Omnichannel Retailers Attempt to Save the Sale Only 7% of the Time

DALLAS–()–Kibo, the world’s leading cloud-based unified omnichannel commerce platform, released a comprehensive buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS) mystery shopping report, Unified Commerce and the Customer Experience,” which sheds new light on how leading retailers are performing with BOPIS programs, reveals the current consumer experience and provides insight on succeeding with this coveted omnichannel fulfillment strategy. According to the study from Kibo, the e-tailing group and Multichannel Merchant, retailers can no longer wait on the sidelines to adopt this functionality and need to evaluate how to bring these capabilities to fruition.

The study revealed a number of interesting findings about the state of BOPIS programs:

  • 17% of retailer apps displayed in-store inventory quantities
  • 37% of apps allowed shoppers to designate someone else to pick up a purchase
  • 30% enabled text notifications
  • 50% had store signage for BOPIS
  • 75% had orders ready for pickup within 24 hours
  • 7% attempted to save-the-sale

The e-tailing group shopped at 30 major retailers that offered in-store pickup or reserve and evaluated 85 metrics on the omnichannel experience. This experience began with evaluation of retailer apps to gauge their ability to facilitate fast shopping in advance of the store visit, followed by an evaluation of timely and accurate communication with the consumer once the order was placed. Finally, the in-store experience was reviewed to grade how well retailers used signage, in-store technology and the power of the store associate.

The study also includes a summary of must-have requirements and areas of improvement for retailers, as well as a report card to review and grade a retailer’s own in-store pickup offering.

“In-store pickup is a popular fulfillment option, but it can be difficult to get right from start to finish,” says Jennifer Sherman, SVP, Product and Strategy, Kibo. “Advanced retail commerce technology, store associate training and engagement, and communication with the consumer all need to work together to provide the seamless experience consumers expect.”

“This study provides some very interesting data and brings to light how important a consistent experience is through a consumer’s buying journey,” continues Sherman. “For example, it was very surprising to find such a small number of the retailers surveyed attempted to save the sale when an exchange or return was requested. This is just one area of improvement retailers can focus on. Our goal with this study is to give retailers a clear checklist of what they must provide during the in-store pickup experience, as well as areas of opportunity for them to shine above the competition.”

Navigating the complexity of providing a seamless omnichannel experience is a difficult task, especially as consumer expectations are being set to all-time highs. With the right unified technology put in place and by following insights from this report, retailers can provide flexibility in how shoppers initiate and fulfill their purchases, giving them the ultimate in convenience, a must-have for today’s consumer and a retailer’s success.

About Kibo:

Kibo is the strategic merger of industry leaders MarketLive, Shopatron and Fiverun. With a combined 40 years of innovations, we’re joining forces to help retailers and branded manufacturers unify the consumer experience. Kibo is a complete omnichannel commerce platform, delivering the lowest total cost of ownership and the fastest time to market. With predictive technologies and enterprise performance, we can help you achieve increased sales. No matter the challenge, Kibo powers your success.

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