or within hours of purchasing online, giving greater customer satisfaction and enhancing the retail experience.
What is in it for the Retailer?
Retailers have embraced BOPIS as it benefits the consumer, but there are lots of advantages for the retailer as it can increase sales as well as save time and operational cost.
Retailers can avoid increasing shipping costs, including packaging and the time it takes to pick, pack and despatch an order, which for independent retailers can be valuable time back to invest in the business and the customers.
You may also see an increase in footfall, before BOPIS was popular, the customers that now collect their orders would have been despatched instead, now the retailer has an opportunity to build a relationship with the customer and upsell items in store.
Having an Omnichannel Integration, like Connect by Intelligent Retail, can help gain the competitive edge, as both digital and physical channels are merged into a seamless experience. Having the online and offline inventory integrated helps retailers optimise their stock levels and reduce overstocking or overselling items
What does the future of BOPIS look like?
Customer expectations are forever changing, and the expectation is that consumers will expect even faster, frictionless and flexible shopping experiences.
According to Retail Week, the traditional stores are quickly becoming fulfilment hubs to handle a massive 44% spike in online shopping expected by 2028. This trend is strongest in the Home and DIY sector, where retailers are shifting to a ‘blended’ model that uses physical stores to process digital orders.
Retailers will need to adapt and evolve alongside these expectations which could mean:
- Clearer communication, with real-time order updates and accurate pickup windows to ensure a seamless experience. We all lead busy lives and having the ability to plan in a collection, where you know that you won’t have a long wait time can be important to ensure the satisfaction for the customer.
- Adding on multiple pick-up options, such as in-store lockers or curb side pick-up for the customers convenience.
- Personalised cross-selling opportunities during pick up to enhance the in-store experience which can lead to greater loyalty from the customer.
All of our Intelligent Retail Websites have the ability to offer Click and Collect, and display the inventory on products across multiple locations, giving Independent Retailers the ability to offer a high-level experience to their customers.