Click & Collect: What you need to know about it!

Reading time: 5 minutes

Since the Corona crisis at the latest, it should be clear to every entrepreneur by now - offering your products and services online is part of today's standard. If you don't have an online presence and an online shop, you are missing out on customers and additional revenue. One feature that is gaining importance in online sales and simplifying the customer's shopping experience is Click & Collect. This allows customers to shop online and pick up products at the shop of their choice. This article explains the benefits of Click & Collect, how it works and whether it makes sense for your business.

Content of this article

1. What is Click & Collect and how does it work?

Click & Collect is a shopping model used primarily in retail and hospitality. It allows customers to order products online and then pick them up in physical shops. The process typically goes through the following steps: First, the customer selects the desired items in the retailer's online shop and places them in the virtual shopping cart. He then pays for the order online by credit card or decides to pay at pick-up. Instead of having the products delivered to their home, the customer chooses to pick them up in the shop. After the order has been put together, the retailer notifies the customer about the availability of the items. Once the items are available, the customer receives a notification so that they can go to the chosen pick-up point and collect the items.

View a product invoice and its shipping status in the Paymash POS App

2. The five most important advantages of Click & Collect

Click & Collect offers numerous advantages for both customers and retailers. We have summarised the most important advantages for you below.

• Convenient collection & time saving

The hectic pace of everyday life often leaves us little time for extensive shopping. Click & Collect saves valuable time because customers don't have to roam the shops looking for products. Instead, they can select their purchases in advance and pick them up in a short time.

• Linking online and offline shopping

Click & Collect bridges the gap between online and offline shopping. Customers can browse online while enjoying the physical experience of shopping in-store. This seamless link enables merchants to make the most of both sales channels, provided the POS system is linked to the online shop. This linkage is one of Paymash's many strengths.

• Automatic stock management

For retailers, Click & Collect offers the advantage of optimised inventory management. As customers place their orders in advance, retailers can better plan which products they need to have in stock and thus avoid overstocking or shortages.

• The personal touch & avoiding returns

Shopping online is usually an impersonal form of shopping. However, Click & Collect still creates personal contact with the customer. It also gives customers the opportunity to ask questions, receive recommendations and get personal advice from a sales associate when they pick up their orders. Any returns can also be avoided in this way.

• Sustainable & cost-saving

Another big advantage of Click & Collect is the saved shipping costs. Customers do not have to pay delivery charges because they collect their purchases themselves. This can mean significant savings, especially for larger or heavier products. By avoiding shipping costs and bundling delivery in one place, Click & Collect helps reduce CO2 emissions. This makes this shopping method an environmentally friendly choice.

3. The five critical points with Click & Collect

As advantageous as Click & Collect is, it also has the following disadvantages, which need to be considered and can be decisive for the match. Here we have summarised the most important points.

• Time window for collection

Shops set time slots for the collection of Click & Collect orders. This can be problematic for customers, especially if the set times are not compatible with their schedules.

• Pick-up process

Although Click & Collect aims to make shopping easier, the collection process itself can sometimes be complicated. Long queues or confusion about where to pick up the order can affect the convenience of shopping.

• Limited product inspection

Unlike traditional in-store shopping, with Click & Collect customers have limited opportunities to inspect products before they buy. This can lead to them receiving products that do not meet their expectations.

• Lack of shopping experience

One disadvantage of Click & Collect is that customers may miss out on the physical in-store shopping experience. The opportunity to touch products, try them out and experience the atmosphere of the shop can potentially be lost with this method.

• Limited flexibility & unclaimed products

While Click & Collect can be convenient, it may not offer the same flexibility as home delivery. Customers have to stick to collection times and locations, which can limit their flexibility. In addition, customers may place their orders online but not collect them for various reasons. This can lead to wastage of resources as traders hold the products without selling them. Uncollected products take up warehouse space and require additional labour time to book them back and place them back in the warehouse.

Overview Click & Collect invoices and their dispatch status in the Paymash POS system

4. Five valuable tips for the correct use of Click & Collect

Are you wondering if Click & Collect is right for your business and how best to use it? Then you should take a look at our five valuable tips for the optimal use of Click & Collect.

• Transparent communication

Clear and concise communication is key to the success of Click & Collect. Make sure your customers know exactly how the ordering and collection process works. Provide clear instructions on your website about collection times, locations and the steps required. Avoid misunderstandings and make sure your customers know what to expect.

• Efficient inventory management

Sound inventory management is crucial. Make sure your stock levels are closely tracked to avoid shortages or overstocks. Ideally, you should use an online shop system that is linked to your checkout so that stock levels are updated automatically - Paymash offers such a complete solution. Thanks to automatic stock reports, you can keep track of your stock and increase customer satisfaction.

• Flexibility with pick-up times

Offer your clients a wide range of pick-up times to accommodate different schedules. Consider workers as well as students or people with flexible schedules. The possibility to choose pick-up times according to their needs can increase the satisfaction of your clients.

• Clear pick-up points

Make sure your pick-up points are well marked and easy to find. Customers should be able to easily find their way around the shop to pick up their orders. Clear signage and friendly staff make the pick-up process smoother and contribute positively to the customer experience.

• Customer service and personal training

Train your staff to improve customer service at Click & Collect. Staff should be able to answer questions and offer support to ensure a positive shopping experience. Also prepare your staff for potential conflicts, such as incorrectly ordered products, delivery delays or rude customers. This will make the work much easier for you and your staff.

5. Click & Collect: Elegant and easy to implement with Paymash

At a time when convenience and efficiency are playing an increasingly important role in shopping, Click & Collect has proven to be an innovative way to combine the benefits of online and offline shopping. Customers appreciate the flexibility of selecting products online and then picking them up in person at the shop. But for retailers, Click & Collect also presents some challenges. This is where Paymash comes in to streamline the entire process and improve the shopping experience for both parties.

Paymash not only offers an elegant way to smoothly integrate Click & Collect into operations, but goes one step further. By linking the online shop and checkout system, the collection process is massively simplified. Stock levels are automatically updated and synchronisation between physical shop and online shop is seamless. This means that your customers always know which products are available.

Would you like to integrate Click & Collect into your business and explore the possibilities of Paymash? Contact us today or book an appointment for a free online consultation now at the link below.

Our team of experts look forward to helping you set up and use this innovative feature.