Men are the power-users of BOPIS

New poll data from decision intelligence company Morning Consult indicates that while buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) might have peaked, there’s room for retailers to grow this omnichannel shopping model.

“The current demographic profile of BOPIS power users reveals which consumers retailers should target to grow usage of these services,” Claire Tassin, retail and e-commerce analyst at Morning Consult, wrote in a memo released August 11.

• Millennials, urban dwellers, and men are more likely to use in-store and curbside pickup options across all categories of goods.
• Tassin suggests that retailers struggling with accommodating BOPIS orders should prioritize floor space in urban stores, and target BOPIS messaging towards the “power users.”

BOPIS experienced meteoric growth during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when browsing shelves surrounded by crowds of other eager shoppers was a no-go. But while that growth has slowed, it hasn’t deterred major retailers from leaning in.

• In August, Kohl’s announced a major expansion of its BOPIS offerings with “self-pickup” available for online orders at more than 1,100 stores around the country ahead of the busy holiday season.
• Both The Container Store and Ulta Beauty highlighted their BOPIS strategies in first quarter reports to investors earlier this year.

Morning Consult’s consumer surveys, which were conducted monthly between October 2021 and July 2022, indicate that convenience is shoppers’ top driver for BOPIS services.

“The BOPIS shopper profile is very similar to the profile of customers who demand faster delivery speeds from retailers,” Tassin wrote. “Surprisingly though, convenience is more important than speed to BOPIS users, meaning retailers need to make convenience, not fulfillment speed, their North Star.”

• Consumers also value the ability to control pickup timing—indicating retailers should prioritize consumer control on pickup windows, Tassin said.
• According to the report, consumer electronics is the only category where consumers choose BOPIS for speed over convenience.

Curbside and in-store pickup options maintain high customer satisfaction rates, but few consumers use BOPIS fulfillment consistently, Tassin added. “There’s substantial room to grow these services.”—MA