What Is Buy Online, Pick Up in Store?
Buy Online, Pick Up in Store (BOPIS) lets customers purchase online and collect from a physical location. Learn how it reduces delivery costs and increases foot traffic.
Key Takeaways
- BOPIS eliminates last-mile delivery costs while giving customers faster access to their purchases.
- It drives additional in-store purchases — studies show 30-50% of BOPIS customers buy additional items during pickup.
- Successful BOPIS requires accurate real-time inventory visibility across all store locations.
How BOPIS works
The customer browses and pays online, selecting a pickup location during checkout. The store receives the order, picks and packs the items, and notifies the customer when the order is ready for collection. The customer visits the store, identifies themselves, and collects their purchase. The entire process typically takes two to four hours from order to ready notification, making it faster than standard delivery and free of shipping charges.
Benefits for retailers
BOPIS eliminates last-mile delivery costs, which represent 40-50% of total logistics expenses. It increases store foot traffic, and data shows that 30-50% of customers who pick up an order make additional purchases while in-store. It reduces return rates because customers can inspect products before leaving. For African retailers managing expensive and unreliable delivery networks, BOPIS offers a pragmatic alternative that leverages existing store infrastructure.
Operational requirements
Accurate, real-time inventory visibility is the foundation. If a product shows as available online but is not physically in the store, the customer experience breaks down immediately. You need a system that updates stock levels across channels within minutes, dedicated pickup areas or counters to avoid customer waiting, and staff trained in the pickup process. Order management systems must route each order to the optimal store location.
BOPIS in African retail
African retailers with physical store networks can use BOPIS to solve the last-mile delivery problem that hampers ecommerce growth across the continent. Rather than building expensive delivery infrastructure, retailers can leverage existing stores as pickup points. Chains like Shoprite in South Africa and various Nigerian supermarkets are exploring click-and-collect models that match customer expectations while avoiding the cost and unreliability of home delivery.