Skipping long queues... same-day delivery... low to no shipping and delivery fee... contactless transactions... short waiting time...
These are some of the things your customers want, especially in times of the pandemic. It really changed the way consumers shop.
They have preferences when online and physically shopping. They want a convenient and safe shopping experience... from ordering to receiving their actual products.
The good news? You can fuse these two!
But hear me out... they don't need to do the actual physical shopping. They can order online but go to your physical store to pick up their orders.
Yep, it's possible! It's called BOPIS retail or Buy Online Pickup In-Store.
Now, some of you may already be aware of this... but if not, don't fret! In this blog, you'll learn...
- What is BOPIS retail?
- 3 BOPIS retail statistics you need to know
- A quick overview of how BOPIS retail works
- How to implement BOPIS retail in your business?
Let's jump right in!
What is BOPIS retail?
BOPIS retail means Buy Online Pickup In Store. This retail strategy means your customers will place their orders online but pick them up from your physical store.
It's a way for some eCommerce business owners to give their customers more options based on their preferences or needs.
Since some customers don't have the time to wait for shipping or shop physically, BOPIS is becoming one of the solutions.
But why are online retailers jumping on the BOPIS retail trends? Let's find out why!
BOPIS retail statistics you need to know
If you're hesitating whether or not you'll fulfill BOPIS transactions on your business, these BOPIS statistics might help change your mind.
- In the past 6 months, almost 67% of US shoppers used BOPIS
- 49% of BOPIS consumers said they added more items during their pickup in-store.
- 65% of consumers choose BOPIS retail to avoid shipping costs
- 23% of consumers prefer BOPIS so they can return the products hassle-free
- In 2021, the BOPIS retail industry reached $243.89 billion
See these numbers? These statistics will help you decide if you should dip your toes into the world of the BOPIS retail industry!
Before you make any decision, let's talk about...
How does BOPIS retail work?
Let me give you a quick overview of how BOPIS retail works.
Businesses with physical stores can dabble in BOPIS retail. So... you need to have a brick-and-mortar store.
You need a place where your physical shoppers can shop, and online shoppers can pick up their items. A physical store is one of the most important things to have.
Next, you must have an eCommerce website. It's called Buy Online for a reason... because that's where your customers will place their orders.
Of course, you need to optimize your website for BOPIS to make it work. Have a BOPIS option and enhance your website to make the whole process smooth.
Then once you have these two, your customers will place an order on your eCommerce website and choose the BOPIS option.
After they place an order, you need to fulfill them.
Once their order is ready, you can notify them via SMS, email, or in-app/website that their items are ready for pickup.
Remember, you must have a process in place to make the whole experience convenient for you and your customers.
You can have a designated pickup location or hours. You can also encourage contactless pickups. It depends on what works for your business.
So, you're probably asking now... "What are the things I need to do to implement BOPIS retail?" Let's get down to business!
BOPIS retail strategies to implement in your business
To succeed at your BOPIS retail, you have to...
1. Manage your inventory wisely
You might have a problem managing the inventory when you're selling products online and in-store.
For example, your eCommerce website might say there are 10 stocks left, so they place an order. But when they pick their items up, you'll notify them that some things are out-of-stock.
This can cause a problem and disappoint your consumers, especially if they've been expecting that product. And this might leave a wrong impression on your customers.
That's not an option here. You need an inventory system that ensures the online and physical stocks are accurate.
So, how can you manage your inventory wisely?
You can do this by having an omnichannel strategy. Omnichannel allows you to merge your inventory system, making it easier to manage your inventories in real-time and online.
To make this work, you should...
2. Integrate your eCommerce website and POS system
To manage your inventory wisely, it's best to integrate your eCommerce store and point-of-sale system. So, what does it mean?
It's how you'll be able to handle both offline and online sales. This will help you sync the catalogs, transactions, and order fulfillment from your website and physical store.
This is also important if you have multiple physical stores at different locations.
Doing so will help you manage your store efficiently by having a more detailed look at customer data and checking the inventory in real time.
It will make your click-and-collect services more manageable for you and your customers because it will centralize everything.
If you're using Shopify as your eCommerce platform, you must learn how to integrate your eCommerce store with the Shopify POS app.
Having a system in place will make the customer experience smooth. And speaking of which...
3. Create a seamless buyer journey
A seamless buyer journey is vital in giving your customers the best experience. So, to get more click-and-collect sales, mapping out the buyer's journey is critical in BOPIS retail.
From online shopping to in-store pickup, you need to plan their journey. It will help you design a process that works for your business and customers.
After your customers buy online from your website, the steps should be trouble-free. Here's an example:
- They would place an order via website or app.
- Then your website, app, or SMS will inform them that their orders are confirmed.
- Your store associates will fulfill their orders.
- After order fulfillment, you can send them another notification that their orders are ready for pickup.
- You also need to inform them which location or local store they can pick up in case you have another brick-and-mortar store elsewhere.
- When they drive to your physical store, you can set up a curbside pickup within your store.
Giving them the best online shopping experiences, from placing their orders to picking up the items, will leave a good impression.
But it doesn't end there... you still need to create a customer retention strategy after their purchase. Why? Because you want to make your customers shop again in your online store.
And to gain more click-and-collect buyers, you need to...
4. Promote your BOPIS options
You can't gain more customers if you don't promote your BOPIS options. You can do this by taking advantage of digital marketing... like social media and other forms of content marketing.
Let's see an example from Starbucks.
Starbucks showcases Starbucks® Pickup through Facebook ads. This is for customers who order through the Starbucks app and want to pick up their orders at the nearest store location.
You can't maximize your reach if you don't talk about your BOPIS retail option. So, here's how to promote it online:
- Tell them the benefits of BOPIS. For example, say they don't have to wait in line to get what they need.
- Create a social media strategy. This strategy shouldn't just revolve around your BOPIS service. It should benefit your business altogether.
If you promote your Buy Online Pick In-Store experience, more customers will be aware of your BOPIS solution.
And lastly...
5. Get everyone on board and adapt to these changes
Transitioning from a purely online or physical business to BOPIS needs some adjustments... especially if you'll need to overhaul your entire operation to give way for BOPIS.
But remember, changes are needed.
Customer needs are changing... and the world is becoming increasingly digital. Even major retailers are expanding! That's why it's a must to adapt to these changes.
Make sure to get your staff onboard with the changes. You also need to invest in tools and other systems to make it work.
But this will benefit your customers with the best online shopping experience.
So... Don't miss out!
BOPIS is the new way to give your customers more power to choose!
Customers want choices. Sometimes, they're in the mood to wait for their deliveries to arrive. But sometimes, they need to get the products as soon as possible.
Another thing is some customers want to keep themselves safe from health problems. That's why they opt for less physical shopping.
So, whatever they need at the moment, it's your place to give them what they need.
And you can give it by having a Buy Online Pickup In-Store option! In doing so, they can choose if they want to get their products ASAP or not.
If you're not yet convinced, you need to see some examples and...
Ricky Hayes
