Online shopping is not going away anytime soon. The multi-channel shopper has pushed retailers to essentially, adapt or die. The need for a buy online and pickup in store (BOPIS) system has grown increasingly more important.
Opting for BOPIS helps shoppers save on shipping costs, but they are also expecting a speedy transaction when they do arrive in the store. If a customer drives 20 minutes to a store, is forced to wait for 20 minutes in the customer service line, and only then is told that her item is not actually ready, she’s lost 40 minutes. Furthermore, she actually walked past the item on her way to the customer service counter. What’s the point of BOPIS if it’s not saving customers time?
Injecting new life in the brick and mortar store
One key advantage to having a seamless BOPIS system is that it shows that physical retail stores are not extinct: there is still a need for them. But the time that customers are spending in the store must be well spent.
The traditional retail approach was to put highly sought-after items (such as milk for a grocery store) toward the back of the building. That way, there’s a greater chance for shoppers to see something else to buy on their way out. If a customer opts for BOPIS, they are looking to save on shipping costs but were likely planning on being in the store anyway. An add-on sale for retailers can be huge, but you won’t get the chance if customers have an unsatisfactory experience while trying to grab an item they’ve already bought.
When retailers can make the shopping experience easy for the consumer, that consumer will remember the brand and the positive experience.
Websites are becoming more user-friendly. Some stores will list the exact aisle where a product is stored, giving shoppers that extra knowledge so they can zip in and out if they want. So if a retailer’s website can add that extra detail, why can’t that same retailer guarantee a streamlined, easy-to-use, and fast BOPIS experience?
Making the entire shopping experience easy for the consumer must remain a top priority. Failure to have a fulfillment solution that keeps everything streamlined for both shoppers and retail employees will ensure that retailers fall farther behind.
If you’re a retailer ready to raise your BOPIS game and meet the increasingly demanding needs of online shoppers, Position Imaging’s iPickup solution is a necessity. Our streamlined system ensures your brick-and-mortar locations are properly leveraged to fulfill online sales. Customers can simply click and collect, while employees are not bogged down with package management.