How to Make ‘Buy Online, Pick Up in Store’ (BOPUS) Work for Your Digital Brand

The BOPUS (Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store) has been attracting hype for both retailers and customers, and this trend is expected to stay.

BOPUS lets retailers leverage omnichannel experiences to boost online and in-store profits when done well. However, it requires synergy between online commerce channels and physical retail to succeed.

What are the advantages of the buy online, pick up in-store strategy, and how can retailers deliver? Here are some tips to consider.

What Is Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPUS)?

BOPUS stands for Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store. It is sometimes also shortened to BOPIS.

True to its name, it gives shoppers the option to order items online and pick them up in-store.

Here’s how the process works:

Customers place the order: Shoppers purchase goods online through the retailer’s mobile app or website. On the checkout landing page, customers can choose the date, time, and pickup location.
Retailer prepares order for pickup: Retail staff find the items ordered and pack them. Once packages are ready for pickup, shoppers can receive a notification through SMS or email.
Customer picks up the package: Customers can get their packages in-store or at a dedicated pickup location. Some retailers may offer curbside pickup options where consumers can drive to the storefront and get their orders while remaining inside their vehicles.

This style of shopping is gaining popularity because consumers prefer the speed and convenience of online shopping.

Here are some statistics that prove this model is becoming increasingly popular:

68 percent of U.S. consumers have leveraged BOPUS to make purchases.
50 percent of consumers have chosen retailers based on whether they offer the option to pick up orders in-store.
48 percent of consumers have used BOPUS because it offers free shipping, followed by speed (39 percent) and convenience (28 percent).

How Can BOPUS Benefit Your Brand?

As you can imagine, the buy online, pick up in-store strategy can bring a lot of potential benefits to your business. In this section, we’ll take a look at some of the popular advantages it offers.

1. BOPUS Increases Traffic

Once customers arrive in your store to pick up their goods, they’ll likely be tempted to visit in-store. They may want to inspect a product they’re interested in prior to purchasing it or browse for other items in your store.

Top reasons why consumers prefer BOPUS include seeing a product before taking it home (77 percent), avoid shipping fees (65 percent), convenience (29 percent), and the ability to return the product instantly (23 percent).

BOPUS can also boost traffic to your online website or increase the number of downloads for your mobile app. When consumers subscribe to your online channels, you have more opportunities to send promotional content or advertise deals through the mobile app.

If customers have an account on your website, you can get information about their browsing habits or purchase history, then use it to create personalized promos.