Customer Service

Curbside pick-up gains favor with shoppers, reveals study

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October 2, 2020

The ability to pick up orders curbside is getting more popular as 85% of consumers have increased use of the pick-up option and 79% view contactless store pickup as very important.

The findings, from Incisiv research commissioned by Manhattan Associates, comes as consumers are still fearful of contracting COVID-19. The coronavirus, according to a press release on the data, has permanently impacted shopper behavior and is driving the evolution of omnichannel fulfillment.

In fact, digital is "now the front door to the store," according to the research report, "The New Store Shopper in High-Touch Retail," an in-store shopper survey.

The data stated 80% of shoppers expect to increase BOPIS and curbside pickup over the next six months and 90% preferring home delivery over a store visit in the next six months.

Yet shoppers find current pickup experiences lacking, with shoppers rating recent checkout and pick-up experiences poorly across a variety of parameters - from availability of pick-up slots to wait-times for pick-up once at the store.

"Shoppers view and value stores very differently today than they did pre COVID-19. More than ever before, it is all about safety, speed and convenience," said Gaurav Pant, chief insights officer, Incisiv, said in the release. "And, this change in behavior will impact high-touch retail categories such as apparel, luxury and specialty in unique ways. We recommend retailers make it easier to find store inventory online, simplify the in-store pick-up experience, and help their store associates build stronger relationships with customers digitally. As important, retailers must arm their store teams with tools to fulfill online orders more efficiently — and ultimately, profitably."

The survey polled 2,510 U.S. shoppers between July 29 and August 6, 2020.