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Click and Collect: A Convenient Way to Help Customers

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Last updated on March 23rd, 2026 at 10:46 am

Click and collect allows customers to shop online and pick up their items at a nearby location, saving on shipping costs, providing immediate access to their purchases, and ensuring more control over the pickup timing.

Click and collect not only puts products in shoppers’ hands faster, but it also simplifies fulfillment for brands. This fulfillment strategy is a win-win for both shoppers and retail brands. In a competitive market, it can help not only improve margins but also meet evolving customer expectations. 

Let’s get into how click and collect works and its advantages for retail brands. 

What Is Click and Collect? 

Also called BOPIS, which stands for buy online pickup in-store, click and collect is a type of omnichannel fulfillment. A shopper orders your product online as usual, but instead of shipping it to their home, they choose to pick up their order at a physical location. 

Generally, shoppers would pick up their orders at one of your brick-and-mortar store locations, but you could enable them to pick up from any physical location. For example, at your curbside, a UPS or FedEx store, or even a shipping dropbox.

How Does Click and Collect Work? 

As long as you have a robust order management system (OMS), click and collect allows for a seamless shopper experience. Here’s how the click and collect model works:

  • The customer chooses click and collect. Your customer shops online or via your retail mobile app and chooses click and collect instead of one of your shipping options. The system will display which physical locations the shopper can collect the item from, and often when the item will be available for collection. The customer completes their order and pays. 
  • An employee prepares the order. Click and collect integrates with your POS and store inventory management systems. An associate or the store will get a notification on their store solution that an online order needs to be fulfilled. In a timely manner, they pick the items and pack them up so they’re ready for the customer’s arrival. 
  • The system notifies the customer. When the customer’s item is available for pick up, they will receive a notification via email or SMS. Most click and collect models give shoppers a window of time for when they can pick up their item. 
  • The customer picks up the order. Click and collect can include buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS), where customers retrieve their orders inside the store, or curbside pickup, where they remain in their vehicle and have the order brought out to them. When the customer arrives, a store associate equipped with a mPOS can handover the order from anywhere inside or outside of the store. It’s usually as simple as scanning a QR code on a printed or digital receipt.

7 Major Advantages of Click and Collect

Although click and collect may require a few changes to the back end, it’s a smart model for omnichannel shopping. It combines the best of brick-and-mortar and online shopping to give customers the speed and convenience they expect. 

Brands who offer click and collect options enjoy these seven advantages. 

1. Better customer experience

Click and collect eliminates several pain points that shoppers experience with online shopping, including: 

  • Control: Click and collect is a great way to give shoppers more control over their shopping experience, allowing them the flexibility to pick up their order when it fits their schedule. 
  • Speed: Depending on product availability, it’s often faster for shoppers to pick up orders at a retail location than to wait for mail delivery. 
  • In-store engagement: Click and collect brings customers into your store and allows your store associates to engage directly with shoppers. If they have any questions about their order or other products, there’s a friendly face available to offer immediate assistance.

2. Reduced costs

Click and collect orders allow brands to utilize their existing footprint to fulfill online orders. This helps to improve margins since you’ll save on shipping costs.  Simply fulfill orders to your retail location and wait for customers to pick up their purchases. 

3. Increased sales

Click and collect brings customers into your store, giving them an opportunity to browse and make additional purchases. This can lead to impulse buys that boost your sales and increase revenue. By strategically placing high-margin items and promotions near the pickup area, retailers can encourage these unplanned purchases. Store associates can also use this time to upsell or cross-sell, further enhancing sales opportunities.

4. Enhanced inventory management

By leveraging existing inventory at retail locations, brands can optimize stock levels across multiple channels. This helps reduce excess inventory and minimizes the risk of stockouts, ensuring products are always available for customers.

5. Improved customer loyalty

Offering click and collect can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty by providing a flexible shopping option that meets their needs. Customers appreciate the ability to quickly obtain their purchases without waiting for delivery, which can lead to repeat business and stronger brand loyalty.

6. Data collection and insights

Click and collect transactions provide valuable data on customer preferences and buying behaviors. By analyzing this data, brands can gain insights into which products are popular, peak shopping times, and customer preferences, enabling them to tailor their marketing strategies and improve overall operations.

7. Reduced returns

When customers pick up items in-store, they can check their purchases on the spot. This immediate opportunity to inspect goods can reduce the likelihood of returns, as customers can address any issues directly with store staff, leading to higher customer satisfaction and lower return rates.

Click and Collect Made Easy with NewStore

Click and collect is gaining traction. The more shoppers use this fulfillment option, the more they will expect it. 

As a retail brand, you need a flexible omnichannel system that allows shoppers to enjoy a seamless click and collect experience. NewStore can help you facilitate click and collect. Request a demo today.

Written byJulia Morrissey

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