What is BOPIS?

Ecommerce is rapidly evolving and customers are looking for convenience. One solution that is gaining popularity is BOPIS. BOPIS is an ecommerce process where customers buy online and pick up in store. Customers became more accustomed to this method of shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic as it was safer to shop online and then pick up the items from the safety of their vehicles. As things have started to return to normal, customers are returning to in-store shopping but still want the convenience of shopping from home. The BOPIS option is a great hybrid model that modern customers are quickly adopting into their shopping habits. It brings the luxury of browsing at home and the instant gratification of having the goods in your hands the same day.

If you're a retail merchant with a brick-and-mortar location and an online store, this is for you. Let’s delve into the benefits of BOPIS and provide a guide for implementing this in your ecommerce process.

The Benefits of BOPIS

BOPIS offers a variety of advantages to both merchants and customers.

Convenience

At the most basic level, BOPIS offers a great way to increase online sales. This service provides the convenience of shopping online while offering quicker gratification by picking up the order at a physical location (often within hours.) It drives more customers to your brick-and-mortar store, potentially increasing in-store sales and brand awareness. And let's not forget about those impulse sales as people browse more when entering your store.

Cost Savings

Customers have voted with their wallets and BOPIS services are proving very popular as consumers appreciate the convenience and safety. Customers also enjoy savings from costly shipping charges. With shipping getting more expensive, consumers like the idea of saving money by simply picking up the items.

Retailers also can take advantage of cost savings by combining retail and warehouse space. If your brick-and-mortar store is also housing items for the online store, you can reduce the need for additional warehouse space. This helps with your existing inventory management. Shipping is expensive for retailers so BOPIS offers a cost-saving solution. Shipping fees are often the final barrier for customers when shopping online. If the shipping costs appear too high, they will abandon their cart. With BOPIS, this expense is removed and shoppers are more apt to complete the process quickly.

Increased Order Value

Offering BOPIS is an excellent way to increase the AOV (average order value) of purchases. When customers pick up their online orders, you can naturally upsell in-store. Customers must walk through your aisles to reach the checkout counter so you can expect them to browse the other options available along the way. Putting up good-looking displays and well-stocked merchandise will entice them to buy more, which is great for you and your bottom line. It may even be a good idea to stock some fun impulse items near the pick-up location/register to try and attract the consumer to buy even more.

Implementing BOPIS

BOPIS sounds like a great option for retailers, but how easy is it to implement into your commerce routine? There are some important requirements that you must understand to make buying online and picking up in-store function correctly.

Can You Handle BOPIS?

Before implementing BOPIS, it's essential to evaluate your store's infrastructure and staff resources to determine if it's feasible. The BOPIS process will add more complexity to your in-store workflow so it's important to evaluate if you can handle it.

Make sure your staff is trained in managing the pick-up orders as it can become confusing when customers approach the staff. There are clever methods to take the burden off of them, though. For example, some retail locations have dedicated lockers for easy pickup.

And what happens if a customer wants to return the items? Does your team know how to handle this for pick-up orders? Do you offer store credit? Can that credit be used online? These are all important questions that you must answer as your staff will surely encounter these situations.

You have to ensure that the process goes smoothly for your customers, or they won't use it. Even simple things like inconvenient parking, not having a dedicated pick-up location and insufficient storage for holding online orders can all be impediments to good service (which is what all customers want.)

Update Your Online Store

Once you've assessed your capabilities, you can begin the process of updating your website to reflect the new BOPIS options. For this to work, you must have an accurate online accounting of available items displayed on your site. Customers want to feel confident that the items will be there when they make the drive to your store.

Your ecommerce store is the main interface for BOPIS so everything must be designed clearly. If you have multiple stores, make sure that customers can clearly choose a local pick-up location. especially. Clearly communicate the pick-up process, including wait times, pick-up hours, and any necessary identification required for pick-up. Emphasize the convenience, cost savings, and speed of this service to encourage customers to choose BOPIS.

Ensure Proper Inventory

Optimizing inventory management is another key component of a successful BOPIS implementation. Adopting a real-time inventory management system will ensure accurate stock levels across all store locations, minimizing the risk of overselling products and ensuring a smooth BOPIS experience for customers. If a customer makes a purchase and the item is sold out when they arrive, you will have a very unhappy consumer. Your in-store point-of-sale must be aware of reserved BOPIS items and update the inventory levels to the centralized inventory management system. Your inventory and fulfillment systems need to be interconnected to ensure a successful BOPIS experience. 

Update and Improve

Finally, it's essential to continuously monitor and optimize your BOPIS implementation to ensure it's working properly for all parties. Analyze data such as pick-up rates, customer satisfaction, and (hopefully) improvements to in-store sales. Use this information to identify areas for improvement and make any necessary adjustments to enhance the overall shopping experience for your customers. It's possible that your physical location is not well-suited for pickup, or you don't have enough space to hold orders. These should all be assessed to determine if the process is right for your location.

The Future is BOPIS

Buying online and picking up in-store is here to stay. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of this service and customers are happy to adopt it. Retailers who are not supporting this model are missing the potential for increased sales and foot traffic. A successful implementation will require new technology and an in-store process change.

Implementing BOPIS in your online store can provide significant benefits to both your business and your customers. By following the detailed steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully incorporate this feature into your ecommerce strategy and enhance the overall shopping experience for your customers.

The concept may sound simple, however, implementing BOPIS comes with some technical hurdles and complications. You will need to partner with an agency that knows this space and can improve your ecommerce process. As an ecommerce agency, we understand the challenges retailers face and are here to help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of ecommerce. If you're thinking of launching BOPIS services and need a dedicated partner, reach out to Sunrise Integration for a free consultation.