Why you should offer customers local collection in the store

Several of your customers live close to your physical store yet you send packages to them. And maybe some are also sent back which gives you costs and even harms the environment. Why not take advantage of local pickup for your nearby customers with Shopify?

Local pickup helps you bridge online and offline shopping so you can offer a truly omnichannel shopping experience - and allow customers to choose their preferred delivery method.

This is a way to increase sales and customer satisfaction. It may be easier for a retail store to implement, but if you are expanding to multiple locations there are also solutions you can use to offer different pickup options at different locations.

This is how pickup can look like for your retail store:

1. 1. The customer buys via your website, and during the payment process they have the option to choose pick-up in the store.
   2. The customer completes the payment online via your shop.
   3. You will receive a notification of their order and can prioritize packing it.
   4. Once you have confirmed that the item is in stock, you send a message to the customer telling them that it is ready for collection. At this point you also tell them what to do when they arrive. For example they must be able to present their order number.
   5. The customer can come to the store to pick up their order if they prefer.
   6. The customer drives off and feels instant satisfaction because they did not have to wait for delivery. You are done!

How do you set it up in Shopify?

There are also several apps like Local Delivery that can help you solve the problem. 

Here you can among other things make unlimited delivery and pick-up plans. And configure different delivery areas and pickup locations. If you have areas that you are only able to service Monday to Wednesday from noon at 9 to 11, customers in these areas can only select a delivery date in this timespan. You can create delivery areas using zip codes. For example, customers outside your delivery area may not select a delivery data / time.

The many benefits of local pickup

Faster and easier order fulfillment
By providing more options for order delivery, customers can enjoy (almost) instant gratification in the same way they would do if they shopped in the store. And with pickup at the store, you can meet this demand so that customers can get their products faster.

Better customer experiences and satisfaction
By adapting to changes in the consumer behavior and offering more delivery and pickup options, you can satisfy more customers. Happy customers are more likely to return again and also tell their friends and family about your store. So in theory local pickup can also lead to great customer loyalty.

Pickup at the curb eliminates the chance of products being damaged
This is especially important because receiving damaged goods is a major disruption for consumers. Here you can ensure that your customers receive the goods in good condition.

Guaranteed delivery
We all know how frustrating it is when you wait in excitement for a package and then you either miss the delivery or it is delayed. With pick-up at the store this can be eliminated. Customers can pick up their order at a time that works best for them without having to wait at home so they do not miss a delivery.

No delivery costs
When it comes to delivery costs, pickup at the store is beneficial for both you and your customers. There are no delivery costs for the buyer and you can also save on the packaging costs. In addition, you want to make sure the customer is happy before they leave, which can reduce the chances of handling return shipping fees.

It is better for the environment
The extra bonus of offering local collection in the store is that this order fulfillment is environmentally friendly - it reduces CO2 consumption caused by delivery and shipments.

It encourages customers to shop locally so you can stay in business
More people are realizing the value of shopping locally. In fact, research shows that 65 % of consumers support small businesses. Their main reasons for buying locally are to strengthen the local economy (57 %), support local job creation (41 %), and invest in their communities (35 %).

Opportunity for additional sales
Another bonus of local collection in the physical store is that you get customers inside and let them be inspired by the store's universe. Perhaps customers' attention falls on several of your products that they did not find on the website. And last but not least, it gives you a unique opportunity to create a good dialogue with the customer which is almost impossible with online shopping and traditional delivery methods.