What Is Click and Collect?
Click and collect lets customers buy online and collect in store. Learn how it works, the metrics that matter, and how to use it to bridge physical and digital retail.
Key Takeaways
- Click and collect removes delivery cost and wait time for customers while driving store footfall
- Collection uplift — additional purchases made when collecting — averages 25-40% of customers buying something extra
- Fulfilment accuracy and collection speed are the critical operational metrics
- Click and collect is a key bridge between online and physical retail channels
What click and collect is
Click and collect (also called Buy Online Pick Up In Store or BOPIS in the US) is the fulfilment model where customers purchase products online and collect them from a physical store or designated collection point rather than having them delivered to their home. It combines the convenience of online browsing and purchasing with the immediacy and no-delivery-cost benefit of in-store collection. For retailers with both online and physical presence, it is one of the most powerful omnichannel tools available.
Why customers use click and collect
The primary customer motivations are: avoiding delivery charges (which in many categories now add £3-6 to online orders), guaranteed stock availability (collection means the product is definitely there when they arrive, unlike shipping which has delivery uncertainty), and speed (same-day or next-day collection is faster than standard delivery for most retailers). A secondary motivation for some customers is avoiding the need to be home to receive a delivery — particularly valuable for large or valuable items.
Collection uplift
One of the most commercially significant aspects of click and collect is collection uplift — the additional in-store purchases made by customers who come in to collect their online order. Research consistently finds that 25-40% of click and collect customers make an additional in-store purchase during their collection visit, with average uplift transaction values of £15-30. This makes click and collect a significant footfall and revenue driver beyond just the collected order itself, justifying investment in making the collection experience seamless and using the visit as a selling opportunity.
The operational requirements
Successful click and collect requires: real-time inventory accuracy across all locations (the system must know exactly what is available in each store), a fast and reliable order processing operation (customers expect confirmation quickly and readiness within the committed timeframe), a clear, easy-to-find collection point in store, minimal waiting time at collection (queue avoidance is a key customer satisfaction driver), and a simple process for customers who arrive before their order is ready. Failures at any of these points damage the customer experience and reduce future usage.
Metrics to track
Key click and collect metrics include: collection rate (what percentage of click and collect orders are actually collected — uncollected orders create costs and inventory issues), order-to-ready time (how quickly orders are picked and ready for collection against the committed SLA), collection wait time (how long the customer waits at the collection point), customer satisfaction with the collection experience, and collection uplift rate and value (the additional in-store purchases generated). Setting targets for each of these and reviewing them weekly drives operational excellence in the programme.