Online shopping has changed the customer’s shopping experience and set new standards for customer satisfaction. Delivery methods have rapidly developed to keep up with demand. Warehousing options and logistics operations have adapted to cope with online orders. However, buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS), has provided an alternative way to get products into the hands of customers. It is a convenient option for many customers to get their goods sooner.
If you are looking to incorporate or enhance BOPIS procedures in your retail outlet, then it’s important to look at what consumers want from BOPIS. By identifying their preferences, you can create a system that focuses on their needs and streamline this process. So, what are consumers actually looking for with the BOPIS option?
Decreased shipping times
Shipping times can be variable. Depending on the warehouse’s location, courier arrangements, and location of the customer, shipping times can sometimes take up to seven days. With standard shipping, it is generally two to five business days. However, this means that customers are left in limbo, wondering when their goods will actually get to their door.
With BOPIS, customers can pick up their order at the retail outlet as soon as it is convenient for them. This means if you are going on a holiday in a few days and you want to make sure you have the dress you ordered, then the decreased and guaranteed shipping time is more desirable.
Decreased shipping costs
If the retailer is unable to provide free shipping, customers will often get frustrated. However, with BOPIS, inventory stock is often available at the retail outlet, as well as the warehouse. If the retailer can confirm that the inventory stock is available at the store, then this can eliminate shipping costs altogether. BOPIS caters to the preferences of customers who want to decrease their shipping costs.
Avoiding the long lines
When customers opt for the click and collect option, they can ward off the crowds in the store and just come in to get their goods. One of the most common ways customers are bypassing the lines is in the supermarket. Battling the crowds of people shopping for food on a Monday night after work can be a hassle. However, customers are placing online orders and driving to the supermarket after work to seamlessly pick up their purchases. This can enhance customer satisfaction since they don’t feel the frustration of shopping through crowded aisles.
Instant returns
When you order something online and it comes to your door, you still have to make sure it’s the product you actually want. Perhaps it’s a pair of shoes and if they don’t fit, you’ll have to return it. Often, this means printing off a return slip or filling out a lengthy form. You’ll need to re-tape the box and arrange for a courier or go to the post office to send it back. With BOPIS, you can instantly try on the shoes and return them right then and there in the store if they don’t fit. Instant returns can greatly enhance customer satisfaction.
