Customers who make purchases online want to receive their items as soon as possible without paying excessive shipping and handling fees. Specialty retailers can improve customer experience by offering buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) as a delivery method. BOPIS is a win-win for both customers and retailers – customers receive their purchases quicker and are more likely to make additional purchases upon coming into the store. 85 percent of consumers who placed a BOPIS order bought additional items upon arrival in the store.¹
Buy online pick up in-store (BOPIS) expedites the sales process, improves order fulfillment, and enables retailers to give customers the convenience they seek for continued sales growth.
Expedite Sales and Delivery with BOPIS
Specialty retailers can use BOPIS to their advantage, especially during the busiest times of the year. Often shoppers looking to make last minute purchases are faced with the decision to pay exorbitant shipping fees or risk not receiving their purchases in time. BOPIS offers a compromise while giving retailers the opportunity to promote more products knowing that a significant amount of customers make additional purchases. Now, customers can order online and pick up their items in-store without spending hours browsing the store or worrying about whether or not the item will arrive at their doorstep in time.
BOPIS has given specialty retailers the ability to compete with online marketplaces that offer expedited shipping services. No longer do retailers have to worry about losing sales online and in-store due to not having items in stock.
Improve Order Fulfillment with BOPIS
Struggling retailers will often leave online orders unfulfilled because they have no way to sync inventory management to sales. The inability to sync increases the chances of a discrepancy in the inventory amount displayed on the website and the amount actually in stock.
Leveraging BOPIS facilitates order fulfillment from local brick-and-mortar locations. Once a customer places an order online, georouting technology selects the nearest store with the item in stock for pick up. If local stores do not have the item in stock, retailers can easily ship the items from another store location that has the item available, accelerating the process.
Optimize Store Layout for Convenience
Given that customers choose BOPIS for its convenience, the entire purchase journey should be focused on convenience. Getting customers into stores for their pick up is an opportunity for another sale. However, to earn more business, retailers need to have a compelling offer.
Optimizing the store layout to prioritize top sellers or seasonal favorites can give customers the convenience they crave across channels. Customers want to spend as little time in the store as possible, but if the products that appeal to them are quickly accessible when making their BOPIS order pickups, they will be more inclined to purchase additional items.
BOPIS is an effective strategy that boosts in-store sales while giving customers added convenience. Retailers who leverage BOPIS see significant benefits and are able to grow their businesses.
Runit’s integrated inventory management and POS system is designed for retailers to improve their omnichannel presence, streamlining orders across channels. A centralized system facilitates communication between retail store locations to ensure that orders are fulfilled accurately and efficiently. Enhanced customer experience results in more sales for sustained business growth. To learn more about using Runit to grow your retail business, contact us today.
Sources
¹https://www.retaildive.com/news/most-bopis-shoppers-make-additional-purchases-in-store/549068/
