Buy online pick up in store (BOPIS) becomes retail necessity

Buy online pick up in-store (BOPIS) orders – which include curbside pickup – increased 87% from February 2019 to March 2020. And with recent events, it probably comes as no surprise that consumers trying and buying grocery and pharmacy orders online, often for the first time, drove a whopping 208% increase in online orders in April 2020 alone.¹

Years ago, E-commerce became its own operational, accounting, and distribution network within retail operations. It brought many end-to-end business challenges that demanded brands streamline operations to be successful and profitable. Ecommerce brands also discovered that consumers desired speed and convenience in making their purchases. Today, with the heightened concerns brought on in recent months, we can add limited contact.

Ways your retail brand can implement BOPIS

Retailers have many options to execute their BOPIS to create streamlined efficiency and a service that meets consumers’ needs. For example, you could go with a basic eCommerce website or app with a purchase engine, which requires a user to visit your customer service department for pickup. Other options retailers use include:

Micro-fulfillment centers

Micro-fulfillment centers introduce a new method of touchless retail into an area that typically wasn't as fast to adopt e-commerce – curbside pickup for online grocery shoppers. The orders aren't picked from in-store stock but get fulfilled from small, automated warehouses. These micro-fulfillment centers may be attached alongside a store or serve as a hub model for several stores in urban metro areas. Technology firms like KNAPP, Alert Innovations, and Takeoff Technologies had entered into pilot programs with retailers like Walmart and Albertsons to support same-day curbside pickup prior to the pandemic, but have since seen the acceleration of their business model in recent months as consumers seek to limit time spent inside the store.

How to set up a competitive eCommerce/BOPIS program

As brick-and-mortar retailers implement BOPIS (buy online pick up in-store) options into their omnichannel strategy, they will need approaches that will help ensure traction against the online retailers. In particular, using As-a-Service technology-enabled fulfillment business models.

Combat the capital cost impact with "pay as you go" technology platforms and contracting models that spread the upfront investments for hardware access points (i.e., click-and-collect lockers) out over the time for which the solution delivers value back to the enterprise.

Businesses need to reflect on product cost and pricing, distribution, freight, and handling costs, third party (3PL) partnerships with carriers, and still somehow attain acceptable margins across the entire e-commerce engine.

Ultimately, a brand can improve its level of service while demonstrating flexibility and the ease of doing business in a rapidly changing world. Speed, convenience, and low-touch are differentiators to keep consumers coming to their brick-and-mortar stores and maintain engagement with their brand. Also, let's not forget, the platform also supports and streamlines the returns process too!

Set up your own contactless buy online pick up in-store eCommerce program.

Ricoh Service Advantage provides service and support to partners providing automated micro-fulfillment centers and click-and-collect solutions for retail customers, such as intelligent locker services.