In-store pickup is growing in popularity, combining the ease of online shopping with immediate gratification. An Internet Retailer survey found the most common reason people use in-store pickup is to avoid shipping fees. Many of the largest store-based retailers have successfully rolled out in-store pickup as an added convenience for shoppers. This allows customers to get their items quickly for no added cost, with the advantage of shopping at home. This is also successful for retailers because it drives more traffic into the store, motivating impulse purchases while shoppers pickup their items.
In-store pickup is also a great way to compete with web leader Amazon.com. According to the survey, despite Amazon’s convenience, 63% of Amazon Prime members said they had picked up an online order in a store last year. This is an offer Amazon can’t yet replicate with its online only forum.
Offering in-store pickup is a service your students can easily take advantage of. It’s a smart way to compete with large retail since students don’t need a source of transportation to get to your store that’s already on campus. They can quickly pick-up any item they purchased on their way to and from their classes without having to pay or wait for shipping.
Sources: internetretailer.com, cnbc.com
