BOPIS: An Effective Purchase Option for Both Retailers and Shoppers (if Done Right)

Buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) is a valuable omnichannel concept that benefits both retailers and shoppers. For retailers, BOPIS can lead to more in-store transactions. BOPIS does what many brick-and-mortar retailers are struggling to do organically — get shoppers into their stores. Once they’re in the store, consumers are likely to browse and make an impulse purchase.

For shoppers, purchasing online and picking up in-store allows them to forego checkout lines, eliminate delivery wait times and save money on shipping costs. To gain a better understanding of shopper habits relating to BOPIS, we at ChargeItSpot have conducted our own “Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store” report. For the survey, we collected responses from more than 2,000 shoppers at 20 malls across the country.

Here’s what we learned:

• Sixty percent of shoppers have never used BOPIS: Of the shoppers polled, 60 percent said they have never used BOPIS — showing that while BOPIS has the potential to be an effective tool for retailers, it still has a long way to go. By further promoting and encouraging customer use of these programs, retailers can more effectively increase their sales. As the BOPIS adoption rate grows, it will allow retailers to manage consumer fulfillment by merging online and in-store inventory, and offer their customers a more fluid, multichannel shopping experience.

• Shoppers spend more while picking up in-store: Though most shoppers aren't using BOPIS, those who do are likely to make an additional purchase while they are in-store picking up their order. Seventy-five percent of those who have used BOPIS purchased something else while in-store. Shoppers between the ages of 50 and 65 were most likely to make an additional purchase while using BOPIS, with 79 percent of respondents in that age bracket having done so. Seventy-five percent of shoppers from ages 18 to 34 made additional purchases after using BOPIS, followed by 63 percent of shoppers aged 35 to 49.

• Shoppers between the ages of 35 and 49 use BOPIS the most: Shoppers from ages 35 to 49 use BOPIS more than any other age group, with 49 percent having used the service. Shoppers in the 35 to 49 age group benefit most from the convenience of BOPIS. They’re the most likely to work full time and have families, leaving them less time to go to stores and shop. Picking up an order that they placed online can be an easier option in their busy lives. Millennial shoppers (18 to 34) use BOPIS the second most (42 percent), followed by shoppers between the ages of 50 and 65 (39 percent).

There remains an untapped opportunity for both retailers and shoppers to take advantage of BOPIS. As the benefits of BOPIS become clearer, this shopping method will become more commonplace within the retail industry.

Douglas Baldasare is the CEO and founder of ChargeItSpot, a provider of secure cell phone charging stations for retail stores across the U.S.