Curbside pickup
Best practices and process flows for an omnichannel use case that is no longer a “nice to have”
But now, for cautious consumers, BOPIS popularity is surging. BOPIS orders, which include curbside, were up 87% YoY from late February to March 29.
Source: USA Today
And – suddenly – everyone is getting creative.
Source: Forbes
Just a few short months ago, curbside pickup was a big business in grocery, drug and big box retail, but rarely seen in specialty.
$35 Billion in 2020.
April 2019 forecasts predicted curbside in the US to reach
Predominantly in grocery, drug and big box categories.
87%
BOPIS
Most importantly, curbside pickup protects both customers and store associates. Hence, retailers in all categories are scrambling to offer it…by any means possible.
Next: BOPAC value to retail
BOPAC value
Home
Best practices
Customer journey
Early movers
How Aptos can help
Close
Continue
BOPAC value to retail
Buy Online Pickup at Curbside (BOPAC) has meaningful near-term value to retail by keeping stores relevant, utilizing "frozen" inventory, saving every sale, and keeping associates - and customers - safe.
The time is now to capitalize on near- and long-term opportunities, as shopping behaviors have shifted. As China begins to re-open their economy, contactless orders remain as high as 50% of total sales as consumers continue to use shopping behaviors they adopted during quarantine.
An added bonus:
BOPAC as alternative to overwhelmed 3rd parties
Especially for non-essential merchandise, which will just never get priority…
Despite the upfront costs… there is real, tangible and potentially store-saving value in BOPAC.
Adding BOPAC could be the difference between selling something from your stores, or selling nothing at all. And the implications of selling nothing at all, for who knows how many more weeks, could potentially be existential for many stores.
Next: BOPAC best practices
Four key areas must be considered when implementing BOPAC:
Local public health guidelines
It’s therefore important to implement best practices
Local public health guidelines Pick, pack, hand-off processes and locations Scheduling and training store associates Clear, efficient and safe communications with customers
01
Before deciding whether to offer curbside pickup, follow the guidelines of local public-health officials. Note there will likely be different guidelines in place for different locations.
Pick, pack, hand-off processes and locations
Carefully map out pick, pack and hand-off processes & locations. First, ensure store inventory is current. Next, document the key steps of the entire fulfillment process: picking and assembling the order, packaging for pickup, curbside hand-off, while carefully evaluating safety at every step of the process.
02
Scheduling and training store associates
Plan your store schedules. Consider associate availability, anticipated order volume, and social distancing guidelines. Then, thoughtfully document every step for each associate.
03
Clear, efficient and safe communications with customers
Finally, plan the required customer communications throughout the entire journey: order confirmation, ready for pickup notice, instructions for pickup, customer arrival, and pickup confirmation.
04
Next: Customer workflow journey
1. 2. 3. 4.
Place Order Online - Curbside Pickup Customer places order online for “Curbside” pickup, selecting from eligible and available items online.
Customer email would include details such as instructions on where to park, how to let retailer know when customer has arrived, curbside pickup hours, identification details to bring, safety guidelines, etc.
Low tech, high tech, or no tech - manage each step in the process by any means necessary.
Customer Email Customer receives email with order details and directions on next steps. Options include opt-in link and integration with SMS, Mobile App, etc.
Ready For Pickup Store associate checks worklist for pending order, picks order and marks “Ready For Pickup."
Customer Notification Customer receives email notification that their order is “Ready for Pickup” with specific instructions for pickup/parking and notification that they have arrived.
Customer Arrival Customer arrives at the store, parks in designated area for curbside pickup. Customer “Checks-In” to notify store via phone call, SMS or mobile app, that they have arrived.
Store Associate Notification Store staff is notified via laptop, tablet or phone that the customer has arrived.
Complete - Curbside Pickup Store associate brings item to customer, verifies ID, and places item in car trunk.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
New Challenge
Putting it together: A customer journey workflow
Pick your tech
Next page: BOPAC early movers
A look at some of these best practices brought to life on a curbside near you.
Finally, be sure to carefully document and train your store associates on safety throughout the journey. Rules and shopper expectations vary by location, so be sure to tap into local expertise. Invest in PPE for associates and implement processes that exceed health and safety expectations.
Enter ZIP code to see if pickup is available Select pickup as delivery option Choose available time slot Follow instructions in confirmation email to alert store you’re on the way Click link to notify the store, or call Drive to designated Click & Pickup spot
BOPAC: Early movers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Shop on Halfords.com Select Click & Collect as delivery option Confirmation SMS will be sent Drive to store and park near the store Pick up item at desk near front entrance
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Fee: None Hours: Varies; sign up for available slot Same-day pickup? Yes, but depends on item / time slot availability
Fee: None Hours: Same as store hours Same-day pickup? Yes, but depends on item / time slot availability
Fee: None Hours: 11 AM - 7 PM at most stores Same-day pickup? Yes, often within 2 hours or less
Begin shopping on Kohls.com Look for items labeled “Drive Up” Wait for “Order is Ready" email Park in designated curbside pickup space Call store via number in email and alert them that you have arrived
Enter ZIP code to see if pickup is available Select pickup as delivery option Confirmation email will be sent Order ready notification will be sent via email Drive to store and park near the store Tap “I’M CURBSIDE” link in “order ready” email
Next: How Aptos can help with BOPAC
How Aptos can help you get to BOPAC fast
Aptos Point of Sale (POS) and Enterprise Order Management (EOM) solutions can help throughout the customer journey.
Place Order Online - Curbside Pickup
Ready for Pickup
Customer Arrival
Complete - Curbside Pickup
Customer Email
Customer Notification
Store Associate Notification
Aptos real-time Store Inventory
Aptos EOM Customer Comms
Aptos Order Worklist via POS, EOM
Aptos EOM Order Worklist
Implementation timelines: We can help you implement BOPAC in your stores in a matter of weeks with our Quick Start program, designed especially to meet the dynamic needs caused by the pandemic
Get there quickly
No more hacks and hassles…
Aptos is the largest provider of enterprise software focused exclusively on retail. Our cloud-based Singular Retail™ solutions are trusted by over 1,000 retail brands in over 65 countries. With industry-leading omni-channel commerce and merchandise lifecycle management solutions, we help retailers develop dynamic and responsive assortments, streamline operations and deliver integrated, seamless experiences… wherever shoppers choose to engage. More than 1,300 colleagues share our collective passion for engaging customers differently, and we are committed to developing relationships built on trust and tangible value by partnering with our clients to create agile retail enterprises that are built to thrive in an era of constant change. Learn more at aptos.com.
About Aptos
Bonus Opportunity Buy Online Ship from Store can be implemented at the same time.
