Click and collect, or buy online pick up in-store, has now become more and more popular in the retail industry. While the core click and collect principle is fairly consistent, it has become clear that how it is implemented can vary significantly. Because of the model’s adaptability, each store can use it in a way that benefits their business. We’ll take a look at how five famous companies are addressing click and collect in their own operation in this blog as inspiring examples.
Overview
What is click and collect?
In brief, click and collect is a retail service that allows customers to ‘click’ and buy items online, then ‘collect’ them from a shop or warehouse rather than having them delivered.
For example, curbside pickup is a type of click and collect. It is a form of contactless pickup that does not need customers to leave their car and is quite popular in the United States. Orders purchased online are either placed in the trunk or handed through the window.
Click and collect usually consists of three steps:
- A customer orders your products online using a website, ordering page, or app and selects pickup as a delivery option.
- The consumer should get an order confirmation with collection details after paying for the transaction online. The firm receives the details of the order and prepares the item for collection.
- The customer goes to the pickup location and picks up the things in person, usually after receiving purchase confirmation.
In reality, businesses often use a point of sale (POS) system to handle the complexity of click and collect. This is because processing click and collect orders manually can result in a higher level of errors and be really time-consuming. Many powerful POS systems, such as ConnectPOS, can simplify the process by allowing employees to track and control click and collect orders within a few clicks. Real-time synchronization makes sure that staff and customers can stay updated with the inventory level.
Now that you know the basics of click and collect, here’s the 5 most outstanding click and collect business examples.
5 most outstanding click and collect business examples
Stop & Shop
Stop & Shop, in collaboration with their sister brand Peapod, is among one of the most outstanding click and collect examples. Peapod customers can choose “pickup” for their local store as part of their Peapod order. After that, they can drive to their local Stop & Shop and have the staff put items into their car. Interestingly, Stop & Shop claimed that consumers can have a more variety of fresh products including precut fruit, prepared meals, and entertaining trays – which are all available at their local shop.
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Customers can park in one of four to six designated “Grocery Pickup” parking places and then call to let the shop staff know they’ve arrived. Fast and convenience – this is how Stop & Shop has gathered a lot of loyal customers.
Walmart
Walmart, a big American retail corporation, is another outstanding player in click and collect, thanks to its robotic Pickup Towers. This technology allows shoppers to collect their items without having to wait in lines or ask employees.
Walmart provides a free grocery pick-up service that takes advantage of its wide store areas and accessibility to consumers. It’s paying off for Walmart, as studies have found that click-and-collect baskets have a greater order value than in-store baskets.
Walmart also started testing a new robotic order picking technology named Alphabot last year. The brand has the opportunity to significantly expand its operations by streamlining the order fulfillment process. As a result, it might provide clients with more convenience by shortening the time between placing an order and picking it up.
Zara
Zara, a Spanish apparel shop, is another example among a few merchants experimenting with using robotics to improve the click and collect experience.
Customers can skip the usual customer service lines and acquire their click and collect orders by using automated collection terminals located in shops. Customers utilize the collecting points to input a confirmation number or scan their QR code after placing their order online. The order is subsequently retrieved from behind the scenes and delivered to the consumer by a robot.
This simple yet effective solution alleviates a major pain point associated with click and collect. In addition, it also allows workers to focus on other responsibilities.
Apple
Even Apple, the world’s largest electronics company, is getting serious about click and collect. In California, the firm recently revealed that it was testing a new Express shop concept. The shop has been divided to provide a small area for online order pickup alone.
Customers are only permitted to access the area if they have placed an online order for Express Pickup or if they have scheduled a tech support session. The area is designed to accelerate order fulfillment, which is a new strategy for the company.
Although the presentation is a touch rough around the edges, the speed with which Apple was able to rotate the room for the experiment is inspiring. This example shows that experimenting with new click-and-collect models does not have to be a time-consuming and costly process.
Starbucks
With its Mobile Order & Pay technology, Starbucks, a well-known coffee brand, has one of the most effective click and collect options available. Customers may put their beverages orders ahead of time and come into the store to pick them up. After that, the consumer can skip the line and have their drink right away.
Starbucks has since established small part of their facilities devoted to the pickup concept, as it has become such a popular and profitable option. Customers who want to pick up their beverages from Starbucks must first place an order using the company’s app. Because the areas are built for rapid turnover of guests, there is no seating.
Howeverm this Starbucks’ innovative strategy demonstrates how adaptable click and collect can be, from boosting an existing shop experience to launching a whole new brand experience.
Wrapping up
When it comes to click and collect, there is no such thing as one size fits all. In a variety of ways, retailers are implementing the principle of buy online and pick up in-store into their operations. Click and collect has shown to be a very flexible model that can be adapted by any retailer, from automated solutions to curbside pickup, contactless systems to small shop designs. Above all, we hope that the 5 click and collect examples can truly inspire you.
Are you ready to leverage your store with click and collect? As a leading point of sale provider for omnichannel retail businesses, ConnectPOS takes pride in the top-notch click and collect features and many more. If you are interested, don’t hesitate to contact our team for more information!