Last week, we briefly mentioned 5 trends to watch in 2021. We’d like to expand on a few of these trends.
This week, we are going to discuss how delivery is evolving. We’ve all seen delivery explode in 2020 and it’s going to continue in 2021 and beyond. Consumers appreciate the convenience and comfort of shopping online and getting their goods delivered or same-day pickup.
Same-Day Delivery
One delivery option that consumers are expecting is same-day delivery. If your store is equipped, explore the option of having a designated delivery person who can deliver packages on or off campus to get students their order quick. This can reduce shipping and packing costs.
Curbside Pickup
Curbside pickup has been around for awhile, but it wasn’t until 2020 that it was broadly used. Consumers are going to expect curbside pickup going forward. Curbside pickup can be the most cost effective way to conduct online transactions.
Robot/Drone Delivery
Large retailers such as Amazon and Walmart are experimenting with robot and drone delivery to get orders to consumers quicker. Restaurants are also implementing robots to conduct contactless delivery to keep consumer and employees safe. UW-Madison implemented robot delivery for on campus dinning. Do you think this will be the future for campus bookstores?
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