BOPIS : What is this trend that has transformed the Retail landscape?

What is BOPIS ?

BOPIS is a shopping journey that begins online with a customer’s order and ends in-store when he comes to pick up his products, instead of having them delivered to his home[1]. This hybrid, or ‘phygital,’ approach combines the convenience of online shopping with the flexibility of in-store pickup.

BOPIS is an acronym for the English phrase “Buy Online, Pickup In-Store“, which is particularly prevalent across the Atlantic but perhaps less widely known in France now. However, there’s little doubt that this trend will catch on in France and become a buzzword of the retail industry.

How did BOPIS emerge?

In a world where speed and convenience are essential, the retail industry is progressing rapidly to meet the changing expectations of consumers. Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, the practice of BOPIS has bridged the gap between the need for retailers to continue their operations and the desire of confined people to their homes in search of daily activities[2].

Once things returned to normal, BOPIS became a part of consumers’ daily lives, thereby offering opportunities to the most innovative retailers. While it allows customers to save time, money, and energy, it primarily provides retailers with the chance for additional sales during the pickup process[3]. The physical in-store experience becomes highly strategic, as this practice increases traffic from customers who are already brand enthusiasts.

Delivery is often considered one of the main hurdle to online shopping, either due to its cost, which must be supported by the customer or passed on to prices. It’s also because of the waiting time imposed on the customer and the obligation to pick up his order at a specific location or ensure he is present at home during delivery. Typically, the delivery slot time given by the delivery man is more of a wide range than a specific time: “we will deliver tomorrow between 7 am and 10 pm” can quickly turn into “I’m sorry, Doctor, I missed our appointment because I was waiting for the delivery of Marc Levy’s latest book. You will forgive me, I hope, because you are an avid reader,” only to conclude with “It is precisely because I love literature that I will not forgive you.”

Returning to our topic, if you need a number to convince you of the significance of BOPIS in the future, let’s just say that it will generate a revenue of $660.20 billion in 2028. Interested now?

And what does ESII do about this?

Although we may not have a decided opinion on current authors, we certainly have a clear stance on the solutions we can offer to retail players. With Orion Picking, we aim to provide an agile solution that enables order pickup in various scenarios:

In BOPIS configuration.
When a purchase is made in-store and pickup in a dedicated area.

The best of all worlds, so to speak. The solution manages all steps of order pickup (to be prepared, in preparation, ready for pickup) and can inform the customer through a video screen or via text message.

There are benefits for everyone: for the retailer, who optimizes his time and resources, and for customers, who don’t waste time in-store.

The retailer

Cross selling when customer is in-store.
You offer appointment making for order pickup to better anticipate traffic.
Management of all customers, with or without appointments

The customer

Active waiting with text message notifications or on the screen
Few or no waiting thanks to appointments. Perceived wait time reduced by the freedom to browse
Reduces stress and allows respect to the running order