The eCommerce industry saw massive growth during the pandemic, with a lot of people jumping online to avoid crowds. However, another segment that saw significant growth as BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick-up In-Store), also called the click-and-collect method.
BOPIS provides both online and in-store experiences to the customers where the purchaser can book their order on the e-commerce website and opt for an in-person or curbside pickup.
Shoppers don’t have to pay any extra shipping costs or wait for long delivery days. They can also return the product quickly if it’s not up to their expectations.
In this article, we will try to understand BOPIS better and how you can implement it in your retail business.
What Is BOPIS?
BOPIS is an ideal strategy for retailers that have both a physical store and an eCommerce website. Customers can place their orders online and collect them when ready for pickup. The popularity of BOPIS is because of the convenience it provides to the buyer. This strategy makes buying easier with an enhanced customer experience.
How Does BOPIS Work?
The BOPIS process is bifurcated into three steps:
- Customer shop from your online store
While listing products on the eCommerce website, retailers can include BOPIS on the checkout page which consists of a set of time and date options that the buyer could choose from. The retailer then confirms the availability of the product and asks the shopper to come at the specified time.
- Retailers fulfil online orders
Now, there can be two scenarios, one the product is either available or not. If it’s there, the retailer can confirm the availability and set a time for pickup. Otherwise, they can take some time to get the product from the warehouse or another store and request an extension for deliverables.
- The customer picks up the order
The BOPIS cycle comes to an end when the customer picks up their order. Retailers must have a clear distinction when the orders are shopped online or convenient for pickup.
What Are The Benefits Of BOPIS?
Here are the benefits of adopting BOPIS in the retail business for both sellers and customers:
For retailers:
- When buying through BOPIS, customers are more open to adding additional items to their cart due to its prompt availability on pickup.
- Shipping costs affect the profitability of both sides. Through BOPIS, you can send bulk requirements to the pickup center and cut down on extra costs.
- Setting up an online store connected with physical store lets you track stock availability on a regular basis. It helps you identify whether the product is accessible in real-time or not.
For customers:
- With BOPIS, you are free from any unnecessary delivery costs. Buyers can go straight to the store and collect their orders.
- BOPIS is best for customers who need those products urgently. There’s no waiting for days; they can get the items within a few hours.
- Opting for a curbside pickup saves buyers from unnecessary rush and guarantees that the product is available when they arrive for pickup.
- The purchaser can quickly return the product and get their money refunded instead of shipping the order back.
How To Get Started With Buy Online, Pick-up In-store?
Many retailers embrace the BOPIS retail strategy to provide a more convenient shopping experience to their buyers. Plus, it has proven to increase sales and bring new customers within a short period.
Getting started isn’t a lot of work. Retailers just need to fulfill these three major criteria to provide an extensive BOPIS experience to shoppers:
- A mobile app or an e-commerce website to let your customer shop.
- Real-time inventory management to track stock availability at all locations.
- At least one physical store
Integrating these three items with your business will allow customers to shop through the click and collect method.
Wrapping up
Adopting the BOPIS method in retail will give sellers an extra edge over their competitors.
Customers are also more inclined towards businesses that offer them varied modes of shopping, either through brick and mortar, buying online, or the modern pick-up store method.
Managing BOPIS requires an e-commerce software integration that lets you track inventory in real-time and increase the order fulfillment ratio at a lesser cost to the business.
And we, at 24SevenCommerce can help you with our POS eCommerce integration to achieve that. So, get started today and take your business to the next level.