Curbside pickup is a safe and convenient delivery method that’s quickly gaining popularity. Retail stores, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce businesses need this pickup option to meet evolving customer demands. Incorporating curbside offerings into business models has numerous advantages, ranging from increasing sales to enhancing customer experiences.
Understanding the concept and benefits of curbside pickup will motivate business owners to modernize and offer more flexible delivery options.
Below, we discuss everything about curbside pickup and its benefits for businesses in different industries.
Defining Curbside Pickup
Curbside pickup is a retail shipping method where customers order products online and collect them at a designated spot without leaving their vehicles. The curbside pickup station is often outside a retail store, a shopping mall parking lot or any other designated pickup point. The contactless delivery method allows customers to avoid shipping costs and spares them the energy of entering a store to collect their orders.
Many businesses, including grocery stores, convenience stores, clothing stores, pharmacies, and restaurants, can benefit from a curbside pickup option. It’s an effective way of implementing an omnichannel retail sales strategy that provides customers with a safe and convenient shopping experience.
How Does Curbside Pickup Work?
Curbside pickup follows a specific set of steps. It starts when a customer purchases products from a business’s online e-commerce platform or over the store. Upon receiving the order, the store staff picks, prepares, and packs it. They then send a notification to the customer that their order is ready for collection outside their location.
Through a link provided by the retailer, a mobile app, or a quick call, the customer informs them when they will arrive, and a staff member goes out to meet them. The order fulfillment staff must verify the order has been collected before the customer can drive away. The process can vary for different stores, but the main goal of curbside pickup is to provide customers with an efficient and convenient shopping experience.
Contactless curbside delivery is a type of curbside pickup that ensures no physical contact between business staff and customers. It adds an extra layer of health and safety precautions for customers and employees. It’s very similar to click-and-collect but without customers touching any surfaces.
One success story is Target, which has implemented a curbside pickup solution where customers can conveniently use the store’s app to coordinate order pickup or return their online purchases.
What Are the Benefits Of Curbside Pickup?
Curbside pickup’s growing appeal can be attributed to its many advantages for retailers and consumers. According to the 2023 Global Digital Shopping Index: U.S. Edition by PYMNTS and Cybersource, there’s been a 37% increase in demand and utilization of curbside and in-store pickup options by U.S. consumers. Here’s everything there is to gain by incorporating curbside pickup into businesses.
Improve Customer Experience
Curbside pickup allows customers greater convenience and a better overall experience with your business. Consumers can shop and make purchases from anywhere. They can choose a pickup time that suits their schedule and get their products on their own terms without needing to walk around the store or wait for shipping.
Curbside pickup allows customers to get their orders faster, allowing supporting instant gratification. It also avoids last-mile delivery issues, like product damage, delays, and failed deliveries that negate customer experiences.
Less Product Damage and Fewer Returns
Collecting orders from outside a store means customer products are handled by fewer people for a shorter time, minimizing the risk of product damage or tampering. During curbside collection, customers can inspect and verify their products to ensure they’re accurate and in perfect condition, minimizing exchanges, returns, and customer complaints.
Reduced Delivery Costs
Curbside pickup is a fitting alternative to free shipping, saving customers and retailers significant delivery fees. For retailers, it eliminates costs associated with shipping, packaging, logistics, and labor. These cost savings can be passed on to customers in the form of discounts and lower prices.
Increased Sales
Curbside pickup can boost retail sales by allowing customers convenience and sparing them the need to work and navigate an entire store looking at a few items. Customers who can quickly and easily collect their online orders are also more likely to come back to purchase more from the business. Most customers also appreciate not waiting long for their orders to be delivered.
Effective Sustainability Effort
Unsurprisingly, curbside pickup is an environmentally friendly delivery option that minimizes carbon emissions because fewer trucks are necessary for delivery and shipping. The fewer returns guaranteed by reduced product returns and damage also contribute to more sustainability and the environmental friendliness of curbside pickup.
McDonald’s invested in solar-powered carports for more comfortable curbside pickups. This addition helped them achieve their sustainability goals in the City of Boulder.
Strengthens Brand Loyalty
Curbside delivery creates a flexible shopping experience responsive to modern customer needs and preferences, which may improve brand loyalty. The efficiency of curbside pickup ensures a business stands out against competitors, making it a preferred retailer.
With a loyal customer base, businesses can expect to improve their customers’ lifetime value, increase profit margins, and boost their word-of-mouth marketing efforts.
Best Practices for Setting Up Effective Curbside Pickup
Creating an effective curbside pickup system helps businesses realize a positive return on investment. Here are some tips for setting up a curbside pickup station that allows efficient deliveries:
- Implement effective inventory management for real-time tracking of stocks to minimize customer frustrations.
- Designate a curbside pickup spot away from regular walk-in customers, preferably in front of the store or in the parking lot.
- Install high-quality shade structures to enhance the comfort and aesthetic appeal of the pickup stations.
- Create covered parking structures to protect customers, employees, and packages from dangerous summer weather and harsh winter conditions.
- Customize the pickup spots to reinforce brand visibility and improve wayfinding.
- Use clear signage to guide customers to the designated curbside pickup spot, ensuring a quick and efficient process.
- Train staff thoroughly to ensure accurate and efficient order fulfillment.
- Streamline the process of notifying customers about their ready orders and informing the business of their arrival.
Transform Curbside Pickup Experiences With VPS Covered Parking Structures
For a seamless and stress-free curbside pickup experience for clients, businesses must customize the curbside stations to their unique needs. At VPS, we specialize in designing and building superior parking and hail protection structures. We are committed to the highest standards of excellence and innovation for ultimate customer satisfaction.
Our curbside parking structures are customized to boldly display brands — and make the pickup zones instantly recognizable. The structures are constructed using cutting-edge materials that make them exceptionally durable and reliable.
Are you ready to get started with VPS? Contact us today to learn more about our services or for a walk-through of the selection process today.
