Customize Shopping Experiences with Click and Collect for Increased Customer Loyalty

Have you thought about integrating click and collect into your business but don’t know how to get started? Or maybe you have already integrated some of this retail technology and would like to take it to the next level in responding to customer demands? Either way, taking advantage of all that click and collect has to offer will elevate your omnichannel strategy to meet the latest customer expectations, which promises loyalty in return.

Click and collect has significant upside for retailers’ earning and keeping customers when deployed with customer convenience in mind, not to mention the added advantage of being able to strategically use upsells online and in store. Of online shoppers, 47 percent always or often end up buying more products when picking up their orders in-store, according to PYMNT's 2022 Global Digital Shopping Playbook: U.S. Edition. And while click and collect gained some popularity initially during the pandemic, over 50 percent of online shoppers use click and collect today. Of them, 56 percent use click and collect frequently – 6+ times in the past year and 8.2% of consumers have used BOPIS 20 times or more in the past year, suggesting that it may have become their primary mode of shopping, according to Raydiant research.

Customers know when they order online to pick up in store, their merchandise is in stock. There is no question that the store has the product in their possession and the product will be there waiting for them when they get there, with no need to wait in line to pay, as payment for the order has already been processed. Click and collect has answered several customer demands, from inventory to frictionless payments, no long lines, and getting the product in exactly the size and color wanted. Even further supporting a preference for click and collect, 80% of customers avoid stores they know have lines. Of them, only 58 percent will return later to make the purchase, according to Retail Brew, while 40 percent will go to a competitor or decide against the purchase altogether..

BOPIS, BOPIL & curbside pickup: what’s the difference?

Click and collect is the umbrella term for when customers purchase an item from a store online and pick it up at the store’s physical location. Two options are BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) and BOPIL (buy online, pick up in locker). Both involve the customer coming to a designated pickup point inside the store to collect the items they have purchased. With BOPIS, the customer meets a store associate at a front desk, for example, to receive their purchase, while with BOPIL, the customer retrieves their items from a smart locker.

The third option is curbside pickup. With curbside pickup, the customer never enters the store. Instead, a store associate takes the order to the customer’s car parked in a designated zone outside the store or drops it off at a designated outdoor area. Curbside pickup was introduced at the start of the pandemic to boost safety and social distancing and has proven its staying power via consumer demand. And while this may feel like above and beyond service, there are consumers demanding it – and with that demand comes loyalty. According to Raydian research, 34 percent of consumers are more likely to use click and collect offerings with curbside delivery, while 17.3% of consumers do not ask about curbside pickup, indicating they’re willing to pick up their order from dedicated remote pickup stations inside the store..

Click and collect is here to stay

According to a recent study by global consultant Deloitte, nearly 90% of consumers are looking for a digitally enhanced shopping journey. This includes their experience at physical retail locations, with about 83% of consumers expecting flexible shipping and fulfillment options like BOPIS, BOPIL and curbside pickup.

The main reason? Convenience.

To deliver convenience – and achieve a frictionless click and collect experience – you need the right interconnected hardware and software.

Invest in a customizable device-management system

To integrate click and collect into your omnichannel customer experience, you’ll need a unified commerce platform. With a single platform running all your POS systems, online assets, and mobile apps, you can create one source for all your click and collect data.

An interconnected platform also provides employees with real-time data to manage inventory and sales orders, update stock levels, handle customer communications and record customer data. (A side benefit: The platform enables you to sell across different channels and target customers with personalized offers to increase sales.)

Your click and collect platform must also be managed by a device management system that can manage security updates as well as content deployment. EloView allows you to deploy and securely manage your entire network of mobile, online and offline assets from anywhere in the world. No matter which click and collect options you implement, the same engineering is always under the hood, delivering a seamless customer experience with easy-to-use technology.

Evaluate your POS systems and hardware

POS systems are important building blocks in any omnichannel strategy. Choose slick, platform-agnostic devices to build great customer experiences. Make sure they are rugged and capable of withstanding the wear and tear of high-traffic retail use.

• Smart pickup cabinets and lockers enable customers to pick up their orders in store without needing a customer service representative, achieving a smooth, frictionless experience.
• A POS system is a great way to advertise your click and collect options to in-store customers with a customer-facing display or endless aisle signage
• Empower your in-store associates with mobile devices to easily scan products and parcels for order preparation and collection, and to check inventory. Outside, associates can use the devices for curbside pickup when the customer arrives by car.

A considerable collection of benefits

Click and collect brings many advantages. Offering your customers a convenient shopping experience with more options can increase loyalty and boost sales. Simultaneously, it allows you to use your existing store as a fulfillment center while keeping inventory and delivery costs under control.