New technologies have turned shopping into something that is not only satisfying, but also a lot of fun. Now, from anywhere in the world we can get what we want so much. In recent years, the evolution of online sales has brought us a host of innovations that do nothing more than confirm that the future lies in virtuality.
Among these innovations we find click & collect. This is an innovative in-store collection system that is revolutionizing the way we interact with physical businesses. If you want to know a little more and maybe start implementing it in your online store, read on; here we explain everything you need to know about it.
Table of contents
what is Click & Collect really?
When we talk about click and collect, which is also known as online purchase and in-store pickup, we refer to a hybrid model of e-commerce, where users can purchase their products online and pick up their orders in the physical store or in a specialized place for this purpose.
When the transaction is done correctly, the benefits are seen on both sides of the equation. These are seen, above all, in the cost savings since in-store pickup is totally free, plus the convenience is total and the speed of delivery will far exceed the average.
Surely you, as a customer of an online store, you are tired of paying high shipping costs in each of your orders and this is usually one of the most common complaints when shopping online. Don’t worry, we have also gone through this bitter process of accepting high prices to receive our orders. Well, with click and collect this is a thing of the past.
Surveys have shown that most shoppers prefer to pick up their orders in stores in order to avoid high shipping fees. However, we should not confuse this practice with “in-store pickup,” which consists of placing an order and then picking it up at a specific location.
It is not surprising, then, that click and collect is enjoying overwhelming success. This is largely due to the immediate gratification of using this service, in addition to the aforementioned savings in delivery costs. Online shopping is a marvel, but a large number of users are beginning to resist it due to delivery times, delays and additional costs.
With the advent of click & collect, this trend is changing rapidly. On the other hand, businesses are benefiting greatly from the implementation of this strategy. This is due, among other things, to the fact that implementing this strategy makes customers go to physical stores, which turns ecommerce into something more real, closer and tangible for people.
Getting people to go from the web to the store is one of the main objectives of all ecommerce. It is very common that every buyer makes a previous search on the web before going to a store, so with click and collect this goal is achieved organically and, as they say colloquially, “you kill two birds with one stone”.
Advantages of click & collect
The benefits of click & collect are many for both the buyer and the ecommerce. They are, above all, if we understand that people will be able to access their purchases from anywhere at the time they prefer, saving time and avoiding shipping costs, uncertainty at the time of delivery and the possibility of misunderstandings. On the other hand, companies will be able to increase their sales without losing contact with the consumer at any time, which allows loyalty to be achieved in a more direct way.
Here are some other benefits that will surely surprise you.
Commercial offer adapted to the customer’s needs
We all dream of a time when online shopping will be easy, especially when it comes to receiving our products. However, this is no longer a dream because click & collect is among us. Now, the customer can make purchases at any time in any place, so the person will make the most of their time.
Click & collect means that the people involved in the transaction, both customers and companies, no longer have to worry about deliveries, tracking, waiting or extra expenses. Zero hassle is what it offers. In this way, the buyer will save time by not going through the store in search of their products or standing in long lines to complete the purchase.
All this will have a positive impact on the brand image and will show that the company adapts to the customer’s needs and not the other way around. To achieve these objectives, ecommerce should commit to, once the order is received, prepare the order and leave it ready for pickup. Once it is ready, the customer must be notified so that he can pick it up at the time he wants.
Advantages for physical stores
A cruel reality is that virtual commerce is surpassing physical stores, this is understandable, especially if we realize that there are giants like Amazon and surpassing them or even catching up with them becomes a challenging task. Therefore, click & collect offers the opportunity to see customers face to face, strengthen relationships and gives you the opportunity to create an unforgettable shopping experience.
The challenge is, once the customer is inside our business, to seek their satisfaction and not hesitate to return. For this, one-to-one contact becomes one of the most powerful weapons to combat large conglomerates, which by their nature find it impossible to use this strategy. In this sense, you must anticipate the customer’s needs. If the product they purchased needs installation, try to solve all their doubts before they leave the business.
Increased customer loyalty
One of the ways in which you can add value to your sales is to have a physical presence. Therefore, one of the great advantages of click & collect is to attract the traffic you have online to your physical store, which allows you to sell more items once people are in your business.
Therefore, if you look closely, this strategy allows you to better manage your stock online and save time in the organization and logistics, plus you will not lose the interaction with the customer which is one of the most important issues when looking for loyalty. From here we recommend that you do not miss the opportunity to talk to the customer directly, find out what other needs you can solve.
A very common case is that of clothing stores. Once the customer has made his purchase and goes to the physical store to pick it up, it is good to have certain accessories such as watches, belts or jewelry, so that the person sees the amount of products we handle and craves to buy them.
Implement click & collect
To successfully implement click & collect we must keep in mind three main technological issues that will allow you to make in-store collection a success. We will talk about them in depth below.
An online commerce platform
This is undoubtedly one of the fundamental points when it comes to achieving good results with click & collect. An online commerce platform will allow us to keep control of our products and catalog, and will also offer the user a more active participation. In this way, they will be able to research and make their purchases from any device and without any inconvenience.
Product update and order management system
A CMS or Content Management System, sellers will be able to manage the different online orders in a simple and practical way. This space, which is privately accessible, buyers will be able to publish, edit and update the stock of their products. Therefore, it is very important that the products are updated in real time. That way, you will avoid delays and inconveniences that can work against you.
Point of Sale
Clearly, if you want to make use of click & collect, you must have a physical store or a space where people can claim their products. This must have a modern design and be attractive to shoppers because this is where shoppers will evaluate every aspect of your store. It is important that you focus on the comfort of the customers and adapt to their needs.
Conclusion
Although new technologies have become great allies when it comes to growing our businesses, the truth is that the personal touch will always be an important part of the whole process. We live in the times of the ecommerce giants, companies that seem omnipresent and all powerful; therefore, creating an online business may seem like a huge task, but we assure you that it is not.
All you have to do is implement strategies such as click & collect, which will help you achieve a more direct relationship with people, something that large conglomerates can’t even dream of. In the same way, you will have a better chance of building loyalty and achieving repeat purchases. It is just a matter of researching very well all the steps to follow and take the leap in search of achieving all those goals you have always set for yourself.
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