3 Insights Into Online Pickup

PHILADELPHIA -- Most retail shoppers haven’t used a "buy online, pickup in-store" (BOPIS) service, but those who have are likely to make an additional purchase while picking up their package, according to a new study. 

ChargeItSpot, a Philadelphia-based charging station provider, surveyed more than 2,000 shoppers across the country to gauge consumer behavior regarding BOPIS. Consumers of all ages are using the service, and each generation approaches it differently, the study found.

The report raises a few points that convenience-store operators may want to consider, especially with Wal-Mart and Amazon’s recent tech-focused moves into convenience retailing.

Here are three insights into what BOPIS services could mean for c-stores …

Of the shoppers who have used BOPIS before, 75% have made an additional purchase while they made their pickup. This behavior could be a boon for operators looking for ways to get gas pumpers into the c-store to buy a snack or beverage.

Of the age groups surveyed, consumers ages 50 to 65 were the most likely to make an additional purchase when picking up an online order, at 79%. Millennials are second-most likely to make an additional purchase, at 75%; Gen X consumers ages 35 to 49 are the least likely, at 63%.

The study’s findings are clear that, whatever their age, consumers will more than likely make an additional purchase while picking up an online order.

While it might be easy to assume that millennials would try out BOPIS more than their older peers, ChargeItSpot’s study found that Gen Xers are in fact the most common users. Of those ages 35 to 49, 49% have used the service before.

Millennials were the runner-up at 42%, and boomers are the least likely, at 39%. Douglas Baldasare, ChargeItSpot’s CEO and founder, believes it comes down to convenience.

“Shoppers between the ages of 35 and 49 are the age group who most benefit from the convenience of BOPIS,” he said. “They are the most likely to work full time and have families, leaving them less time to go to stores and shop. Picking up an order that they placed online can be an easier option in their busy lives.”

The study indicates that 60% of shoppers have never used BOPIS before, indicating that there is room for the service to grow. The line between in-store and online shopping is blurring, and offering BOPIS is one way to signal to customers that c-stores are on the forefront of that change.

Implementing BOPIS also opens up new loyalty and discount opportunities. For example, operators with online pickup looking to lift flagging sales might try offering customers a discount on items in a category in which sales have been weak when they come in to grab an online order. This could help spur impulse buys, something ChargeItSpot’s study shows all age groups using BOPIS practice regularly.