BOPIS: a trend transforming the retail experience


As advanced in a previous article, BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In Store) has become an essential part of the smart shopping experience. This technology allows customers to browse through products, choose and complete a purchase online. Then, they can go to the store at a time suitable for them to pick up their item. As such, they do not have to waste time in the outlet or in checkout lines.

A survey by TotalRetail revealed that 68% of shoppers processed several BOPIS purchases. Moreover, 50% opted to buy at an online shop because of the availability of in-store pick-up. According to another firm, Retail Touchpoints, 90% of retailers plan to implement this solution by 2021. In most European countries, this system is called “click and collect” and it is already an established shopping pattern.

An emerging technology that allows brands to introduce a seamless experience is smart lockers. These give consumers the opportunity to pick up their items more easily. Some firms combine this system with machine learning to enhance the BOPIS service. The process is very simple. When a customer places an order online, the retailer prepares it and secure the item into one of the lockers. The client can unlock this using a smartphone app or a keypad when they collect the product.



Smart lockers enhance the BOPIS experience

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