Buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) has become a cornerstone of modern retail, merging the convenience of e-commerce with the immediacy of in-person pickup. Customer satisfaction now depends on how seamless, fast, and personalized this pickup experience feels. The best BOPIS programs rely on real-time data, automation, and clear communication, supported by connected technology across every step.
This article explores proven strategies to optimize the BOPIS process, reduce friction, and build lasting customer loyalty with enterprise-grade precision and security.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
Why BOPIS is essential to today’s omnichannel retail strategy
BOPIS, also known as “click and collect”, is a critical component of any modern omnichannel retail strategy. Its adoption accelerated during the pandemic as consumers sought safe, contactless solutions, like QR Codes for contactless pickup. Today, customers consistently choose it to avoid shipping fees, save time, and maintain flexibility. Over 97 million Americans (34.2% of U.S. consumers) are regular BOPIS shoppers.
For retailers, the BOPIS strategy is more than a fulfillment method; it’s a powerful driver of foot traffic and incremental sales. Almost half of all consumers who use BOPIS make additional in-store purchases after arriving. This hybrid journey creates new opportunities to measure in-store customer engagement. As customer expectations for speed and visibility rise, delivering a frictionless pickup process is no longer optional.
Common BOPIS challenges that frustrate customers (and how to fix them)
When the BOPIS experience fails, it fails spectacularly. Long wait times, unclear pickup instructions, or inaccurate inventory management can damage brand trust and loyalty. A customer who buys online expects guaranteed product availability; showing up to a physical store only to find their order isn’t ready is a major source of frustration.
Breakdowns in staff communication can also cause pickup delays or order mix-ups. Customers expect real-time updates and proactive notifications for their pickup orders. Without automation, you will leave customers waiting and frustrated, and nearly a quarter of them will abandon their purchase (and your store) after just five minutes.
These issues are nearly identical to those found in curbside pickup workflows. Retailers must actively improve curbside pickup experience and BOPIS simultaneously to create a truly seamless omnichannel operation.
Proven strategies to improve the BOPIS customer journey
Improving the BOPIS customer journey means optimizing for visibility, speed, and personalization at every touchpoint. Retailers should layer these improvements to build customer confidence from the initial checkout to the final pickup.
Optimize pre-pickup communication for clarity and confidence
The BOPIS experience begins the moment a customer completes their online shopping. Send an order confirmation message immediately, followed by clear, actionable pickup details.
Use SMS or branded short links to share store maps, specific pickup location details (like “Customer Service, 3rd Floor” or “Find your purchases in Locker D”), or parking instructions.
Branded links are crucial for building trust, especially in an SMS message. A link like YourBrand.co/Order-Status looks professional and secure, reinforcing brand trust and encouraging clicks.
Empower store associates with real-time data and insights
Your store associates are the human element of your digital strategy. Empower them with real-time data and integrated systems that alert them when customers are en route to the store location. This real-time trip tracking helps staff prioritize order fulfillment for BOPIS orders and dramatically reduce wait times. Equipping associates with mobile apps or dashboards allows them to provide efficient, informed service instead of scrambling to find an order.
When associates have this advanced notice, they can “stage” the order. This means they retrieve the pickup order from the stockroom and have it ready at the pickup location before the customer even arrives. This simple automation eliminates the most significant friction point in the BOPIS process: The “wait while they go find it.”
This data-driven workflow transforms the associate’s role from reactive to proactive. Instead of being interrupted, they manage a clean queue of incoming pickups. This setup not only boosts operational efficiency but also directly impacts customer satisfaction. When the pickup is immediate and seamless, the customer perceives the BOPIS service as a high-value convenience, strengthening customer loyalty and their positive view of your brick-and-mortar store.
Personalize every pickup to strengthen loyalty and satisfaction
The pickup is a perfect moment to strengthen customer loyalty. Use this high-value touchpoint to deliver tailored offers or loyalty reminders. For example, when a customer scans their QR Code to retrieve their order, your integrated system can note their loyalty status and prompt the associate to offer a relevant add-on or a “points applied” confirmation. This type of personalization drives customer satisfaction and encourages repeat visits.
But you can take this personalization even further. Leverage engagement data from their online shopping journey to optimize this final interaction. The QR Code itself could link to a dynamic Bitly Pages site that confirms their order status and presents a personalized upsell offer based on their cart.
This setup transforms a simple fulfillment step into a new revenue opportunity, encouraging immediate in-store purchases. A data-driven approach also allows you to gather instant customer feedback via the same digital touchpoint, helping you refine the BOPIS process for the next customer. This strategy turns a logistical task into a powerful, data-rich part of the customer journey.
Technology and real-time data that power BOPIS experiences
A high-performing BOPIS service depends on tight data synchronization between your e-commerce platform, inventory management systems, and in-store logistics. Real-time inventory visibility is the most critical factor. This isn’t just about knowing if an item is in the stockroom; it’s about having a single source of truth for product availability that is shared by both your website and your store associates. When customer expectations are set by what they see online, that data must be perfect.
When a customer buys online, your system must be able to instantly and accurately reserve that specific item at their chosen physical store. This action prevents a different customer from buying that same item in-store, which is a common point of failure. This accuracy is what stops the dreaded “out of stock” email after an order confirmation has already been sent, which is generally a major blow to brand trust. The right processes directly reduce canceled online orders and boost order fulfillment speed because associates aren’t searching for items that were never there.
Centralizing inventory and order data enhances both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. It means you build your entire BOPIS process on reliable information, allowing you to optimize workflows, automate inventory counts, and consistently meet the “ready for pickup” promise. Without this real-time sync, your BOPIS strategy is just guesswork.
Ensuring security, compliance, and customer trust at BOPIS scale
BOPIS transactions involve sensitive customer and payment data, making robust security a critical part of the customer journey. As retailers scale this functionality, they must prioritize data privacy and governance. This is where standards like Bitly’s SOC 2 compliance become essential for enterprise retailers. SOC 2 is a rigorous audit that verifies a service provider securely manages customer data. This compliance builds trust, not just for internal operations, but in the overall customer experience itself.
This operational trust and adaptability are what protect brick-and-mortar stores from obsolescence. When people ask why are retail stores closing, the answer often involves a failure to invest in secure, modern, hybrid experiences like BOPIS. Enterprise-grade security makes your BOPIS process scalable and dependable.
How Bitly powers frictionless, data-driven BOPIS experiences
Bitly acts as the digital bridge connecting communication, analytics, and compliance in the BOPIS workflow. For retailers, we are the enterprise-grade Connections Management Platform that enables a secure, modern pickup experience.
Retailers can use our branded Bitly Links and Bitly Codes (our Dynamic QR Code solution) to:
- Share pickup instructions: Send secure, branded short links for real-time status updates via SMS or email.
- Track engagement: Use Bitly Analytics to oversee click and scan data so you can identify bottlenecks in the pickup process and optimize workflows.
- Maintain security: Our platform’s enterprise-grade security posture ensures that every digital touchpoint, from the “order ready” link to the in-store QR Code scan, meets externally audited industry standards.
The results are measurable: Faster order fulfillment, reduced customer confusion, and higher customer satisfaction.
Redefining convenience and connection in the BOPIS era
A fully optimized BOPIS strategy boosts customer loyalty, streamlines store efficiency, and builds brand trust. The keys to success are visibility, automation, secure real-time data flow, and the right platform on which to bring them all together.
Bitly provides a comprehensive, compliant, and data-driven platform that helps retailers deliver a connected, customer-first pickup experience every time, with tools that make setup simple every step of the way.
Ready to redefine your BOPIS customer experience? Log in to Bitly today and see how you can put your in-store pick-up customers’ needs first.
