The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a prime example of how quickly consumer trends change. Click & Collect was once seen by retailers as an outdated avenue to drive additional online orders. Now consumers are demanding the system from retailers, perceiving it to reduce in-store contact, limiting exposure to bacteria.
Click & Collect combines the best of both worlds when it comes to eCommerce and traditional retail. It offers the consumer all the comforts of browsing from home, along with the instant gratification they get from shopping in stores.
According to Adobe Analytics, during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic United States Click & Collect orders surged by 208 percent compared to 2019. This rapid growth has slowed as retailers are re-opening, but the use of Click & Collect shows no signs of decline. Consumers have likely formed lasting changes in purchasing habits due to lifestyle adjustments brought about by the pandemic.
The COVID consumer values saving money and time, Click & Collect provides the perfect solution to these growing needs. According to a study by Statista of internet users worldwide;
- 47.4 percent of users claimed they used Click & Collect to avoid shipping charges.
- 44.4 percent of users claimed to use Click & Collect to save time as browsing online is more efficient than shopping in-store.
While Click & Collect provides many benefits to the consumer, it also provides traditional brick and mortar stores the opportunity to;
- reach customers 24/7 while keeping their physical stores open.
- provide all the benefits eCommerce has to offer combined with an economic opportunity for retailers to cut costs on logistics and transportation.
- Keep customers satisfied, adding to business credibility and reputation through positive feedback.
eStar recently completed a large Click & Collect project for Bed Bath & Beyond. The customer feedback they are receiving, like the one below, demonstrates the payoff of creating an end-to-end Click & Collect process that works for the target consumer.
“The whole process from start to finish was simple and easy. The website was easy to navigate, with a good search function, and very responsive with almost instantaneous results. Selecting the product and adding to the cart was a cinch.”
“The checkout process was also simple and quick. The order fulfilment was rapid, and the communication on progress was great. The actual Click & Collect process went smoothly, and the staff were friendly, helpful and caring - particularly around our Covid alert levels.”
“Also, we were impressed with the re-use of a box for a previous order delivered to us, and liked the sticker explaining this. So many good things made a great online order experience (well, 2 great online experiences). Thanks.”
The Click & Collect solution was launched during a wildly testing time for the retail industry due to COVID-19, and it has provided Bed Bath & Beyond customers with an exciting new channel for purchasing goods online. Since launching in August, Click & Collect orders are already contributing to 18% of total online orders and 14% of online sales. This is only the beginning as the service is being rolled out to more stores across the country.
Bed Bath & Beyond’s CFO, Guy Hunt stated, “we’ve seen a huge increase in Click & Collect orders since launching, resulting in both an increase in customer satisfaction and sales as a direct result of this new service”. The successful launch of Click & Collect demonstrates just how vital this is to Bed Bath & Beyond’s success during the pandemic and into the future.
eStar’s online services enhance customers overall shopping experience and provides clients with solutions to ever-changing demands.
