Analyzing the Customer Journey: Part 3

Last updated on February 10th, 2022 at 04:23 pm

This is part three of a five-part series about the omnichannel customer journey.

The customer journey maps out several important touchpoints retailers should maximize to win over shoppers and their wallets. Recently, we analyzed the purchase section of the customer journey. We looked at how brands can remove friction by simplifying their checkout experiences online, on mobile, and in-store. Now, we’re taking a deep dive into part 3 of the journey: fulfillment. 

Defining Fulfillment

As described in our Omnichannel Leadership Report, fulfillment encompasses the supply chain processes that enable customers to retrieve a product. It doesn’t matter if it is in-store or via delivery, it’s all about efficiency and speed. If the fulfillment experience falls short of consumers’ expectations, their next purchase will likely end up in the hands of a competitor. That’s why it’s imperative that retailers implement modern fulfillment solutions. They can surprise and delight customers, which is important in a society where two-day shipping is the norm.

What Brands Are Getting Right

There’s no question that Amazon’s shipping model has prompted retailers to up the ante on their fulfillment game. The good news is that many brands already leverage the practice of endless aisle: selling stock from all enterprise locations. An omnichannel point-of-sale system makes endless aisle easy by giving retailers a holistic view of their stock, which then helps drive more sales. According to the report:

• 81% of retailers can leverage their call center to look up missing receipt/order information during a return or exchange
• 76% of store associates can look up missing receipt/order information to return or exchange an item
• 70% of brands enable out-of-stock items to be purchased for delivery from a warehouse

The omnichannel retail economy sees shoppers place purchases in a multitude of ways: by mobile app, in-store, online, or by phone. Retailers need to be able to facilitate returns and purchases through a combination of these methods. According to the report, approximately three-quarters of brands are doing just that. 

Where There’s Room for Improvement

• 54% of retailers’ call centers can adjust delivery information after an order has been placed
• 61% of call centers can process a return or exchange
• 56% let customers return an item purchased online in the store (BORIS)
• 45% allow shoppers to purchase an item in-store and have it shipped to their home
• 58% of store associates suggest fulfillment options for endless aisle orders, such as on-demand delivery, ship to store, and ship from store

Call centers haven’t yet lost their importance in the customer’s purchase journey. A shopper may want to update their delivery information after placing an order or elect to speak with a customer service agent to process a return or exchange. Nearly half of retailers’ call centers are unable to accommodate these requests, which are easy wins for a successful fulfillment experience. 

Additionally, a great deal of opportunity lies in the BOPIS/BORIS area of fulfillment. If consumers can buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS), then the inverse of that—buy online, return in-store (or BORIS)—should also be available. With endless aisle orders, shoppers can choose from a variety of ways to receive their purchases: on-demand delivery, ship to a local store free of charge, and ship to home from a store, among others. And yet, more than 40% of store associates are missing opportunities to sell endless aisle orders by failing to give customers options. 

Where There Are Significant Gaps

• 25% of brands let shoppers buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS)
• 22% allow shoppers to reserve an item at an in-store location
• 0% offer scheduled pick-up times for BOPIS purchases
• 4% have a specific location for picking up online orders

BOPIS is one of the most convenient fulfillment options for customers. They can save on shipping while enjoying the instant gratification associated with same-day retail. Despite the clear benefits, only 25% of brands offer it. This percentage shrinks even lower for luxury and premium brands. There’s a lot of additional revenue being left on the shelf with the lack of BOPIS and the inability to reserve items at a store location and pay for them upon arrival. 

Furthermore, no brands surveyed for the report currently offer scheduled pick-up times for BOPIS items. Most consumers with busy schedules generally prefer to shop online to save time. When they need to come in-store, why not make things easy with specific pick-up times and a set pick-up location?

Order fulfillment is one of the easiest ways to win a customer’s loyalty. If a retailer makes it simple for shoppers to receive a purchase in a matter of days—or even hours—then the brand has a much higher chance of being associated with reliability, efficiency, and speed. To find out which brands are leading the pack on successful order fulfillment, download our Omnichannel Leadership Report.