5 ways to improve the click and collect process

One area where there has been a huge deal of interest and attempts at improvements is delivery. With Amazon Prime, ASOS next day delivery, and a multitude of online retailers offering a range of delivery options, it has never been so important to ensure your brand is offering what customers want.

Click and collect has become a popular way for shoppers to receive their purchases thanks to the convenience it offers. Shoppers buy an item online and go into a store that is most convenient to them to collect the purchase. It’s also a great way for the retailer to increase sales as shoppers entering stores often make further purchases as they are attracted to items they may not have been searching for online.

If done correctly, click and collect can see both customer satisfaction and sales increase. However, while a large number of retailers now offer click and collect, there are still several things they could be doing in order to improve this option. To help do just that, here are 5 ways to improve the click and collect process in order to improve UX, CX and sell more.

Offer click and collect as a free option

Click and collect can be a great alternative to other delivery options. For example, for shoppers who work 9-5 and aren’t able to have mail delivered to work, those who know they will be in a certain place on a certain day, and those who simply like to go into a physical store.

But, there are many examples out there of retailers that are still charging shoppers to collect their item from a store. In essence, this takes a lot of the convenience out of the option – after all, extra costs are one of the main reasons abandon the checkout process, meaning you could be losing a valuable customer who may otherwise have spent more, come back time and time again and spread the word about your wonderful brand.

Improve the mobile experience

According to Statista, approximately 4.78 billion people will own a smartphone by 2020. This means that retailers need to up their game when it comes to improving the mobile experience. Consumers expect the physical and online worlds to blend seamlessly. Therefore, smartphone and tablet compatibility should be an integral part of any retailer’s online customer experience, and the click and collect function must offer a suitably seamless mobile user experience.

Ensure it stands out on the checkout page

It’s all well and good offering click and collect, but how clear have you made this option to your customers? Make sure your message is clear when the consumer arrives at the basket stage. If they are left guessing, this can lead to frustration, which could lead them to abandon their basket altogether – not a situation any retailer wants.

Make the most of locker services and pickup points

Who says click and collect is only for retailers who have physical stores? Online retailers can now take advantage of a plethora of pickup points and locker services, which give them a huge advantage over online retailers only offering standard delivery options.

Collect accurate customer data

Sending a text message or email to your customers to let them know when their item is ready to collect is a great way to keep shoppers up to date, and is a huge win when it comes to convenience and good CX. But what good is sending out an SMS or email if you don’t have the correct customer data? It’s a waste of time, effort and money, and does nothing to help the customer.

Make sure you capture accurate email and phone data in the checkout process so that emails and messages arrive at the right person at the right time. One way to ensure you are capturing only accurate details is by implementing phone and email validation.

It may only seem like one small part of your checkout, but by improving your click and collect process, you could make a big difference.