From Online Shopping to In-Store Purchasing: Black Friday Insights and Predictions
When looking at 2023 Black Friday consumer spending, a compelling trend stood out: More Americans are beginning their Black Friday holiday shopping journeys online, then completing them in-store. This phenomenon plays out in the 2023 Black Friday numbers:
- 25% of orders between Black Friday and the following Sunday used BOPIS (buy online pickup in-store) in 2023.
- American consumers spent $9.8 billion online for Black Friday 2023, up 7.46% year over year.
- 90 million consumers shopped online on Black Friday, while 76 million shopped in-store.
- American consumers spent 62% of their Black Friday dollars at brick-and-mortar locations.
These staggering statistics tell the story of the evolving omnichannel shopper—one that is comfortable seamlessly engaging with retailers in a variety of manners: online, in-store, on their mobile app, and on social media. Retailers keen on marketing to these consumers are increasingly spending their time (online and on social media), looking for ways to enhance the in-store experience to make it as inviting and frictionless as possible.
Enhanced Customer Service Expectations:
Services like BOPIS (buy online pickup in-store) and curbside pickup became essential during the pandemic, when shopping trips had to be efficient, convenient, and contactless. Over time, these options have shifted from being a luxury to an expectation, with consumers now relying on the ability to seamlessly blend online and in-store experiences. For instance, shoppers appreciate the flexibility to order apparel online and try it on in-store before making the final purchase. Similarly, they can place an in-store pickup order for hardware supplies, with the added benefit of consulting a knowledgeable store associate for personalized recommendations upon arrival.
Omnichannel Retail – Leveraging Brick-and-Mortar Locations:
With online holiday discounts expanding from Cyber Monday to Cyber Month in many cases, retailers have more opportunities than ever to invite the omnichannel shopper into their store. This trend manifests in retailers increasingly leveraging brick-and-mortar locations as fulfillment centers. This is made possible with an enhanced understanding of the data, specifically what consumers are purchasing, where they are shopping, and how they are picking it up. Online shopping combined with BOPIS solutions, like Position Imaging’s iPickup™ platform, gives retailers more data than ever before to make efficient decisions with their inventory. Omnichannel sellers can use local inventory ads to highlight the availability of BOPIS fulfillment options to drive more consumers to their physical stores. This capability permits retailers to move more quickly and deploy more inventory to people who are local to those stores.
Transforming In-Store Fulfillment with the iPickup Platform:
One eCommerce fulfillment solution that is set to revolutionize the pickup and returns counter—by eliminating the need to staff it—is the iPickup platform. It’s an innovative self-service retail platform that offers simple, fast, and frictionless eCommerce fulfillment solutions for BOPIS, BORIS, and in-store item exchanges. The iPickup platform incorporates patented AI-powered computer vision tracking technology that visually tracks items that go into and out of the retail pickup and drop-off area.
The iPickup platform features two different methods to tag and track goods for pickup and drop-off at retail. The first uses computer vision technology that visually tags the location of an order and tracks its movements until the consumer picks it up. This works best with boxed, heavy, and oversized items, such as electronics, home goods, and hardware supplies. The second method, the iClip™, physically clips to an order and tracks it until the consumer picks it up, then removes and returns the iClip. This is ideal for apparel, dry cleaning, and bagged pickup orders—pharmacy, quick-serve restaurants, and sporting events and concert merchandise.
iPickup automates BOPIS and BORIS processes while providing retailers with valuable data that enhances operational efficiencies. The robust platform meets the evolving needs of the omnichannel consumer. And it increases footfall, add-on sales, and allows retailers to save time, money and labor by reducing the need for a staffed pickup and returns counter.
With Black Friday spending predicted to exceed $12.5 billion by 2026, combined with consumers’ increasing demand for fast and frictionless BOPIS solutions, retailers who invest in these tech-heavy eCommerce fulfillment solutions today will win the loyalty of the omnichannel shopper of the future.
Watch the latest clip of our Intelligent Logistics podcast: “The Future of Retail eCommerce with iPickup,” where Matthew Knoff, Position Imaging’s VP of Partnerships, breaks down why retail stores need to leverage self-serve eCommerce fulfillment solutions.
To learn more about the iPickup platform, contact us at or visit our website at www.position-imaging.com/ipickup/.
Sources: