Examples of U.S. Retailers Incentivizing Customers to Use Click & Collect Service

Table of Contents

A comprehensive analysis of the innovative incentives for Click & Collect Services has been presented below. The analysis details how specific retailers use each of the assigned ways to incentivize customers to use their Click & Collect service. Examples of retailers identified include eBay Australia, Woolworths, Big W, Super Cheap Auto, David Jones, Target Australia, Walmart, and Kmart. The presentation further discusses three additional innovative ways that retail companies use to incentivize consumers to use their Click & Collect service. The three additional innovative ways identified include 24/7 parcel locker collection, free Click & Collect store transfers, and the return or exchange of goods through Click & Collect.

1. eBay Australia

eBay Australia incentivizes its customers to use their click & Collect service by allowing them to pick up from other retailers.
According to Business Insider Australia, eBay signed an agreement with Woolworths in 2015 to allow eBay customers to pick up their online purchases in preferred Woolworths and Big W stores.
eBay’s approach makes the collection of orders seamless, faster, and convenient for customers, encouraging them to use their Click & Collect service. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the partnership between eBay and Woolworths makes it easier for customers to collect online purchases.

2. Woolworths

Australian retailer Woolworths incentives its customers to use their Click & Collect service by allowing them to pick up other retailers’ orders from their store.
According to Business Insider Australia, customers can collect eBay items from Woolworths stores. eBay Australia and Woolworths are in a formal agreement to have eBay items in Woolworths stores for online pick-up.
Allowing customers to access other retailers’ orders ensures a wide range of options to choose from, motivating customers to use their Click & Collect service.
A detailed explanation of how the Click & Collect service at Woolworths works can be accessed here.

3. Big W

Australian retailer Big W allows consumers to track click & collect orders, incentivizing them to use their Click & Collect service.
After the shipping of the customer’s order is done, Big W sends the customer a confirmation email containing a tracking number and a link to their delivery partner. There is a section written “you can click here to track your order” in the confirmation email.
The tracking ability enables customers to know their order status, estimate the order arrival time, and plan for receiving their order. It also gives customers assurance and confidence that the retailer is acting on their order. The retailer uses this assurance and confidence to encourage customers to continue using their Click & Collect service.
A detailed explanation of the shopping through the Click & Collect option at Big W can be accessed here.

4. Super Cheap Auto

Australian retailer Super Cheap Auto is reducing the time between ordering and collection as a way to incentivize customers to use their Click & Collect service. According to the Conversation, Super Cheap Auto’s customers can click and collect their online orders within 90 minutes.
Super Cheap Auto is exploring the means to further reduce the time between order and collection from 90 minutes to 60 minutes.
The Click and Collect process at Super Cheap Auto can be even as low as 30 minutes during business hours. The four steps in the process include the customer shopping online, proceeding to checkout, completing the order, and finally collecting the order. In the checkout stage, the customer can select the “pick up today” option for faster delivery and collection of the order from the chosen Super Cheap Auto store.
Customers seek convenience, and they achieve it where there are no delays. By reducing the time between ordering and collection, Super Cheap Auto grants customers convenience and incentivizes them to use their Click & Collect service.
The illustrated procedure of the Click & Collect service at Super Cheap Auto can be obtained here.

5. David Jones

David Jones is an example of an Australian retailer that allows customers increased time to collect their orders to incentivize them to use their Click & Collect service.
David Jones allows 30 days for the collection of Click & Collect orders. The 30 days start counting from the day the order was placed. Whenever the 30 days elapse without the order being collected, the order is canceled, and contact is made to organize for a refund.
The click & Collect option at David Jones allows the customer to order online, wait for a ready for collection email, and then pick up the purchase at the preferred David Jones store. The collection time runs from the same day the ready for collection email is received up to 30 days since the order was placed.
Additional details about David Jones’ delivery choices, including the Click & Collect option, can be accessed here.
David Jones’ 30 days allowance for collecting the order is more than the 5-14 days offered by other retailers. The retailer uses this approach to give customers flexibility and encourage them to use their Click & Collect service.

6. Target Australia

Target Australia has made click & collect free to incentivize customers to use their Click & Collect service.
The retailer offers free same-day click & collect. The sequence of activities in this approach includes the customers shopping online, waiting for the retailer to contact them when the order is ready, and finally collecting the order in store.
A customer intending to use Target’s Click & Collect service is required to order through the Target app. The customer will then be required to wait until they receive a pick up notification email before going to the Guest Services counter to have their order brought out to their car for free.
The illustrated process of purchasing through the Click & Collect option at Target Australia can be accessed here.

7. Walmart

Walmart is offering monetary benefits to incentivize its customers to use their Click & Collect service. According to Vox, Walmart gives its customers discounts to encourage them to pick up online orders in-store.
The retailer offers discounts on orders through Walmart.com for online shoppers that choose to pick up orders at their selected stores instead of asking for home delivery.
Walmart provides discounts to encourage more customers to use their Click & Collect service to save money on its logistics costs.
A customer intending to use Walmart’s Click & Collect service chooses the option “grocery curbside pickup.” In this option, the customer reserves time and location where a personal shopper will select and drop their items off in their car. A discount is automatically applied after the customer has completed their order.

8. Kmart

Kmart incentivizes its customers to use their Click & Collect service by improving the customer experience from coming into the store. According to Retail Dive, Kmart is enhancing the on-the-go shopping experience with the Pay in Store option.
The retailer uses the Pay in Store option to provide customers with a seamless and integrated shopping experience. With the Pay in Store option, customers can reserve items online and use cash, check, credit, or debit cards to pay at their preferred Kmart store.
A customer intending to use the Click & Collect service at Kmart is supposed to shop online by selecting a store pickup, adding items to the cart, and placing their order. The retailer sends the “Ready for Pickup” email, after which the customer visits the service desk to receive their order.
Online ordering for the Click & Collect service at Kmart is done at kmart.com.au. In this platform, the customer is allowed to select the time and collection location where the ordered item will be delivered to their car once it is ready.

9. 24/7 Parcel Locker Collection

The 24/7 parcel locker collection is a technique used to incentivize customers to use their Click & Collect service. A parcel locker is basically a storage space that allows 48-hour storage of parcels for collection. Customers can choose a parcel locker from various collection locations in Australia.
This technique allows customers who cannot receive parcels at their homes to collect their deliveries from free 24/7 parcel lockers at times and locations that suit them. Therefore, this approach encourages customers to use the Click & Collect service because it grants them time and location flexibility and convenience in receiving their items.
According to the information on its website, Myer is an example of an Australian Click & Collect retailer that uses a 24/7 parcel locker collection to incentivize customers to use their Click & Collect service. The retailer has more than 400 collection locations in the country, including supermarkets, post offices, pharmacies, petrol stations, etc.

10. Free Click & Collect Store Transfers

Free Click & Collect store transfers is a way that some retailers use to incentivize customers to use their Click & Collect service. In this technique, if a customer’s item is out of stock at their local store, the retailer will transfer it for free from another store in the surrounding for the customer.
Myer uses this approach to incentivize customers to use its Click & Collect service. The item transferred from another store will be ready for collection within 1-2 business days.
The free Click & Collect store transfers save the customers additional expenses and offer them the flexibility to collect receive the order at their preferred location.
Westfield Direct is another Australian retailer that offers its customers free Click & Collect store transfers. In is Click & Collect model, Westfield Direct allows customers to place a collection order from different retailers across Australia’s Westfield.
There are more than 350 retailers at the reach of Westfield Direct’s customers. If a customer’s ordered item is not available in the preferred store, the retailer transfers the item from one of the stores around the customer’s locality.

11. Return or Exchange Goods through Click & Collect

This approach entails retailers allowing their customers to use the Click & Collect option to return or exchange goods.
In this approach, customers can use the Click & Collect system to both order items and make returns or exchange goods. This technique makes returning or exchanging goods faster and less cumbersome, thus motivating customers to use the Click & Collect service.
Nike is an example of an international retailer that allows its customers to return or exchange goods through their Click & Collect system to incentivize them to use their Click & Collect service.