Click & collect services, offering pick-up options in-store, at a parcel store and at lockers, will continue to increase in popularity at a growth rate of 20% per year, according to a new report from British e-commerce association IMRG.
For online retailers, click & collect is a ‘must have’ option to maximise their potential at peak season, the report, commissioned by CollectPlus, said.
One key finding was that ‘mobile’ shoppers are primary click & collect shoppers so the propensity to shop online using a mobile device is a clear future indicator towards the use of click & collect.
In addition, click & collect is increasing important for returns, not only making sure that customers find it easy to make returns but also ensuring these can be swiftly processed through the supply chain with appropriate tracking and visibility and to raise credits or refunds as quickly as possible.
With regards to third party parcel stores, such as CollectPlus and alternative locker solutions, the review expects to see an increase in awareness and use of these as retailers expand their click & collect reach and consumers become more aware of the services available. This awareness will develop through retailer recommendation and promotion and the use of third party locations by customers when returning unwanted items and sending parcels in their own right.
Looking to the future of click & collect services, new innovations such as 3D printing and drone delivery have the potential to work alongside click & collect to provide increasingly flexible supply chains and delivery options, the report predicted.
Report author Andrew Starkey, IMRG’s e-logistics expert, commented: “This report outlines just how important click & collect has become. Improving customer experience is a focus for many retailers and the convenience with which customers can receive their orders has become a key differentiator – and click & collect is arguably becoming an expectation in terms of delivery options. For retailers that do not yet offer click & collect, the report provides an overview of why they should invest in it and looks at the different options that are available, as each retailer will have different requirements.”
Neil Ashworth, CEO, CollectPlus added: “In just one decade, click & collect has gone from early trials amongst innovative retailers to a standard component of the multichannel retail proposition. From 2009, CollectPlus has pioneered third party collect and return services in the UK. It has certainly benefitted from the enthusiasm with which customers have adopted this flexible, convenient and accessible addition to the portfolio of delivery options from retailers of all sizes and markets.
"In the next few years, we expect to see further innovation in click & collect services, with a greater range of pick up locations on offer. Retailers need to be thinking about delivery in terms of ‘customer journeys’ rather than simply proximity to where people live.”
The IMRG CollectPlus UK Click & Collect Review 2015 is designed to be the most definitive review on this subject in the UK. The report is designed to provide retailers with the information and insight they need to ensure they are capitalising on the growing popularity of click & collect amongst online shoppers, giving them the tools they need to introduce new click & collect options in time for the peak trading period in the fourth quarter.
Founded in 2009, CollectPlus is a joint venture between retail payment network PayPoint and parcel carrier Yodel. It now has a network of over 5,800 partner stores across the UK.
