{"id":10365,"date":"2023-09-11T03:29:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T03:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/the-ultimate-guide-to-curbside-pickup-examples\/"},"modified":"2023-09-11T03:29:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-11T03:29:00","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-curbside-pickup-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/the-ultimate-guide-to-curbside-pickup-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Curbside Pickup (+ Examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <p><a href=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/online-workshops-list\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-496\" src=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png\" alt=\"Retail Online Training\" width=\"729\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png 729w, https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90-300x37.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px\" \/><\/a><\/p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<p>Curbside pickup lets your customers make an order online and pick it up at your store, warehouse, or designated pickup location. It\u2019s similar to buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS), except the customer never has to leave their vehicle. When they arrive, you or your sales staff bring the order out to their car.<\/p>\n<p>Due to its convenience and consumer demand, curbside pickup is likely here to stay. In fact, according to\u00a0OnlineDasher, there was a 66% increase in online shoppers using curbside pickup in 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Curbside pickup helps you bridge the gap between online and in-person shopping by giving customers the option to choose\u00a0local pickup\u00a0as a delivery method at checkout.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But how can you execute curbside pickup at your retail store?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In this article, you\u2019ll discover what curbside pickup is, how it works, and its advantages. Plus, you\u2019ll see examples of local retailers making curbside pickup work for their business.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"1\">What is curbside pickup?<\/h2>\n<p>Curbside pickup is a service offered by retailers where a customer places an order online and drives to their local store to pick it up. The customer parks in a designated area near the store entrance, and when the order is ready, a store associate brings the customer&#8217;s order out to them.<\/p>\n<p>The convenience curbside pickup provides for shoppers has turned this option into a powerful way for retailers to strengthen their omnichannel retail sales strategy.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Adoption of curbside pickup was accelerated by the pandemic, but the popularity of this service continues to grow.<\/p>\n<footer><cite>Jonathan Roque, Digital Marketing and Content Strategist,\u00a0Zapiet<\/cite><\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cAdoption of curbside pickup was accelerated by the pandemic, but the popularity of this service continues to grow,\u201d says Jonathan Roque, digital marketing and content strategist for Zapiet. \u201cThis is thanks to the incredible convenience it provides both merchants and their customers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This order fulfillment service is a way to increase sales and customer satisfaction. It might be easier for retail giants like Target and Walmart to implement, but if you\u2019re starting out or expanding into more locations, there are also solutions you can use to offer your customers curbside pickup.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"2\">How does curbside pickup work?<\/h2>\n<p>For customers who don\u2019t want to wait for delivery or prefer not to pay for shipping, curbside pickup is a great alternative. After the customer completes their order online, they can drive by your storefront, warehouse, or pickup point to pick it up\u2014and they can remain in their car the entire time. It helps reduce shipping costs, saves time, and is convenient.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how curbside pickup might look in your retail store:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The customer shops via your website, and during the checkout process they have the option to select curbside pickup.<\/li>\n<li>The customer completes payment online via your\u00a0ecommerce website.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>You receive a notification for the order and can prioritize packing it.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Once you\u2019ve confirmed that the inventory is in stock, you send a notification to the customer letting them know it\u2019s ready for curbside pickup. At this time, you also tell them what to do once they arrive. For example, if they should call or text you when they\u2019re at the curb.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>When the customer arrives to pick up their order, you or your staff go out to their car to hand it over.<\/li>\n<li>The customer drives off feeling instant gratification because they didn\u2019t have to wait for delivery. You\u2019re done!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Setting up curbside pickup services may feel overwhelming, but it doesn\u2019t have to. That\u2019s why we make it quick and easy for local retailers to implement this order fulfillment service\u2014follow the steps below to set up curbside pickup for your store.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"3\">The operations of curbside pickup\u2014how to get it right<\/h2>\n<p>Curbside pickup can make online ordering easier and more efficient, and reduce shipping costs for customers. But if you don\u2019t execute it properly, it could lead to a disappointing experience for shoppers and lost sales for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s look at the operational aspects of curbside pickup.<\/p>\n<h3>Manage curbside pickup with the right people and space<\/h3>\n<p>Whether it\u2019s you or your sales staff, assigning curbside pickup management to one (or a few people) is crucial. Someone needs to be there to review and pack orders, notify customers that they\u2019re ready for pickup, and hand off the items at the curb.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Make a dedicated space in your retail store for pickup orders to stay organized.<\/p>\n<footer><cite>Allison Mistakidis, co-founder of\u00a0Whiskeyjack Boutique<\/cite><\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cMake a dedicated space in your retail store for pickup orders to stay organized,\u201d says Allison Mistakidis, co-founder of Whiskeyjack. \u201cAlso, use the Shopify POS app to manage and mark orders available for pickup once they\u2019re packed and ready to go. This way, the customer gets a notification that it\u2019s ready.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Track inventory<\/h3>\n<p>If you don\u2019t sync your online and offline inventory, curbside pickup could be a disaster. The last thing you want is to disappoint a customer who makes an order online for curbside pickup and then receives a notification that the item isn\u2019t actually in stock.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur number one tip is to make sure your inventory is correct, because having a customer order a product that\u2019s not physically in the store would be a bummer,\u201d says Allison.<\/p>\n<h3>Notify customers once their order is ready<\/h3>\n<p>Manually reviewing online orders and sending emails or texts to customers letting them know it\u2019s ready for pickup is time-consuming. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve created a\u00a0curbside pickup feature\u00a0for Shopify POS that lets you efficiently manage and track all pickup orders placed online and notify customers when they\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n<h3>Make it easy for customers to notify you when they arrive for pickup<\/h3>\n<p>The whole idea behind curbside pickup is that your customers can wait for you in their car. If you don\u2019t know they\u2019ve arrived, they might get impatient and come inside to let you know they\u2019re curbside. To avoid this, you\u2019ll need a way for customers to notify you once they arrive. After a customer places an order online and pulls up to your store, you can have them call or text you and then you can bring their order out to their car.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For example, when you send them a notification telling them their order is ready for pickup, include a note saying, \u201cLet us know once you\u2019ve arrived by calling or texting 555-555-5555 with your order number.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Allocate a designated place where customers can wait for their order<\/h3>\n<p>Depending on where your store is located, you may be able to reserve a parking spot close to your store for curbside pickup. Or if it\u2019s not a high-traffic area, customers can line up in front of your store. The key here is to make sure the pickup location is explained and easy to find when they arrive. You also want to make sure you\u2019re not blocking traffic.<\/p>\n<h3>Advertise, advertise, and advertise some more<\/h3>\n<p>Spending time and energy devising a curbside pickup plan won\u2019t be worth it unless you also create a marketing and advertising strategy to build awareness for\u00a0pickup availability. You can spread the word via your newsletter,\u00a0social media, or website, and by including the details on your checkout page.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Be vocal on social media about the option for curbside pickup to ensure customers know when you\u2019re available.<\/p>\n<footer><cite>Allison Mistakidis, co-founder of Whiskeyjack Boutique<\/cite><\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cBe vocal on social media about the option for curbside pickup to ensure customers know when you\u2019re available,\u201d says Allison. \u201cInclude details that indicate pickup options on your checkout page, in your order confirmation emails, and in general marketing emails. Customers will use this service if they know it\u2019s available!\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"4\">Retailers who offer curbside pickup and how they do it<\/h2>\n<p>Large retailers like Nordstrom, Walmart, and Target may have been the first to offer curbside pickup, but this order fulfillment option is vital for retailers of all sizes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Today, smaller retailers are gradually embracing this service. They make it work by advertising curbside pickup options via their ecommerce website and social media.<\/p>\n<h3>Clothes Mentor<\/h3>\n<p>Clothes Mentor\u00a0sells gently used name-brand and designer clothing. The brand offers shipping and curbside pickup options. When customers get to the checkout page, they see an option to ship or to pick up.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CwbC_bmOpPs\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" class=\"instagram-media\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>Whiskeyjack Boutique\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>Whiskeyjack Boutique\u00a0sells Canadian-made gifts and is currently only offering curbside shopping and pickup.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>We use the Shopify POS to manage all of our online orders and curbside pickups.<\/p>\n<footer><cite>Allison Mistakidis, co-founder of Whiskeyjack Boutique<\/cite><\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe use the Shopify POS to manage all of our online orders and curbside pickups,\u201d says Allison. \u201cWe\u2019re able to print the delivery slips to attach to the orders, which makes them easy to find when the customer arrives for pickup.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Whiskeyjack Boutique also advertises its curbside pickup options via\u00a0Instagram\u00a0and provides clear details about what customers can expect from its curbside pickup services. This includes the days and hours it will be available and where customers can pick up orders.<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COOkd7_HiSG\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" class=\"instagram-media\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>True North Yarn Co.<\/h3>\n<p>True North Yarn Co.\u00a0advertises curbside pickup on\u00a0its website\u00a0and via\u00a0Instagram. Customers who live locally can select \u201cfree curbside pickup\u201d at checkout and a staff member contacts the customer when their order is ready.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"curbside pickup promotion online store\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1246\/6441\/files\/image3_640a0943-ac79-495d-9c93-0af860829deb.png?format=jpg&amp;quality=90&amp;v=1693681197\" class=\"lazyload\"\/><\/p>\n<h3>Caboose Boutique<\/h3>\n<p>Caboose Boutique\u00a0offers free shipping if you spend more than $100, but curbside pickup is free, no matter how much you spend. Customers go through the usual checkout experience, but they can choose curbside pickup instead of shipping.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"curbside pickup on Facebook post\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1246\/6441\/files\/image2_9234bcb3-458f-440b-9481-ce39a5fce824.png?format=jpg&amp;quality=90&amp;v=1693681217\" class=\"lazyload\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"5\">What are the advantages of curbside pickup?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to see why curbside pickup was a safer option for you and your customers during the pandemic. But even without the need for social distancing, this trend is continuing to grow for a range of reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few benefits of offering curbside pickup:<\/p>\n<h3>Faster and more convenient order fulfillment<\/h3>\n<p>Providing more choices for order fulfillment allows customers to enjoy (almost) instant gratification in the same way they would if they were shopping in-store. And with curbside pickup, you can meet this demand so customers can get their orders faster.<\/p>\n<h3>Better customer experience and satisfaction<\/h3>\n<p>By adapting to changes in consumer behavior and offering more delivery and pickup options, you\u2019ll satisfy more customers. Happy customers are more likely to come back again and also tell their friends and family about your store. So, in theory, curbside pickup can also lead to customer loyalty and brand advocacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Guaranteed delivery<\/h3>\n<p>We all know how frustrating it is when you\u2019re waiting in excitement for a package and then you either miss the delivery or it\u2019s delayed. With curbside pickup, this obstacle is eliminated. Customers can pick up their order at a time that works best for them, without having to wait at home so they don\u2019t miss a delivery.<\/p>\n<h3>No shipping fees\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to shipping fees, curbside pickup is advantageous for both you and your customers. There are no shipping costs for shoppers, and you may also save on the cost of packaging.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>It\u2019s better for the environment\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>The added bonus of offering curbside pickup services is that this order fulfillment option is environmentally friendly\u2014it reduces carbon emissions caused by delivery and shipments.<\/p>\n<h3>It encourages customers to shop locally\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>Many people are realizing the value of shopping locally. In fact, our research shows that\u00a065% of consumers support small businesses. Their main reasons for buying locally are strengthening the local economy (57%), helping support local job creation (41%), and investing in their community (35%).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Offering curbside pickup at your local retail boutique gives your community more options to fulfill their desires to shop locally.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"6\">Will curbside pickup last?<\/h2>\n<p>While curbside pickup began as a safety measure to keep staff and customers safe, it\u2019s growing in popularity due to the fact that it makes the shopping experience more convenient for customers. As consumer behavior continues to evolve, customers are continuing to appreciate the flexibility and ease that comes with curbside pickup services.<\/p>\n<p>Zapiet, a Shopify partner app that helps merchants offer curbside pickup, believes this order fulfillment option is here to stay, and its steady growth in monthly installs proves it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>From a purely economic point of view, curbside pickup can save merchants money by eliminating shipping and delivery costs as well as reducing their returns.<\/p>\n<footer><cite>Jonathan Roque, Digital Marketing and Content Strategist, Zapiet<\/cite><\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIt has rapidly become an option customers expect to see at checkout, thanks to its convenience, environmental benefits, and adoption by all major retailers,\u201d says Jonathan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom a purely economic point of view, curbside pickup can save merchants money by eliminating shipping and delivery costs as well as reducing their returns. Also, by allowing customers to schedule pickups ahead of time, it is possible for merchants to increase their order volumes without having to increase their retail space or team size.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Retailers including Whiskeyjack Boutique will continue offering this service post-pandemic. \u201cWe\u2019ll definitely continue offering curbside pickup. We love the option it gives our customers to shop online and pick up if they prefer,\u201d says Allison.<\/p>\n<p>There are a handful of\u00a0Shopify partner apps available\u00a0to help you offer curbside pickup so you can keep up with consumer demand.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"7\">Should you offer curbside pickup at your retail store?<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re considering setting up curbside pickup order fulfillment options at your retail store, you can start by asking yourself the following questions to decide if it\u2019s right for your business:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Do you have the resources to offer curbside pickup? Will your staff manage it or will it be your responsibility?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Is there curb space or parking near your store for customers to wait while you or your staff bring out their orders?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Are you using a POS that provides the right technology to synchronize your inventory and keep track of omnichannel orders?\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you feel confident that you can accomplish the above and successfully manage curbside pickup services, it\u2019s worth trying it out. Giving your customers the option to shop online and pick up at the curb can help you build strong customer relationships and give your retail business an edge over your competitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re ready to get started, try\u00a0Shopify POS\u00a0to provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers both in-store and online, and you\u2019ll be all set to\u00a0manage local pickup for online orders.<\/p>\n<div class=\"marketing-block marketing-block--light marketing-block--padded\">\n<p class=\"heading--4\">Unify your sales channels with Shopify<\/p>\n<p>Only Shopify unifies your sales channels and gives you all the tools you need to manage your business, market to customers, and sell everywhere in one place.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\" class=\"marketing-block marketing-block--light marketing-block--padded\">\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n<h2>Retail curbside pickup FAQ<\/h2>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h3 itemprop=\"name\">How does retail curbside pickup work?<\/h3>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p>The customer orders and pays for their items online or over the phone. They schedule a time for pickup and drive to the store at that time. A retail employee brings the items out to the customer&#8217;s car.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is curbside pickup mean?<\/h3>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p>Curbside pickup is a service offered by some businesses that allows customers to order and pay for items online or over the phone and then pick them up at the curb outside the store.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is the difference between in-store and curbside pickup?<\/h3>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p>In-store pickup is when you go into the store and pick up your order yourself. Curbside pickup is when you have your order brought out to your car by an employee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h3 itemprop=\"name\">What are the benefits of curbside pickup?<\/h3>\n<div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p>There are several benefits to curbside pickup, including convenience, time savings, and avoiding crowds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><p><a href=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/online-workshops-list\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-496\" src=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png\" alt=\"Retail Online Training\" width=\"729\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png 729w, https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90-300x37.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px\" \/><\/a><\/p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Curbside pickup lets your customers make an order online and pick it up at your store, warehouse, or designated pickup location. It\u2019s similar to buy [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}