Simply put, BOPIS is the acronym that stands for “Buy Online Pick-up in Store”. This method of fulfilment, while not a new concept, has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, particularly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, BOPIS use grew by 106% - and accounted for close to 10% of all ecommerce sales in the US that year.
This aside, BOPIS was already becoming more relevant simply because modern shoppers are becoming busier. They don’t always have the time to browse in-stores and wait in line.
As a result, they not only want but have come to expect the convenience of shopping anywhere and anytime. BOPIS is allowing retailers to meet, and surpass, these needs in order to remain competitive.
BOPIS offer customers something they have come to expect in a post-pandemic world; convenience and flexibility. This means more flexibility of choice in not only when, but how orders are fulfilled.
There are normally two main ways a BOPIS order can be processed; Buy Online, Ship From Store (BOSFS) and Buy Online, Ship to Store (BOSS).
With the former of these modules, retailers and brands can opt to have customer orders fulfilled from a local store for added speed and convenience. Here, customers shopping on either the web or via mobile app, select their preferred items and proceed to the checkout. A store associate then receives a notification to pick and pack and item from the store inventory holding and the item is then shipped by the store associate to the customer.
BOSS works similarly only retailers and brands can also tap into warehouse inventories to fulfill orders directly from warehouses or distribution centers. The order is then shipped to the designated store for the customer to collect.
Alongside BOPIS, retailers can also leverage other closely related capabilities that work in a similar way. These include:
In all of these cases, retailers are doing one main thing: offering customers a seamless bridge between online and brick-and-mortar channels. This lets them experience the advantages of in-store shopping while simultaneously benefiting from the convenience of online retail.
In practice, BOPIS should be a frictionless experience for both the shopper and the store associates fulfilling the order. With a solution like the PredictSpring Modern POS, the process should look similar to the following:
Once a customer has placed an order, they’ll be notified in real-time via e-mail, text message or push notification when it is ready for collection.
In the meantime, store associates can swiftly prepare, pick and pack orders with the information provided, including item barcode, SKU or unique identifier, and item image.
Customer Support will have access to a centralised dashboard to remotely edit, cancel or substitute orders. Store management and head office can easily glean insights into real-time performance and analytics.
BOPIS has a number of potential benefits for customers and retailers alike. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
With 70% of customers stating that BOPIS has improved their shopping experiences, it is no surprise that it has become so popular amongst shoppers. But, how can it help retailers?
It is clear that BOPIS offers remarkable opportunities to drive additional sales as a customer enters the store to collect their order. The right fulfillment system can make the difference between success and setback. PredictSpring offers a fast, convenient and robust solution for retailers and brands looking to offer BOPIS and other fulfillment capabilities.
Statistics from: https://fitsmallbusiness.com/bopis-statistics/
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