Why You Should Consider a 'Buy Online Deliver From Store' Model

Retailers view their ecommerce shipping service as an extension of their business. The quality and flexibility of their delivery solutions play a direct role in the decision-making criteria for their customers and overall success.

Fifty-one percent of shoppers prefer to shop online. That’s why retailers are working to enrich the buying experience — from sale to delivery.

Most recently, retailers have turned to Buy Online Deliver From Store (BODFS) to meet customer expectations. This solution optimizes last-mile delivery by shipping from a store or warehouse to the customer that same day.

Why Choose Buy Online Deliver From Store

As online retail booms, customer expectations of convenience and low-cost delivery grow as well. Most retailers offer click-and-collect, but it still requires customers to pick up their item.

A Buy Online Deliver From Store model, however, surprises and delights customers by saving them time, improving delivery windows and offering flexibility.

A growing number of consumers are willing to pay for that convenience. According to a McKinsey study, 30 percent of consumers consider home delivery important. And another 25 percent of customers are willing to pay premiums for same-day or instant delivery.

For customers, there are many reasons to love the BODFS model, including:

• They don't want to drive long distances to pick up an item. A 30-mile drive feels like a hike and takes too much time. By giving customers BODFS as an option, businesses remove store distance as a purchase barrier.
• They're not at the mercy of ironclad delivery schedules. Sometimes, your customer buys an item and needs it now. Convert stores into fulfillment centers and businesses can offer same-day home delivery.

Gain Ground on Big-Box Retailers

Convenience is king — and big-box retailers know it. Companies like Walmart and Home Depot have transformed their retail stores into fulfillment centers. For customers, it’s making the purchasing process a whole lot easier.

Retail giants aren’t the only ones who can gain a competitive advantage through an ecommerce shipping solution. If businesses implement BODFS — even on a much smaller scale — same-day and next-day delivery becomes a reality for their customers. In turn, that convenience and speed builds customer loyalty and drives future sales.

Jamie Gottlieb is content manager at Roadie, a collaborative delivery network with more than 70,000 pre-qualified drivers covering all 50 states. Roadie has made deliveries in more than 9,000 cities nationwide — a larger footprint than Amazon Prime.

Editor's note: The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Convenience Store News.