Offering click and collect options, particularly at Christmas, is one of the best ways of boosting the instore experience for shoppers according to a new report from Qmatic.
The survey showed that more than a quarter of shoppers (26%) said that a click and collect service, whether through a self-service kiosk, or staff at the door with mobile applications – would improve their in-store experience. It came second only to seasonal discounting.
“We saw in our survey that during the Christmas period, the popularity of online shopping increases, with 32% saying they buy more of their Christmas shopping online than in-store, as opposed to 26% for the rest of the year,” said Vanessa Walmsley, MD at Qmatic UK.
“The consumers that we surveyed revealed some of the reasons for this: 50% reported that lines for the tills are too long and 30% said too often the items that they want are out of stock. Click & Collect services may be able to remedy some of these issues, giving customers the flexibility to order the products they want into stores for collection, and enabling them to skip the queues,” she said.
She said retailers should focus on providing a good click and collect experience however, with check-in facilities ensuring that the service is as fast as it can be instore. “With the so-called Golden Quarter covering the Christmas period so critical to retailer’s bottom lines, it is imperative that they use all the tools at their disposal to maximise sales,” said Walmsley.
“Click & Collect services may be crucial in improving the customer experience and bringing more shoppers into stores, who might otherwise avoid the high street during the festive season,” she said.
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