Thinking Beyond 'Buy Online Pick Up in Store'

CHICAGO—At this point, the struggles of retailers are well known and they’re only increasing. Store closures could reach 12,000 by the end of 2019, according to Coresight Research.

For retailers to survive, it helps for them to successfully integrate their digital experience with in-store shopping. But that takes something more than simply offering in store pickup for items bought online.

“At this point the endless aisle and BOPIS [Buy Online Pick Up in Store] are table stakes for today’s retailers,” says Emily Albright Miller, VP Strategy, Big Red Rooster. “Ultimately, it’s the companies who are focused on customer experience that are winning. We’ve seen investments by physical stores in video screens and digital kiosks that simply aren’t paying off because they don’t acknowledge the fundamental customer needs they are trying to solve.”