13 Buy Online, Pick Up In-store (BOPIS) Statistics for Businesses
Meaghan has provided content and guidance for indie retailers as the editor for a number of retail publications and a speaker at trade shows. She is Fit Small Business’s authority on retail and ecommerce.
Agatha Aviso is a writer of the Reviews Section at Fit Small Business, focusing on order fulfillment and eCommerce platforms. Agatha has a decade’s worth of experience writing online content for small businesses and marketing industries. She also served as a content strategist and digital marketing manager for many entrepreneurs.
This article is part of a larger series on Retail Management.
Buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS), also known as click and collect, is a hybrid ecommerce model that allows customers to order an item online and pick it up in person at the store or curbside. It merges the convenience of online shopping and efficiency of bringing the product home the same day.
Let’s look at some BOPIS statistics relevant for 2022—why shoppers use the service, its benefits for retailers, its challenges, and how businesses can adapt.
1. BOPIS recorded more than a 100% growth in 2020
While BOPIS had been offered even before the onset of COVID-19, it is the pandemic that boosted it a remarkable 106.9% during 2020. Future forecasts indicate that BOPIS retail sales will increase steadily—above 15% annually.
This is validated further by reports that said more than 50% of consumers planned on using BOPIS frequently over the next year, even with restrictions easing up.
Did you know?
More than 50% of the top 1,000 US retail chains offered curbside pickup by early 2021.
2. US shoppers spent more than $70 billion via BOPIS in 2020, making up nearly 10% of all ecommerce sales
US shoppers spent $72.5 billion through click-and-collect fulfillment options in 2020—totaling 9.1% of all ecommerce sales. It is expected that the BOPIS market will exceed $140 billion by 2024.
Did you know?
While most retailers offer click-and-collect services, seven multichannel retailers made up 64% of click-and-collect sales in the US in 2020, reaping more than $46 billion in BOPIS sales:
- Walmart
- The Home Depot
- Best Buy
- Target
- Lowe’s
- Macy’s
- Nordstrom
What’s interesting is that not all of these retailers are top ecommerce giants, nor are they all in the top 10 for general retail. They leveraged the pandemic restrictions to offer click-and-collect options to their customers, and the results were outstanding.
3. More than half of consumers used click-and-collect services 6+ times in the last 12 months
According to Raydiant’s The State of BOPIS Report 2021, 56% of those surveyed have used click-and-collect services six or more times in the last 12 months, with 8.2% of them using it 20+ times. This is highly suggestive that BOPIS has become a preferred way of shopping.
4. 45% of consumers deem curbside delivery an important option when shopping
A commissioned Forrester Consulting study by Shopify revealed that nearly half of consumers said it was important for them to be able to buy online and pick up an item in the physical store.
5. 50% of shoppers cite convenience as the reason they prefer BOPIS
The top three reasons that shoppers prefer BOPIS or curbside delivery are convenience, avoiding going into a store, and time management. Other motivating factors include safety, wanting the product immediately, and even weather.
6. More than a fourth of online shoppers use mobile to facilitate curbside pickup
Digital Commerce 360’s research revealed that not only are online shoppers using mobile more often to simply purchase products (nearly half have done so), but 28% of them have used mobile to facilitate curbside pickup.
TIP:
It is critical that your online store is mobile-responsive. Apply our ecommerce website design tips when building your online store.
7. 70% of shoppers say BOPIS improves their shopping experience
A strong majority of respondents (70%) in a National Retail Federation study felt that BOPIS improved their shopping experience. According to the study, a survey respondent shared that having her purchased items brought out to her car makes it very convenient, especially as she has her small children with her.
Learn how to set up click and collect for your store.
8. Shoppers tend to make additional purchases while picking up their items in-store
In a 2021 RIS report, 41% of retailers shared that shoppers’ average BOPIS order increased by one to two items during pickup. Moreover, 24% of retailers report that customers’ average order size increased by five items or more.
This was the case even before the pandemic, with two-thirds of the more than 50% of adult shoppers who used BOPIS adding items to their carts when they knew they could pick them up immediately.
TIP:
BOPIS helps drive in-store foot traffic and even increase sales. It certainly is considered a customer engagement strategy as it helps bridge the gap between the traditional brick-and-mortar and online shopping experiences.
9. Nearly a third of shoppers say they would use BOPIS more often if curbside pickup is offered
If you don’t offer curbside pickup, now may be a good time to do so as 34.3% of shoppers say they would use BOPIS options more often if store employees can bring their items to their vehicles.
10. One-fourth of shoppers will choose to shop local if BOPIS options are efficient
BOPIS is a fulfillment option Amazon doesn’t offer, and 24.5% of shoppers say that as long as click-and-collect services remain efficient, they will shop local (assuming product offerings are competitive with Amazon or other big online retailers).
In BOPIS fulfillment, your brick-and-mortar store functions as an extension of your customer’s online shopping experience, giving you an advantage of strengthening your omnichannel retail approach.
11. More than 70% of retailers cite staffing as BOPIS’ biggest fulfillment challenge
About 73% of retailers cited having the necessary staffing as one of the biggest challenges for BOPIS fulfillment. Another staffing-related issue, training the staff they do have to handle BOPIS, is another challenge; 39% of respondents highlighted that issue.
Additionally, retailers attribute inventory accuracy (43%), customer awareness (27%), and limited or lack of technology (18%) as major challenges to this hybrid fulfillment method.
12. Speed and inventory issues are top reasons customers are likely to avoid BOPIS fulfillment
Since convenience is a leading driver of consumer preference for BOPIS, it isn’t a surprise that having to wait in line when picking up items is the top turnoff for customers when picking up their orders (36%). Other common turnoffs include items not being ready when customers show up (25%) and generally poor customer service within the BOPIS process (15%).
There’s no doubt about it—dynamic, fast, and well-stocked BOPIS operations are what consumers expect from retailers.
13. Groceries are most used for BOPIS fulfillment
About 38.1% of consumers said that they are “extremely likely” to use BOPIS for groceries. The next most-favored product types are household goods, medicine, and personal care products. Meanwhile, 20.8% said they were unlikely to buy furniture or appliances using BOPIS—preferring home delivery.
According to a September 2021 survey by Spryker & Appinio, among those who buy groceries online once a month, the preference for delivery is only slightly higher than that for in-store pickup (34% vs 31%).
Bottom Line
Click-and-collect services is a fulfillment option that will allow you to blur the lines between your online storefront and brick-and-mortar store. It is a trend that is here to stay, and implementing it the right way will help increase foot traffic in-store and increase sales.
With more retailers including it as an offering, make sure that your retail business doesn’t get left behind. Solutions like Shopify and Square provide features that allow you for online and in-store order management, plus options for click and collect.
