How to Drive Foot Traffic with BOPIS (Buy Online Pickup in Store)

BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store), also known as click and collect or ROPIS (reserve online, pick up in store), helps online shoppers avoid delays and fees while giving them the opportunity to confirm their orders and check for item availability. Essentially, it combines online and physical stores to give customers more options and flexibility.

For businesses, BOPIS can enhance the customer experience, improve inventory management, and help bring more foot traffic into stores. When someone buys online and picks it up in-store, they’ll see all the products you sell, piquing their interest and enticing them to browse your selection.

So what is BOPIS for retail stores, and how can you start using it to increase sales while enhancing the customer experience? Keep reading to learn more about BOPIS shopping and its benefits, challenges, and best practices.

What is BOPIS?

BOPIS shopping is when a customer buys online and picks it up in-store. They can purchase items from your store on your website, then confirm their pickup time and visit your store once they receive a notification that it’s ready.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of BOPIS in retail stores because it enabled customers to keep shopping while social distancing. Now, many major retailers, including your favorites like Target, Sephora, Walmart, Nordstrom, and even restaurants, use a BOPIS strategy with in-person pickup, with global BOPIS retail sales expected to reach more than $700 billion by 2027.

The numbers on BOPIS don’t lie; online shoppers want to buy online and pick up orders in a designated area to avoid long checkout lines and chaotic shopping aisles.

You can even implement curbside pickup to make the shopping experience even more convenient for your customers.

How does BOPIS retail work?

The BOPIS shopping experience expands your customers’ choices by giving them more flexibility in how they shop and how quickly they want to receive their items. In general, the BOPIS process for customers works exactly like e-commerce until the final steps.

1. Customer places an order online: The customer visits your online store or app to browse and purchase products. At checkout, they select "in-store pickup" and choose their preferred time and location. Real-time inventory updates help them find the most convenient physical store with the items in stock.
2. The store fulfills the order: Once the order is placed, a store associate locates the items and prepares them for pickup. The customer then receives an automated email or text notification confirming the order is ready for collection.
3. Order pickup: The customer visits the store to collect their items. To ensure a smooth experience, provide a clearly marked, dedicated pickup area. While curbside pickup offers added convenience, remember that in-store pickup provides a valuable opportunity for customers to browse additional products while they are on-site.
4. Post-purchase follow-up and feedback: After the pickup is complete, send a brief follow-up email to gather feedback on the experience. This is a natural moment to keep the conversation going by recommending related products or highlighting current promotions.

Benefits of BOPIS for businesses

BOPIS caters to customers' needs while boosting retailers' bottom lines. Bridging online and physical stores gives customers the flexibility to purchase online and pick up on their own schedule while giving businesses a real edge. 

Here are some of the biggest benefits of adding BOPIS to your retail strategy:

• Increased store traffic: When customers come in to collect their orders, many will browse while they're there. That in-store experience opens the door to impulse purchases and product discovery that would never happen with a standard delivery.
• Improved inventory management: BOPIS relies on up-to-date inventory, which pushes businesses to keep their stock levels accurate across all channels. Better inventory visibility means fewer disappointed customers and a smoother experience overall — both online and offline.
• Lower shipping costs: BOPIS caters to consumers in many ways, even offering them the option to save money on their purchases. Shipping fees are one of the top reasons customers don't finish checking out. When customers pick up their orders in the store, you cut out the shipping cost entirely, which removes a common barrier to completing a purchase.
• A better customer journey: The BOPIS model lets customers shop on their terms — browsing online at their own pace, then picking up in person when it's convenient. They can inspect their order before leaving the store, and if something isn't right, they can handle it on the spot. That kind of convenience goes a long way toward meeting customer expectations and building long-term loyalty.
• Stronger customer engagement: Following up after pickup keeps customers connected to your brand. The BOPIS fulfillment option naturally creates more touchpoints throughout the shopping experience, which can help elevate online businesses looking to build better relationships with their customers and improve overall customer satisfaction.

How BOPIS compares to other omnichannel fulfillment models

BOPIS is one piece of a larger omnichannel retail picture. Understanding how it fits alongside other fulfillment options can help you decide which combination works best for your business and your customers.

BOPIS vs. BORIS (Buy Online, Return In-Store)

BOPIS and BORIS work well together, but they serve different parts of the customer journey. BOPIS is about getting products into customers' hands quickly and conveniently, while BORIS is about making it easy for them to return those products in person if something isn't right.

Offering both signals to customers that you stand behind what you sell, which can actually increase their confidence when purchasing online.

Curbside pickup vs. in-store pickup

Curbside pickup and in-store pickup are both BOPIS variations, but they offer different experiences.

Curbside is faster and more convenient for customers who are short on time, while in-store pickup brings customers through your doors and gives them a chance to browse. The right choice depends on your customers' preferences, and many retailers offer both to cover their bases.

ROPIS (Reserve Online, Pay In-Store)

ROPIS takes a slightly different approach: customers reserve an item online but complete the purchase in person. This works well for shoppers who want to guarantee an item is waiting for them but prefer to pay at the register.

For retailers, ROPIS can drive foot traffic and create additional in-store selling opportunities, even if it adds a small layer of complexity to the checkout process.

Challenges of implementing BOPIS

BOPIS is a highly effective strategy for attracting customers and improving customer retention. However, there are several challenges small business owners may face when implementing BOPIS for the first time, such as:

Sufficient storage capacity

Sufficient storage capacity can be a real headache for BOPIS retailers. With a large number of online orders to fulfill, retailers need to allocate physical space in their stores to hold these products.

This can be a challenge during peak shopping seasons, as it requires efficient use of storage facilities without hindering in-store operations. Retailers may need to optimize their storage areas or invest in additional facilities to keep up with demand. Failure to address storage issues can lead to delayed or canceled orders, frustrated customers, and lost sales opportunities.

Integration with legacy systems

With old inventory management and point-of-sale systems, integrating BOPIS features can be complex and require significant IT expertise. Outdated systems can also lead to incorrect inventory information being displayed online, causing trouble for customers and fulfillment teams.

Inventory synchronization

Most brick-and-mortar stores use inventory management systems that track warehouse inventory and store floor inventory. However, when you implement BOPIS, more customers will be using your website, so your system must integrate with your online store to ensure items are in stock and find the best pickup location for customers.

Staff training and management

When implementing a BOPIS order fulfillment strategy, you’ll need to train your staff on how to handle orders. Many companies hire a store associate to handle all BOPIS orders. When customers purchase online, that person begins the shopping process and fulfills the order for the customer.

Advertisement to create customer awareness

Your customers won’t use BOPIS shopping if they don’t know about it. Once you’ve implemented BOPIS, you should create marketing campaigns to spread awareness about your new checkout and pickup option.

Your advertising strategy should focus on customers within your geographic area. If you invest in digital advertising, you can use geotargeting to attract customers most likely to visit your store based on where they live, work, or play.

You can also use product retargeting to bring customers back to your website after they’ve viewed a product but didn’t complete checkout.

BOPIS best practices

Implementing BOPIS for retail stores is a large investment, but it’s well worth it to help you attract and retain customers by offering them convenience and flexibility. Use these BOPIS best practices to create a better customer experience:

Streamlined order fulfillment process

The whole point of BOPIS is to make shopping more convenient for your customers. Having a streamlined order fulfillment process ensures customers can pick up their orders at a time that’s most convenient for them.

During the checkout process, you can let your customers choose the day and time for pickup. However, since picking and packing the order can take some time, especially if there are multiple BOPIS orders, it’s always best to leave a store associate with a buffer, giving them a minimum amount of time to get everything prepared for the customer.

Clear communication with customers

You should have clear communication with customers about how the process works. You can include information on your checkout page to set their expectations. In addition, you should send them notifications about their order to help them determine if the order was received and when and where they can pick it up.

Robust inventory management system

You must have a robust inventory management system when using BOPIS because it’ll enable you to track inventory across multiple channels. Your inventory management system must be able to track in-store and online purchases and update your website to ensure customers aren’t placing orders for out-of-stock items.

Additionally, your inventory management system should alert you when an item needs to be reordered from another store or shipped from the warehouse.

User-friendly website and mobile app

BOPIS combines e-commerce with a traditional retail experience, so you’ll need a user-friendly website and mobile app to ensure your customers can find the items they’re looking for and checkout easily.

Many of your customers will be shopping online using their smartphones, so your website should have fast load speeds and a good overall user experience.

Revolutionize your retail strategy with BOPIS

BOPIS combines the best of online shopping and brick-and-mortar retail. Offering a BOPIS shopping experience gives customers convenience and flexibility while bringing foot traffic into your store.

There are two essential components of any BOPIS strategy: your retail location and an online store; both must offer unparalleled customer experiences that keep customers coming back for more.

Are you ready to begin using BOPIS? Use our suite of tools to help build your website and grow your audience. Mailchimp makes it easy to create good online shopping experiences and integrate your website with your inventory management system to track online and offline sales, improving the customer experience and helping you sell more.