Using click and collect to expand your business
Having an online store has many benefits, and one of these benefits is a variety of delivery options you can choose from to get your items to customers. One of these options is click and collect, or in-store pickup, where customers come to you to get their order once it’s ready.
Click and collect is a great way to expand your business and get customers interacting with you even if they’re shopping online. Local pickup may also be more convenient for customers, because once their order is ready they can pick it up when they have time, instead of waiting for a delivery person arriving ‘sometime today’.
The buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) model is an especially good shipping option for small businesses.
What is BOPIS and why is it good?
If you’re a small business, you should consider adopting BOPIS because you won’t have to deal with shipping and delivery costs, or the labour cost of using warehouse space. The lack of shipping fees is also a selling point for your customers – with in store pickup, they won’t have anything extra to pay. Customers can even use BOPIS as a way to reserve items for a specific time.
The model also makes inventory management easier, since when customers have to come in to pick up their order, there’s no difference between your online and in-store inventory. You’ll have less to keep track of and can run everything through one POS (point of sale) system.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of BOPIS is that it attracts more customers to your business. One drawback of online shopping is that your customers never see or interact with you in person. But when customers come to pick up their orders, you have the opportunity to dazzle them with all the charm and thoughtful service that they miss by shopping online.
Another good thing about having customers physically visit your store is that something else in your store might catch their eye. Even though all your items are visible online, it’s more likely for extra purchases to happen in person because customers can see, touch, and inspect your items.
What do you need for in-store pickup?
Getting your business ready for in-store pickup is easy. All you need before you can offer it is:
A physical location: Ideally this would be your normal store, so that customers have a chance to interact with you, but you can also use a certain location (like a package collecting station) as a pickup point.
An online store: This is where your customers will initially place their orders for pickup. You can make one in just five minutes with SumUp Online Store, and you don’t need any special training or technical expertise.
Real-time inventory: You want both your in-store and online inventory to be the same at all times so customers always know what’s in stock and you’ll never have to say “sorry, we’re out”. To do this, make sure your POS system and online store can be integrated. Then you can automate updates to your stock when orders are placed and new items come in.
How to set up in-store pickup with SumUp Online Store
Our online store platform makes customising your shipping preferences easy. All you need to do is:
Open the ‘Online Store’ tab in the SumUp App or Dashboard (depending on if you’re on a mobile or a computer).
Go to ‘Settings’ and select ‘Shipping and pickup’.
Click ‘add pickup method’ to give your customers a location where they can get their orders. You can be as detailed as you like regarding opening hours, average wait times, and anything else you want customers to know about your business.
Just like that, you’re ready to combine the convenience of shopping online with the personal touch of face-to-face service. Your customers and your wallet will thank you.
Level up your business with a SumUp Online Store.
