When it comes to online shopping, convenience is king. Shoppers will be looking for flexible delivery and return options, and retailers will need to respond. For sellers with online and offline stores, omnichannel strategies are the key to winning today’s busy and price-conscious shoppers.

Buy Online Pick-up In-Store (BOPIS) is an omnichannel strategy that has been gaining popularity. Since price and convenience significantly influence purchasing decisions, many customers may want to save on shipping costs by buying products online and picking-up in-store.

BOPIS has become a huge differentiator in retail, an advantage online-only sellers do not have. But while BOPIS is a great convenience to shoppers, it needs to be tied to a robust order and inventory management system to support seamless in-store fulfillment.

According to a study by iVend Retail, 57.5% of all shoppers use BOPIS, but only 31.6% describe it as being a smooth process. Many retailers have trouble incorporating omnichannel strategies into their online and offline channels, despite customers demanding this kind of flexibility.

Why Do Shoppers Use BOPIS?

• To avoid shipping costs (65.3%)
• Convenience (29.2%)
• Being able to return the product instantly if it doesn’t meet their expectations (23.5%)

A similar report by Internet Retailer found that 73% of consumers picked up an online order in store to avoid having to pay for shipping, while 32.2% said convenience as a motivating factor.

Omnichannel is here to stay, blurring the lines between online and offline commerce. Amazon is opening another brick-and-mortar bookstore in Manhattan to increase their offline presence, and Walmart continues to acquire ecommerce brands like ShoeBuy to diversify their online product assortment.

Jazva's New BOPIS Feature Offers Retailers More Sales Opportunity

Jazva recently added BOPIS to its suite of omnichannel features, including Buy Online Return In-Store (BORIS) and Ship From Store. With Jazva’s in-store pick-up options, sellers can display product availability across their retail locations, and inventory counts will be shown on the webstore in real time. Since the frontend is synced with Jazva’s inventory management system, stock levels are kept up to date. This feature lets sellers provide their customers more flexibility and better shopping experiences.

Interested? Find out how Jazva can upgrade your retail business today!