Convenience has become a top priority for consumers, changing how they shop. There is a growing preference for online ordering and quick pickup options, with services like click-and-collect — also known as buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) — becoming popular. In the United States alone, customers spent over $132 billion on click-and-collect orders in 2024, and this trend is mirrored in other economies like the U.K.
This article explores the rise of click-and-collect services, their benefits, challenges, and how shade structures can enhance the click-and-collect experience.
What Is Click-and-Collect?
Click-and-collect, or BOPIS, is a service that allows customers to purchase items online and then pick them up at a designated location, usually a store or a dedicated pickup point.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone stayed home and avoided all contact with the outside world, including shopping. Retailers saw an opportunity to ensure people could get groceries but remain safe. They offered platforms where people could order online and pick up their orders from the safety of their cars or at designated collection zones at specific times to avoid crowds, resulting in the rise of click-and-collect services.
Due to their convenience and flexibility, these services continued to grow after 2020, with 78% of leading retailers in the U.S. offering click-and-collect solutions.
The click-and-collect process involves several steps:
- Online ordering: The customer selects items on the retailer’s website or app, choosing the click-and-collect option at checkout, their preferred order collection location, and time slot.
- Order confirmation: The customer receives an order confirmation via email or the retailer’s app that includes an order number and estimated pickup time.
- Inventory check: The retailer’s system checks the availability of the ordered items at the selected pickup location. If an item is unavailable, the customer is notified and offered a refund or substitution.
- Order preparation: Once the inventory is confirmed, the store staff prepares the order. Items are collected, packaged, and labeled with the customer’s name and order number.
- Pickup notification: When the order is ready for collection, the retailer sends a notification to the customer via email, text, or their app.
- Customer pickup: The customer arrives at the designated pickup location and follows the provided instructions. They may need to show their order confirmation or identification to receive their items. Some retailers offer curbside pickup, where customers can remain in their vehicle while the order is brought to them.
- Order verification: The store staff verifies the customer’s order number and identity before handing over the items. They may also ask the customer to sign for the order.
- Post-pickup support: If a customer has issues with their order, such as missing or damaged items, they can contact the retailer’s customer support team for assistance.
Why Consumers Are Choosing Click-and-Collect
Click-and-collect retail sales are expected to surpass $154 billion in 2025 as more people adopt this service. There are several reasons why consumers are opting for click-and-collect solutions.
Convenience and Flexibility
Click-and-collect offers unparalleled convenience by allowing customers to shop online and pick up their items at a preferred location and time. It eliminates the need to browse through aisles and wait in long checkout lines, making the shopping experience more convenient and less time-consuming.
Customers can also choose pickup times that suit their schedules, giving them greater control over their shopping experience. This flexibility benefits those with busy lifestyles or limited free time.
Instant Gratification and Enhanced Safety
Unlike traditional online shopping that requires waiting for delivery, click-and-collect provides immediate satisfaction. Customers can receive their items quickly, often within hours of placing their order, without waiting for shipping.
Click-and-collect order pickup has also become a preferred option for many consumers with health concerns such as compromised immune systems, fatal diagnoses, health anxiety, or mental disorders. It minimizes the time spent in-store and reduces contact with others, providing a safer shopping experience.
Time and Cost Savings
By using click-and-collect, customers can avoid long checkout lines and the time spent browsing in-store. They can quickly enter the store, retrieve their pre-packaged order, and be on their way.
Additionally, click-and-collect often comes with reduced or waived shipping fees, helping customers save money on purchases.
Benefits of Click-and-Collect Solutions for Retailers
Implementing click-and-collect services offers several advantages for retailers compared to traditional in-store shopping or delivery.
Increased Foot Traffic and Sales
Unlike delivery services, click-and-collect order pickup can drive foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. This increased foot traffic presents upselling and cross-selling opportunities, as customers are more likely to make additional in-store purchases or visit other stores if the pickup location is at a mall. Retailers can boost sales and average order values by engaging with customers and showcasing other products.
Enhanced Cost-Effectiveness and Inventory Optimization
Implementing click-and-collect services can be a cost-effective strategy for retailers. It helps reduce shipping costs and minimize logistics challenges associated with home delivery. By encouraging customers to pick up their orders in-store, retailers can streamline their fulfillment processes and lower operational expenses.
Additionally, click-and-collect provides real-time visibility into inventory levels. By integrating online and in-store inventory systems, retailers can ensure accurate stock information and reduce the risk of overselling or stockouts. It enables retailers to optimize stock levels and minimize costs associated with excess inventory or lost sales.
Improved Customer Loyalty and Market Reach
Click-and-collect solutions provide customers with a convenient and personalized shopping experience, allowing retailers to foster stronger shopper loyalty. Satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend the service to others, improving customer retention and advocacy.
BOPIS also enables retailers to reach customers who may not have previously considered shopping with them due to location or accessibility constraints. By offering a convenient pickup option, retailers can attract new customers and expand their market reach, tapping into new customer segments.
Valuable Customer Insights and Targeted Marketing
Click-and-collect services provide retailers with valuable data on customer preferences and shopping behavior. By analyzing this data, retailers gain insights into popular products, peak collection times, and customer demographics to optimize operations, merchandise assortment, and marketing strategies.
Retailers can create targeted marketing campaigns based on click-and-collect data, which can help retailers personalize offers, improve customer engagement, and drive repeat purchases.
Challenges in Implementing Click-and-Collect
Click-and-collect has surged in popularity due to its numerous benefits for retailers and consumers. However, when implementing click-and-collect solutions in your retail store or chain, you must plan for some challenges to ensure a seamless customer experience and a profitable venture.
Inventory Management
Maintaining accurate, real-time inventory visibility across online and in-store channels can be a considerable challenge for retailers implementing click-and-collect. Disparities between online stock information and actual in-store availability lead to unfulfilled orders and disappointed customers who arrive to pick up out-of-stock items.
Delays in updating stock levels, order processing errors, or system downtime can cause inconsistencies in inventory data. Retailers with multiple locations, high transaction volumes, and complex supply chains can experience more extensive inventory management challenges.
Technology Integration
Integrating the various technologies required for click-and-collect can be daunting. E-commerce platforms, inventory management systems, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and customer communication channels often operate on different architectures and interfaces.
Enabling seamless, real-time data exchange and synchronization between systems is technically complex. Retailers may struggle with data silos, manual data entry, and customization for proper integration.
Customer Experiences
Delivering a consistent, high-quality customer experience across all click-and-collect touchpoints can be challenging. Various factors contribute to unreliable customer experiences, including:
- Unclear or confusing pickup instructions.
- Long wait times.
- Difficulty locating pickup areas.
- Handling exceptions, such as missing items, damaged products, or incorrect orders.
These inconsistencies can frustrate customers and erode trust in the BOPIS service.
Scalability
As click-and-collect volumes grow, retailers may struggle to scale their technology, fulfillment capacity, and staff to meet demand. Existing systems can struggle to handle increased transaction loads, leading to slowdowns or outages.
Fulfillment processes that work well on a small scale may be inefficient or unsustainable as order volumes surge. Staffing needs also fluctuate based on BOPIS demand, and if not properly handled, may result in understaffing or increased labor costs.
Capacity Handling
Retailers may experience a strain on their click-and-collect services during peak shopping seasons, such as holidays, sales events, or seasonal rushes. Surges in order volumes can overwhelm fulfillment capacity, leading to delays, backlogs, and customer dissatisfaction.
Stores may struggle to meet the increased demand, resulting in long collection lines, crowded staging areas, and overburdened staff. Limited storage space and pickup area capacity can exacerbate these challenges, making it difficult to accommodate the influx of orders.
Best Practices to Implement Click-and-Collect Services
To ensure a seamless click-and-collect experience and address the above challenges, retailers should adopt the following practices.
Clear Communication
Retailers must provide straightforward instructions and information to customers throughout the BOPIS process, including details on the following:
- Order and payment confirmation
- Pickup location options
- Necessary identification or verification requirements.
Transparent communication sets expectations and reduces confusion, leading to a more positive customer experience.
Staff Training
To ensure a smooth and satisfactory customer experience, retailers must train staff in order preparation, customer interaction, and troubleshooting. Proper staff training will result in a more efficient process, increasing BOPIS sales and revenue. Regular training updates can help staff stay current on updated processes or changing technology.
Designated Pickup Areas
Creating well-organized and accessible order collection areas ensures a hassle-free order collection experience. These areas should have signposts and ample space for customers to wait comfortably and collect orders.
To streamline the pickup process, have separate lanes for click-and-collect customers. Separate parking spots and a designated order collection counter facilitate a smooth in-store pickup process.
Efficient Order Fulfillment
Optimize order fulfillment processes to minimize delays and ensure orders are ready for pickup on time by:
- Assigning dedicated staff to click-and-collect orders.
- Implementing real-time inventory tracking.
- Using technology to streamline the process.
- Routinely reviewing and refining fulfillment workflows to identify bottlenecks and improve efficiency.
Flexible Pickup and Seamless Returns
Offering adaptable order collection options improves customer convenience and satisfaction. Flexible pickup options include extending collection hours, allowing customers to choose specific time slots, or offering curbside pickup for added convenience.
Providing a smooth returns and exchanges process is also crucial for customer satisfaction. Retailers should communicate the returns policy and process to customers and train staff to handle returns efficiently. Offering in-store returns for click-and-collect orders can also enhance convenience for customers.
Upgrade the Click-and-Collect Experience With Shade Structures
To improve the click-and-collect experience, retailers can invest in shade structures to provide protection and comfort for customers during the pickup process. These structures protect customers from harsh weather conditions and enhance the shopping experience, encouraging repeat visits, and positive word-of-mouth.
Moreover, well-designed shade structures contribute to the retail space’s visual appeal, reinforcing a positive brand image and attracting more customers.
Shade structures include:
- Mass coverage options: Retailers can install large-scale shade structures to cover extensive parking areas, ensuring customers are protected from the elements while waiting for their orders. These structures can be customized to match the retailer’s branding and aesthetic preferences, creating a cohesive and visually appealing environment.
- Cantilevers: Cantilever shade structures provide unobstructed movement and efficient use of space. They allow for a clear line of sight and facilitate smooth traffic flow, enhancing the pickup experience.
- Covered walkways: Install covered walkways from the store to the pickup area to enhance customer comfort and convenience. These structures offer protection from rain, sun, and other weather conditions as customers reach the order collection area, creating a more pleasant customer experience.
Retailers can incorporate solar panels into shade structures to reduce energy consumption, contributing to a more environmentally friendly retail experience. Waterproof shade structures made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are also an excellent option, as they can protect against rain, hail, and snow.
VPS Shade Structures Enhancing Click-and-Collect
VPS has been at the forefront of supporting major retailers in their click-and-collect initiatives. Our innovative shade structure solutions have improved the curbside pickup experience for customers.
- Target Corporation: The retail giant partnered with VPS to implement covered drive-up canopies nationwide. These structures protect customers from the elements, making it easier for them to pick up online purchases, make returns, and even have Starbucks delivered to their vehicles.
- Whole Foods: In partnership with VPS, Whole Foods installed covered curbside pickup in a few locations. The custom-designed canopies offer heat reduction in summer and weather protection in winter, ensuring a more comfortable and efficient order pickup process. With clearly marked pickup areas, customers can easily locate their designated spot.
- McDonald’s: McDonald’s Corporation collaborated with VPS to install solar carports and rooftop arrays at their location in Boulder, Colorado, creating an elevated experience for customers collecting their orders.
Elevate Your Click-and-Collect Services With VPS
The rise of click-and-collect solutions has revolutionized retail, offering unparalleled convenience for consumers and valuable opportunities for retailers. Enhancements like shade structures provide comfort, protection, and visual appeal, upgrading the customer experience.
VPS offers a range of shade structure solutions, such as mass coverage canopies, cantilevers, and covered walkways, to enhance customer comfort and protect from the elements. We also offer solar integration and waterproof options. With our expertise in commercial shade structures, we collaborate with teams to create custom solutions for an exceptional click-and-collect experience.
Contact us today to discuss how our tailored solutions can elevate click-and-collect service.
