
How to Embrace Buy Online, Pick-Up In-Store
Due to social distancing brought on by COVID-19, retailers are streamlining in-real-life experiences to transform in-store visits. One strategy has been Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS), also known as click-and-collect, to help drive foot traffic and connect online to offline.
Often, shoppers choose BOPIS to avoid shipping fees and to receive their product sooner. It’s a way to encourage potential buyers to choose your store over Amazon, where Prime members get free one or two day shipping on most products. This way, customers can still reap the benefits of getting their purchase quickly!
It’s also an effective strategy for the day before (or days leading up to) major holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day. Customers can purchase last minute gifts without having to wait for shipping.
Courtesy of Nordstrom
As retailers ramp up their omnichannel approach to include BOPIS, here are some things to keep in mind.
Designate a BOPIS Pickup Area
Although in-store visits are more matter-of-fact with virus precautions, it’s essential for retailers to not miss the opportunity of luring customers into their physical brick-and-mortar stores. Human interaction, though now more distanced, is still one of the key drivers in customers choosing to buy, or to buy more. Sales associates are brand representatives (think of them as your “walking brand”) and drive more than just sales, they drive brand connection and brand loyalty.
Incorporating a BOPIS curbside pickup option is not only convenient, but an added contactless offering for those that don’t want to step foot in-store. Be sure this is well communicated on your website, with directions on where to pick up and where to park. This should also be clear in a post-purchase email as well as during the checkout process.
Courtesy of The Container Store
Make Inventory Levels Visible
It’s important to make in-store availability prominent on product pages within your eCommerce experience. This helps drive customers with local stores to choose BOPIS, rather than opting for shipping. If someone can’t easily see a product’s inventory level, it might prompt them to take additional actions, like call the store or message customer service. This might cause shoppers to look at other retailers to fulfill their needs.
Interested in working with Absolute Web?
Learn more about our experience, brands we work with, or contact us today!
Source:
More Articles
TikTok Trends in 2021 That are Here ...
TikTok has grown exponentially in the past year, with engagement…
Read more
What to Do When Upgrading to Shopify ...
If you’ve recently upgraded your eCommerce store to Shopify Plus,…
Read more
Increasing the Value of Your Branded Currency
Branded currency programs – think: coupon codes, gift cards, loyalty…
Read more
How to Manage Chargebacks for your Online ...
As a merchant, managing and preventing chargebacks is an ongoing…
Read more
Progressive Web Apps: Answers to Commonly Asked ...
Last week we spoke with Georgiy Slobodenyuk, Software Architect at…
Read more
Year-End Agency Conference + 2021 Kickoff
2020 was a challenging year for all, but the one…
Read more
Determining if a Progressive Web App is ...
As smartphone revenue potential continues to grow exponentially – with…
Read more
How Financing + Installments Are Changing Online ...
We spoke to Josh Rauser, Account Executive at Sezzle, a…
Read more
We're Social