As part of the 2022 Omnichannel Retail Index research, our mystery shoppers noticed some buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) services needing some TLC.
A common theme from the shoppers was an overall disconnect in the process. For example, when a shopper asked customer service when the item would be ready, the response was “usually within a week” and could not provide anything more specific. Given the advances in tracking technology in the past few years, customers expect to be given a more definitive answer or even a way to track the item themselves.
Our shopper hit another snag when canceling the order before the pickup. Our shopper attempted to cancel the order a couple of days after placing and paying for the item. She inquired about the refund and was told that she still needed to come into the store, complete the pickup, and then the store employee could process the refund. When asked if she could provide the credit card number on the phone for a refund, the customer service representative replied, “the system can’t process it.” No customer will be happy about making a store visit for an item they don’t want, let alone placing a future order.
Finally, it is important to have the pickup area easily identifiable for the customer when she walks into the store. It sounds simple, but there were several experiences where the pickup areas were not clearly marked and difficult to find. In one case, there was no overhead or directional signage visible, but when the shopper looked down, there was a sticker on the floor that pointed to in-store pickup. Make it easy for the customer to pick up their order. It helps cultivate loyalty and repeat business.
BOPIS can make or break a customer experience. Make sure to test your process, look for disconnects, and turn pain points into pleasure points for your customers.
Want to read the entire Omnichannel Retail Index? Access the report.
