Buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) is a retail fulfillment method that allows customers to purchase items online and pick them up at a nearby physical store, often the same day. BOPIS enables customers to skip shipping fees, receive their orders faster, and choose when and where to pick up their orders. For retailers, it\u2019s a powerful omnichannel retail strategy that increases foot traffic, reduces last-mile delivery costs, and turns physical retail locations into efficient fulfillment hubs.<\/p>\n
What this guide covers:<\/b><\/p>\n While you may have heard of BOPIS, you might not have a clear idea of what it really is. At a basic level, BOPIS is fairly straightforward: buy online, pickup in\u2013store. A BOPIS option allows a shopper to make a purchase online and pick up their order in-store. The order can be picked up in several ways: from a designated customer service or BOPIS pickup area, curbside pickup, or even using retail lockers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Customers can find out if a retailer has a BOPIS offering by checking for additional shipping options during online checkout. If BOPIS is available, a shopper can add items to their cart online, select in-store or curbside pickup, and complete the rest of their checkout process normally. When the order is ready for pickup, the consumer receives a notification and can pick it up at their convenience during the store\u2019s business hours.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that, in order to offer BOPIS, retailers must have both an online and a physical storefront. In other words, BOPIS usually isn\u2019t available for online-only stores. If retailers want to benefit from this offering, they must understand the best practices of adopting a BOPIS model<\/a>.<\/p>\n If an item is in stock at a local store and a customer wants to pick up their order at that store, a store associate will receive the order, retrieve the item or items, and then prepare the order for pickup. Stores are typically able to process order fulfillment in 1-3 hours. If an item is not in stock at the local store, the customer can choose to have their item\/items shipped to that store, though that customer may have to wait a few days until their order is available for pickup.<\/p>\n When the customer arrives to pick up the order, they can choose from several BOPIS options depending on the store. Some retailers provide curbside pickup<\/a>, where customers park in designated parking areas near the store entrance, and a store associate brings the order out to their vehicle. Other stores may require customers to pick up their order in-store by visiting the customer service desk or by using BOPIS retail lockers<\/a>.<\/p>\n BOPIS in retail is more than just a convenient order fulfillment option; it\u2019s a critical component of a modern omnichannel retail strategy. Today\u2019s shoppers expect seamless online experiences that connect effortlessly with in-person retail, allowing them to move between digital and physical store locations without friction. BOPIS allows retailers to bridge that gap. Customers can browse an online store, check product availability at nearby store locations, and pick up their purchases on their own schedule\u2014often the same day.<\/p>\n An effective omnichannel retail strategy ensures that customers can:<\/p>\n BOPIS enables customers to control how and when they receive their orders, and \u2013most notably \u2013 increases the speed of order fulfillment; many BOPIS orders are available within a matter of hours. Meanwhile, retailers benefit from increased sales and stronger engagement at physical store locations. When implemented correctly, BOPIS can help retailers turn their stores into powerful fulfillment hubs that support both digital and in-person retail growth.<\/p>\n Brick-and-mortar retailers<\/a> have been steadily innovating their online storefronts and service offerings to make them a more integrated part of their customers\u2019 shopping experience. As a matter of fact, BOPIS services were developed to give retailers an additional way to compete with fast-fulfillment eCommerce retailers, many of whom could ship items next-day to customers. In particular, this service benefits retailers that cannot offer the same expedited, free shipping options that online retailers and logistics providers do, as the overhead costs often prove prohibitive.<\/p>\n One of the most important BOPIS benefits<\/a> is same-day order fulfillment. Because customers are looking for convenience and speed in their online shopping experiences, they want a shopping experience that is as convenient and frictionless as possible. In other words, online shoppers are looking for a shopping experience that offers as close to instant gratification as possible. BOPIS does just that.<\/p>\n Most importantly, BOPIS services help retailers blur the lines between the digital and the physical, ultimately providing a more seamless shopping experience. And now, in light of the pandemic, this service offers even greater advantages like contactless delivery, which provides added safety and security for customers and grocery store associates.<\/p>\n Beyond the impacts of the pandemic, retailers can realize a number of other important benefits by leveraging buy online, pick up in\u2013store:<\/p>\n First, understand that last-mile shipping costs represent a significant expense for retailers. What this means is getting items to a fulfillment center costs far less than getting that same item from a fulfillment center to a residential address. However, last-mile shipping costs could be significantly reduced or avoided altogether if items were shipped directly to a store for pickup. Put another way, in-store pickup options allow brick-and-mortar retailers to offer a fast, free competitive shopping option without hurting their bottom line.<\/p>\n In addition to operational efficiencies, BOPIS can directly impact retail sales by creating more opportunities for in-store engagement. When customers visit a physical store location to pick up their purchases, they are more likely to browse and make additional purchases beyond their original order.<\/p>\n Instead of a transaction ending at checkout, BOPIS extends the shopping experience into the store, where customers can discover new products, take advantage of promotions, or interact with staff. Over time, this can increase average order value and strengthen customer loyalty. BOPIS also helps reduce cart abandonment by giving shoppers more flexibility in how they receive their orders. Offering options like same-day pickup or designated pickup areas can remove common friction points such as shipping costs or delivery delays.<\/p>\n Another key advantage of BOPIS is its impact on inventory management. To support BOPIS effectively, retailers must integrate their online and in-store inventory management systems<\/a>, creating a single, unified view of product availability across all physical retail locations.<\/p>\n In the past, retailers managed separate inventory systems \u2014 distribution centers handled online orders, while stores relied solely on what was available on shelves. BOPIS has eliminated this divide, allowing retailers to merge these systems and use store inventory to fulfill online orders.<\/p>\n As a result, retailers can now offer greater product availability and flexibility. If an item is out of stock at a warehouse, it can be fulfilled from a nearby store or made available for pickup. This not only improves the customer experience but also reduces missed sales opportunities. For retailers, this integrated approach provides better visibility into inventory and enables more efficient fulfillment across channels, ultimately supporting both online and in-person retail growth.<\/p>\n By offering a BOPIS service, you are guaranteed to improve customer satisfaction by addressing a key customer pain point: speed of order fulfillment. BOPIS allows customers to receive their item or items much faster than they would by choosing home delivery. This is especially true if the item is physically on the shelves of their preferred or local store. In these situations, customers can pick up their items within a matter of hours instead of waiting several days like they would with a retailer who only provides home delivery services. BOPIS options are also convenient because they give the customer flexibility in how they shop. They can place an order via online shopping, then pick up their item on their lunch break or during a quick stop on the way home after work.<\/p>\n Lastly, customers will have greater peace-of-mind knowing that their item will be safe, secure, and in-stock when they visit the store. One of the challenges both shippers and online retailers are running into is finding ways to make sure that customer packages are secured once they have been delivered. As online shopping has increased, so too have instances where packages are stolen right off of a customer\u2019s doorstep. This problem is so commonplace that many people are enhancing their home security systems with outward\u2013facing cameras to capture video of package thefts in the act.<\/p>\n Although a BOPIS strategy may seem to only offer advantages, this isn\u2019t quite the case. While much of the recent emphasis in emerging trends has been on popular retailers shifting to offer BOPIS services for their customers, there are other alternatives on the horizon that offer improvements for both retailers, shippers, and consumers. One of the challenges that all three of these methods face is getting packages to the customer as fast as possible.<\/p>\n For retailers, BOPIS eCommerce still requires a significant labor investment to accomplish. Most stores that offer this service must train and designate staff specifically to fulfill orders for in-store pick-up. At the same time, staff is increasingly tasked with fulfilling online orders for shipment to at-home customers rather than in-store customers, causing them to have to split their time between supporting these varying customer needs. In the end, this offering can represent a significant source of overhead for retailers.<\/p>\n In addition to the need to designate specific staff to fulfill BOPIS retail orders, a second downside is that not every retailer can offer in-store pickup. For instance, how can online-only retailers offer a service with a similar level of convenience to BOPIS if they don\u2019t have a physical storefront? One alternative is to utilize parcel lockers. Some retailers, such as Amazon, have been testing the waters on this front, allowing customers to purchase an item online and pick it up from an Amazon locker at a nearby retail location (such as Whole Foods or Kohl\u2019s). This offering is beneficial for customers that want the added security and convenience that BOPIS offers.<\/p>\n In its current implementation strategies, BOPIS retail also has some disadvantages for consumers as well. While convenience is the main reason this service has become so popular, this convenience is often offset by how long it takes to actually pick up an order. For many retailers, BOPIS orders must be picked up at a customer service desk. This is usually the desk where returns are processed, which can lead to significant wait times as store associates juggle these two tasks; in fact, a recent time study revealed that BOPIS shoppers believe that in-store order pick-up takes 2-5 minutes. Curbside pickup faces a similar challenge: while the customer never has to leave their vehicle, customers believe that online order-pickup takes 8-12 minutes \u2013 a lifetime for today\u2019s time-pressed consumers.<\/p>\n Retailers can also experience some difficulty in combining the online and in-store shopping experience. For example, if you make a purchase online and choose an in-store pickup option, but later realize you need to add items to your order, it can be unwieldy to pick up your online order and then proceed to go grab additional items. The inconvenience of running your payment method twice, or waiting in two lines, can sometimes offset the convenience that BOPIS is intended to provide.<\/p>\n One way that some retailers are choosing to address the deficiencies in BOPIS is by utilizing a parcel locker<\/a> in-store. Enter BOPIS retail lockers, like Buy Online, Pick-up in Locker (BOPIL) by Parcel Pending.<\/p>\n BOPIS retail lockers<\/a>, at their core, are a new way for brick-and-mortar retailers with an online presence to offer convenience for their shoppers. What sets BOPIL apart from other shipping services that have emerged in recent years is that it represents a new fusion of a store\u2019s online and physical storefronts. It does so by creating a more frictionless shopping experience that collapses the boundaries between making a purchase online and in-store. This is why major retailers, like Lowe\u2019s Home Improvement, are looking for electronic locker<\/a> solutions to provide greater convenience for customers while not compromising on-brand experience.<\/p>\n \u201cWith more than 60% of online orders picked up in our stores, [the lockers] gives customers one more option and the added convenience and flexibility to control how and when they get that order,\u201d said Joe McFarland, Lowe\u2019s Executive Vice President of Stores, on their decision to partner with Parcel Pending<\/a> to offer in-store pick-up via smart locker for their customers.<\/p>\n Order pick-up with BOPIL is simple and safe:<\/p>\n BOPIL eliminates the need for individuals picking up orders to wait in line at the customer service desk, while still offering the same level of security and an even greater level of convenience. This added convenience creates a more frictionless shopping experience for customers.<\/p>\n Additionally, in light of the impact that last-mile shipping fees have, alternatives like Buy Online, Pick-up in Locker (BOPIL)<\/a> offer a way to minimize last-mile shipping costs while still delivering convenience. By having retailers (both online and brick-and-mortar) funnel multiple orders through one store pickup location, BOPIL helps retailers realize significant savings on last mile delivery costs.<\/p>\n\n
Buy Online Pickup In-Store, Explained<\/b><\/h2>\n
How Does BOPIS Work for Customers?<\/b><\/h2>\n
BOPIS as a Core Omnichannel Retail Strategy<\/b><\/h2>\n
Why BOPIS Matters for Omnichannel Success<\/b><\/h3>\n
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What are the Advantages of Providing BOPIS?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Reduced Last-Mile Shipping Costs<\/b><\/h3>\n
Retail Sales and Customer Engagement<\/b><\/h3>\n
Integrated Inventory Management<\/b><\/h3>\n
Faster, More Flexible Order Fulfillment<\/b><\/h3>\n
Secure Order Pick-Up<\/b><\/h3>\n
What are the Downsides of BOPIS and BOPIS Alternatives?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Impact on Store Efficiency<\/b><\/h3>\n
Brick-and-Mortar Only<\/b><\/h3>\n
Wait Time<\/b><\/h3>\n
Updating Orders<\/b><\/h3>\n
How Buy Online, Pick-up in Locker (BOPIL) Can Help<\/b><\/h2>\n
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