Learn why more retailers are adopting in-store pickup, its benefits, and how to succeed with this order fulfillment strategy.
a red bag on a red background symbolizing the in-store pickup option
On this page
What is in-store pickup?
How does in-store pickup work?
In-store pickup operations: how to do it right
Retailers offering in-store pickup and how they do it
What are the advantages of in-store pickup?
Will in-store pickup last?
Should you offer in-store pickup at your retail store?
Frequently asked questions about in-store pickup
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In-Store Pickup allows your customers to place an order online and pick it up at your store, warehouse, or a designated location. It's similar to buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS), except the customer never has to leave their vehicle. When they arrive, you or your sales staff bring the order to their car.
Due to its convenience and consumer demand, in-store pickup appears to be here to stay. In fact, according to OnlineDasher , there was a 66% increase in online shoppers using in-store pickup in 2022.
In-store pickup helps you bridge the gap canada phone no between online and in-person shopping by offering customers the option to choose in-store pickup as a delivery method at checkout.
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But how can you implement in-store pickup in your retail store?
In this article, you'll learn what in-store pickup is, how it works, and its benefits. Plus, you'll see examples of local retailers who are making in-store pickup work for their business.
What is in-store pickup?
In-store pickup is a service offered by retailers where a customer places an order online and drives to their local store to pick it up. The customer parks in a designated area near the store entrance, and when the order is ready, a store associate brings it to their car.
The convenience that in-store pickup offers shoppers has made this option a powerful way for retailers to strengthen their omnichannel retail strategy.
The adoption of in-store pickup was accelerated by the pandemic, but the popularity of this service continues to grow.
Jonathan Roque, digital marketing and content strategist, Zapiet
“The adoption of in-store pickup was accelerated by the pandemic, but the popularity of this service continues to grow,” says Jonathan Roque, digital marketing and content strategist at Zapiet. “This is due to the incredible convenience it offers both merchants and their customers.”
This order fulfillment service is one way to increase sales and customer satisfaction. It may be easier for retail giants like Target and Walmart to implement, but if you're just starting out or expanding to more locations, there are also solutions you can use to offer your customers in-store pickup.
How does in-store pickup work?
For customers who don't want to wait for delivery or prefer not to pay for shipping, in-store pickup is a great alternative. After the customer completes their order online, they can stop by your store, warehouse, or pickup location to pick it up, and they can stay in their car the entire time. It helps reduce shipping costs, saves time, and is convenient.
Here's what in-store pickup might look like at your retail location:
The customer purchases through your website, and during the checkout process has the option to select in-store pickup.
The customer completes the payment online through your e-commerce website .
You receive a notification of the order and can prioritize its packaging.
Once you confirm that inventory is available, you send a notification to the customer letting them know their order is ready for in-store pickup. At this point, you also tell them what to do once it arrives. For example, whether they should call or text you when they're in-store.
When the customer arrives to pick up their order, you or your staff go out to their car to deliver it to them.
The customer leaves feeling instant gratification because they didn't have to wait for delivery. And you're done!
Setting up in-store pickup services can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we make it quick and easy for local retailers to implement this order fulfillment service – follow the steps below to set up in-store pickup for your store.
In-store pickup operations: how to do it right
In-store pickup can make online ordering easier and more efficient, and reduce shipping costs for customers, but if you don't execute it correctly, it could lead to a disappointing experience for shoppers and lost sales for you.
Manage in-store pickup with the right people and space
Whether it's you or your sales staff, assigning in-store pickup management to one (or a few) people is crucial. Someone needs to be there to check and pack orders, notify customers that they're ready for pickup, and deliver items to the store.
Create a dedicated space in your retail store to keep pickup orders organized.
Allison Mistakidis, Co-Founder of Whiskeyjack Boutique
“Create a dedicated space in your retail store for pickup orders to stay organized,” says Allison Mistakidis, co-founder of Whiskeyjack. “Additionally, use the Shopify POS app to manage and mark orders available for pickup once they’re packed and ready to go. This way, the customer gets a notification that it’s ready.”
Track inventory
If you don't sync your online and offline inventory, in-store pickup could be a disaster. The last thing you want is to disappoint a customer who places an online order for in-store pickup and then receives a notification that the item is actually out of stock.
“Our number one tip is to double-check that your inventory is accurate, because having a customer order a product that isn’t physically in the store would be very disappointing,” says Allison.
Notify customers once their order is ready
Manually reviewing online orders and sending emails or text messages to customers letting them know they are ready for pickup is time-consuming.
That’s why we’ve built a store pickup feature for Shopify POS that lets you efficiently manage and track all pickup orders placed online and notify customers when they’re ready.