BOPIS: Retail's Next Frontier of Competitive Advantage

A shopper visits a retail store after researching online and doesn't like anything he sees. An associate then offers to show him additional collections on an iPad. Scanning online offerings and reviews, the shopper decides to buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS) the same day.

Such shoppers are increasingly common in the U.S. and UK. In the realm of omnichannel shopping, the ability for consumers to research, select, reserve and pay for products online, then pick up in-store is an innovation that elegantly addresses the mind-set of today's shoppers. Nearly 80 percent of purchases are researched online, and one of consumers’ objections to purchasing online is they haven't touched or seen the product. Shoppers can also become highly frustrated when a product they want is out of stock at the store.