How big-box retailers are trying to get shoppers to add more to their curbside pickup orders

“Jonathan Sharp, managing director, Alvarez & Marsal Consumer Retail Group, said the pandemic has caused many consumers to rationalize shopping trips and minimize dwell time in-store. “In a recent Alvarez & Marsal consumer sentiment survey, we found that 85% of respondents intended to stick with these changes even as Covid fades to memory,” Sharp said.

For consumers, however, Sharp said the pick-up experience itself has historically been poorly organized or unpleasant prior to the recent upgrades. When retailers first began implementing digital order pickup a few years ago, their websites and apps weren’t equipped with providing real-time updates, leading to customer confusion or longer wait times. With retailers trying to make the experience as seamless as possible, the Target-Starbucks BOPIS and returns idea “combines convenience with a more attractive experience,” said Sharp.”