How to Boost Sales by Introducing ‘Buy Online, Pick Up in-Store’ Option

With eCommerce being increasingly popular with each passing day, customer's expectations and demands have also shot up. Providing the option of 'Buy Online, Pick Up in Store' or BOPIS as it is popularly called, you will reap huge benefits in terms of profits and increased customer satisfaction. According to a recent study, digital shoppers prefer this new option of in-store pick up to save shipping costs and time. Now, let us look at how the 'Buy Online, Pick Up in Store' option can boost your sales.

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How does BOPIS benefit sales?

1. Reduces Shipping Costs

The most significant reason for BOPIS gaining popularity among retailers is that you can reduce the shipping cost to a great extent. You can use your brick and mortar shops to meet with the orders of digital shoppers. Since the consumers would come at your doorstep to collect their orders, you can save the shipping charges from a centralized distribution center.

Another eye-catchy area where you can save a lot of expense is the reduction of last-mile delivery cost. This final leg in the delivery process comes with high expenses. So, with BOPIS, you can avoid last-mile delivery costs since the customers come to your store to pick up their orders.

Additionally, in cities like Raleigh, where you can encounter heavy traffic, home delivery may not be as quick as it might seem, which will add to the customer dissatisfaction. Here, BOPIS can come to your rescue as you need not worry about the doorstep delivery.

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2. Customers are Likely to Purchase Additional Items

As simple as it sounds, this is one of the basic and greatest advantages that adding the BOPIS option can bring to you. Around 85 percent of the customers purchase additional items other than the ones they have ordered.

It can also result in more in-store sales as the customers will get a clear idea about how your business works. It can unquestioningly increase your sales as well as credibility as customers will also get a one-to-one shopping experience.

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BOPIS can invariably increase impulse shopping. When the customers come to your shop to collect their orders, they will automatically be lured into buying more as they get to see a wide variety of products that you trade in. Also, it will be easier for you to upsell and persuade customers into buying something extra or even expensive. Hence, it is one of the basic advantages that BOPIS offers to you through which you can increase sales.

3. Reduce Return Volume of Products

Customers returning the item that they bought or asking for an exchange can be a bit of a burden for you. But with the Buy Online and Pick up In-Store, you will be relieved of such situations. This option enables customers to check the product properly before buying. So, it saves you from the extra cost of shipping the arrived product back to the distribution center. You will also be saved from the trouble of the repackaging cost.

Indirectly, the click and collect option will help you to get away with unwanted expenditure or any additional cost that is uncalled for. BOPIS option will also result in maintaining the safety of the products. You need not trouble yourself with the thought of whether the products will be damaged in the last mile shipping process. You can fulfill your duties and responsibilities properly, thereby ensuring customer satisfaction.

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4. Strengthen customer experience

With the 'Buy Online, Pick Up in Store' option, you can enhance the customer experience both in your eCommerce website and in your brick and mortar store. Smooth navigation through your online store to a good shopping experience in your physical store can earn you brownie points among the customers. Enhancing your website performance is imperative to hook your customers onto your website. At eComIntegrate, we help you optimize your eCommerce website, thereby boosting online traffic.

Those who have had a happy and satisfied shopping experience are likely to revisit your store, giving a great boost to your sales. You will have a chance to interact with your in-store customers, which can influence their perception of your business. Unlike other options, the click and collect option has this twin benefit of increasing online as well as foot traffic to your store.

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5. Proper inventory management

Managing inventory is the basic and foremost requirement for any business. Also, keeping a constant eye on it can be a little intimidating as well. But the click and collect option will save from the perils of mismanaging inventory.

By implementing BOPIS, you are now freed from the burden of managing different systems for online and in-store inventory. Everything can now be under one roof and hence, you will have a better understanding of the stock. Indirectly, you can also save yourself from the embarrassment of facing an 'out-of-stock' situation, resulting in better customer experience.

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BOPIS increases foot traffic to your store. This is the best way to liquidate any aging inventory by convincing your customers or luring them by offering discounts. The click and collect option will give you better access to your inventory and you can take care of pitfalls if any.

Summing-up

In today’s world, buyers are more informed about any product than never before. They will not settle for anything less. Hence, it is necessary that you have to adapt to the changing trends.

As shopping habits change, adapting the new methods can bring about a great shift in sales. If you haven’t provided the BOPIS option in your eCommerce website as yet, eComIntegrate is here to help you scale up by integrating the option to your website. Since click-and-collect is the next big thing, you can reap more benefits than you ever imagined.