BOPIS: Convenience for Shoppers and Cross-Selling for Retailers
Customer Experience April 02, 2020
Buy Online, Pick Up in Store (BOPIS) allows customers to avail the ease of shopping online and yet avoid the wait time for delivery and simply pickup the product at the store near him, often on the same day. Traditional retailers have embraced BOPIS because it allows them to save on shipping costs while, at the same time, driving shoppers into their stores. The practice of offering BOPIS has caught up big as busy shoppers prefer browsing and ordering from the vast online catalogues instead of traveling to the stores. BOPIS allows retailers to blend the online and in-store experience to engage with customers while, at the same time, offering a more convenient way to shop.
The concept of BOPIS is fast evolving. A Study by Total Retail revealed, over 68 per cent of the respondent shoppers have made a BOPIS purchase more than once. Furthermore, 50 per cent of the respondent shoppers stated, they’ve decided where to buy a product online based on whether they can pick it up in-store.
Shoppers want choice and flexibility in how they want their orders fulfilled, and they want to be able to complete their purchases, returns quickly and efficiently. BOPIS is key to delivering convenience by enabling customers to conveniently select which items they want to purchase immediately, and which items are worth waiting for. Here’s how the process works:
- Customers buy online, through the website or mobile app.
- The store fulfils the online order.
- The customer picks up the order when he gets notified that it is ready for pick-up.
Customers can go inside the store to a designated online pickup area where a store associate will hand over the items. Some stores are taking it one step further by facilitating curb-side pickup where a customer can drive up to the store location and receive their order without ever leaving the car.
Either way, consumers should be easily guided through the steps for picking up their purchased products, including receiving a text message, push notification or email with a receipt or QR code for the order as well as quick and easy instructions about where their product will be waiting in the store.
These significant changes in shopping trends are what retailers should keep top of their mind. In the years past, shoppers have been content to wait for the products to arrive or pay extra to get them earlier. Consumers today want access to their products as soon as possible. Retailers that offer this are likely to gain significant market share.
For Instance, Walmart offers curbside and in-store pickup for customers on the go. Customers can shop Walmart’s huge selection of groceries online and have them ready when it’s convenient for the shopper.
Petco has been offering in-store pickups for a while now. This service allows customers to order a bag of dog food or replace a broken leash the same day, so pet owners don’t have to wait for delivery to take care of their beloved animals.
Shoppers continuously crave convenience, which is why retailers are adopting the BOPIS to compete against the likes of Amazon and effectively utilizing their physical stores as hubs for fulfilment—ultimately placing the product in the hands of the consumer at a much faster rate.
SAP Commerce (Hybris) is one such platform designed to easily plug-in to your Retail operations to give your buyers even more options when engaging with your brand.
SBP offers SAP Commerce (Hybris) services to help you make the best of online retailing.
Reach out to us on “getHybris@sbpcorp.com” for a demo on our portfolio of products “Omnibus Commerce for SAP Commerce”.
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