Whether or not we acknowledge it, we have become those “damn kids” our grandparents complained about, expecting things instantly at the click of a button. But it’s no wonder. With thousands of movies available at our fingertips, millions of book choices on our phones, and drones available to bring us ice cream, we’ve become the on-demand generation.
The rise in expectations for on-demand services along with the pandemic-era contactless options, have led to significant demand for BOPIS. If you’ve heard the term BOPIS thrown around and aren’t sure what it means, we’ve got answers.
What is BOPIS?
To put it simply, BOPIS stands for “Buy Online, Pickup In-Store”. All across the country, BOPIS has shown itself as a great way to blend the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of buying an item from a brick-and-mortar location. Consumers can check real-time inventory levels, read reviews, compare prices, and even purchase online but still pickup their order that same day
There is some variance in how BOPIS orders are fulfilled — sometimes consumers must check in at the front of the store or parking lot, other times there are cubbies and if they’re really, really lucky, the retailer might have a smart locker system for maximum convenience. When a retail locker system is utilized, the customer’s only interaction for pickup is with the technology. They simply scan their barcode from their delivery notification and the locker compartment door pops open. It’s fast, easy, and secure.
What is BOPIS in Retail?
BOPIS has many benefits for both you and your customers alike. In-store pickup helps drive increased traffic to brick-and-mortar locations and boosts sales. With COVID-era labor shortages affecting delivery times, wise retailers are striking while the iron is hot.
BOPIS enables you to participate in same-day order fulfillment, helps you provide a more seamless shopping experience, and allows you to offer contactless delivery. This provides additional safety and security for retailer employees and customers.
With the rise of e-commerce, retailers have been embracing BOPIS. Business Insider notes that in 2020, BOPIS sales more than doubled and will sustain double-digit growth rates through 2024. In retail, BOPIS meets consumers’ desire for near-instant gratification and allows you to leverage your brick-and-mortar store footprint. Your customers can still shop local with near-immediate convenience without having to pay a shipping charge. Rather than wait for shipping, customers can enjoy same-day fulfillment by picking their orders up in person.
Retailers have been quick to adopt BOPIS because of the cost savings associated with last-mile logistics. Instead of packing local orders and sending out individual shipments to multiple local residential addresses, retailers can consolidate local deliveries.
BOPIS in Retail: Smart Locker Solutions
On-site, automated locker systems allow your customers to have true 24/7 access to their purchases. This essentially extends your store hours and frees up your sales associates to be assigned to other high-value tasks within the store during operating hours.
In addition to improving the customer experience, the high visibility of your smart retail lockers from the street should lead to overall higher usage and brand recognition. According to TWICE.com, e-commerce shoppers select BOPIS to save on shipping costs and receive their products faster. By embracing new ideas for online order fulfillment — such as automated locker systems — retailers can leave customers more satisfied and potentially increase revenue.
An extra yet oftentimes overlooked benefit of BOPIS is this increased revenue. In fact, 79% of BOPIS customers shop for other items when they’re in-store for their pickup. Customers who spend less time on their BOPIS process have more time to shop, so be sure to stock impulse merchandise near the lockers to help drive additional sales. Even better, consider motivating add-on sales by providing a personalized offer for an in-store purchase with a complimentary item.
But the first step to BOPIS and increasing revenue is acquiring high quality retail lockers. Package Concierge® can help retailers compete and enhance their BOPIS operations with our automated retail locker solutions.
BOPIS And Package Concierge®
In today’s world of evolving customer expectations, customers are thirsting for convenience and contactless pickup. If you’re looking for new options and solutions that are future-centric, look no further than Package Concierge®.
Don’t let your customers wait in line to pickup their orders — evolve your process by adding Package Concierge®’s smart technology and take your customer service to the next level. Smart retail locker solutions can help streamline the safety and efficiency of your pickup process.
With self-serve automated locker systems, Package Concierge® offers a simple, easy-to-use, reliable, and intuitive customer and employee interface that gives you real-time and historical data to help enhance your operations.
If you choose a package system that can accommodate future expansion outside the store, then the system can act as a fun and creative extension of your brand—one that will never complain about the amount of flair you require it to wear. Package Concierge®’s retail solutions give you the flexibility to adapt your lockers to the way you do business, including customization to mirror your unique branding and voice.
If you’re looking to provide contactless pickup, streamline your BOPIS order fulfillment process, deliver a quick and convenient customer experience, create happy customers and retain those customers for longer, check out Package Concierge®’s automated locker trial and request a quote. We’ll help you configure a system to suit your unique retail needs and get you on your way to a more streamlined operation.
