{"id":10233,"date":"2021-04-02T15:42:57","date_gmt":"2021-04-02T22:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/?p=10233"},"modified":"2025-08-07T15:05:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T15:05:07","slug":"click-collect-curbside-pick-up-vs-bopil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/en-us\/blog\/click-collect-curbside-pick-up-vs-bopil\/","title":{"rendered":"Click & Collect: Curbside Pick Up vs. Retail Parcel Lockers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated Jan 28, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n

Retail shopping has forever changed with the exponential growth of online shopping and the evolution of click and collect shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic. After all, e-commerce\u2019s share of all retail sales has now hit a jaw-dropping 23% during the third quarter of 2020.1<\/sup> Retail innovation<\/a>, such as improved technology and order fulfillment options, have revolutionized the way consumers shop.<\/p>\n

One of the most popular trends in retail innovation is \u201cclick and collect\u201d. Click and collect includes both curbside pickup as well as retail parcel lockers. However, there are key differences between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nCurbside Pickup<\/b><\/td>\nRetail Parcel Lockers<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Boosts Safety with Social Distancing<\/b><\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saves Retailer Last-Mile Costs<\/b><\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Contactless Returns<\/b><\/td>\nLimited availability, substantial wait time<\/td>\nCustomers can easily process a return within 2 minutes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Spurs Impulse Purchases<\/b><\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n61% of customers make an incremental purchase<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Retailer Labor Cost<\/b><\/td>\nSubstantial<\/td>\nMinimal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Perceived Wait Time for Customers<\/b><\/td>\n8-12 minutes<\/td>\nLess than 30 seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sales Impact & Loyalty<\/b><\/td>\n2x sales increases (approximately double)<\/td>\nCustomers are 4x more likely to purchase again if wait is under 2 minutes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Curbside Collection Process<\/b><\/h2>\n

Curbside collection for a click & collect order has improved tremendously since first introduced during the start of the pandemic in March of 2020. In those early days, customers would arrive at a retailer\u2019s parking lot, phone the local store, and then wait, hope (and pray) that the store associate would accurately deliver them the correct items. Today, the click & collect service offered by many retailers is markedly improved with online tracking apps and designated pickup locations. You can even select a preferred store to streamline pickup of your online purchase(s).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how curbside collection works:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A customer places an online order either through the website or mobile app.<\/li>\n
  2. Using real-time inventory information, retailers\u2019 sites inform customers about available store pickup options.<\/li>\n
  3. The customer selects a pickup point and time or a \u201cnotify when ready\u201d option.<\/li>\n
  4. A store associate picks and packs the order.<\/li>\n
  5. The customer is provided a collection notification via a confirmation email and\/or SMS that their order is ready for pickup at a nearby physical store.<\/li>\n
  6. The customer drives to their chosen store and awaits delivery of their order. Using the retailer\u2019s proprietary app such as Walmart or Target, the customer alerts the store that they are en route. Note: Customers believe this fulfillment process takes between 8-12 minutes.<\/i><\/li>\n
  7. A store associate (usually from the customer care team) delivers the order to the customer\u2019s car after being provided identification (such as a photo ID or driver\u2019s license) or a QR code. Note: Limited curbside support for returns; customers are normally required to enter the store or ship the order back themselves.<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"BOPIL_BOPIS_CurbsideComparison\"<\/h2>\n

    Retrieving Orders with Retail Parcel Lockers<\/b><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Customers place an online order either through the website or mobile app.<\/li>\n
    2. Using real-time inventory information, retailers\u2019 sites inform customers about available store pickup location options.<\/li>\n
    3. A store associate picks and packs the order.<\/li>\n
    4. A store associate securely places the delivery into the locker.<\/li>\n
    5. Customers are notified that their order is ready for pick-up.<\/li>\n
    6. Customers come into their designated physical store and collect their order from the collection lockers<\/a> at their convenience. Note: order pickup with retail parcel lockers typically takes less than 30 seconds.<\/i><\/li>\n
    7. Lockers also support contact-free returns, a process that also takes less than 30 seconds for a customer to complete. That means customers don\u2019t need to worry about the hassle of checking store opening hours or waiting in long lines to make a return.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The Key Advantages of Retail Parcel Lockers<\/b><\/h2>\n

      Click & collect service options solve the problem of last-mile delivery. In fact, Target estimates that it costs an average of 40% less when shoppers choose a BOPIS option, such as picking up their click & collect order curbside or in stores, compared with the average shipping costs from a warehouse.<\/p>\n