Click and Collect should not be perceived as a standalone service, but as part of your omnichannel strategy. The purpose is to make the buying experience as easy as possible for your customers so that they keep coming back to your store. Flexibility is the keyword. It is about adapting to customer needs, being available on multiple platforms, assisting them along the way in the buying process, and providing top-notch customer service - both online and offline.
Why you need to implement Click and Collect
While at first glance, it may seem that Click and Collect is only benefiting customers, there are also commercial advantages.
The first and most significant advantage is impulse purchases. An analysis conducted by the eCommerce portal Internet Retailing shows that between 60-75 percent of all Click and Collect customers end up adding extra items to the basket when they pick up their pre-ordered items. Therefore, there is a good chance to increase sales in physical stores by focusing on an online solution.
Another benefit is the reduction in shipping and return costs. It is the end of stacks with return labels and large postage bills for private addresses - with Click and Collect the products are sent directly to the stores, reducing the number of deliveries to households. At the same time, customers can see, feel, and try the item in the store. If they are not completely satisfied, they can return the item to the cashier immediately. Click and Collect allows the company to minimize its shipping costs and the process of returning packages and instead use the resources elsewhere in the organization.
Increased customer satisfaction is a third benefit. The flexible buying experience meets customer needs and helps them find the right products. At the same time, it removes links in the proces that often cause people to abandon an online purchase, such as high delivery costs, long delivery times, and poor return policies. Below are three reasons why customers like Click and Collect.
- No Delivery Cost - By picking up items at a physical store, the customer saves money on shipping.
- Easy exchange or return - If the item does not fit or meet expectations, it is easy to exchange or return in the store.
- Brief waiting time - Often, the items are already in the store and can be picked up shortly after ordering.
What you should think about when you offer Click and Collect
There are several things to keep in mind when choosing to implement Click and Collect.
First and foremost, communication between you and customers is essential. Email communication is central when offering online services such as Click and Collect, and is a vital tool to inform the customer about the process after the purchase. Therefore, it is a good idea to implement the following email types in your Click and Collect flow:
- Order Confirmation: Send this email when the customer has placed an order to be picked up in-store. This email must contain an overview of ordered items and instructions on where, how, and during which time period, the customer can pick-up the item.
- Delivery time update: Consider including the customer all the time with ongoing updates, such as when the order gets packed when it is on its way to the store, and when it has arrived and ready to be picked up.
- Your order is ready for pickup: In case the items are not already in the store, you should send an email when the order is packed and available for pickup.
- Pick-up reminder: Finally, it is a good idea to remind the customer that the order is ready for pick-up.
Next, equip your store employees for the new tasks that naturally come with implementing a Click and Collect system. Be sure to inform and train them in the latest procedures so they can provide the best service to your customers. In this way, you avoid burning inside a lot of items, as it happens in the UK.
