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Curbside pickup technology, a service that allows customers to place orders online and pick them up at a store without leaving their cars, has been around for years. However, its popularity soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, transforming it from a convenient option to an essential service. This article explores the evolution of curbside pickup technology, examines consumer trends and preferences, and provides insights into the technology and strategies that make it successful.
The pandemic has significantly influenced consumer behavior, with many shoppers now preferring curbside pickup technology as it offers the convenience of online shopping and the immediacy of in-store purchasing. A recent survey revealed that 72% of US consumers are more likely to buy online and collect in-store, a trend driven by the need for safety and convenience.
Millennials, in particular, have shown a strong preference for curbside pickup technology. Two-thirds of this generation choose curbside pickup as their favorite method for online orders, appreciating the balance it provides between convenience and immediacy. This preference has pushed retailers to adapt and offer robust curbside pickup technology to meet the demands of this influential demographic.
Despite its popularity, not all retailers have embraced curbside pickup technology. The adoption rate dropped from 34% in 2021 to 25% in 2022, reflecting some of the challenges businesses face. These include logistical complexities, staffing issues, and the need for significant changes to existing systems and processes.
Implementing curbside pickup technology requires careful planning and coordination. Retailers must ensure they have sufficient staff to handle the increased demand, adequate space for staging and delivering orders, and systems in place to manage the process efficiently. This often involves significant investments in technology and training.
It’s no secret that online shopping alongside click-and-collect services has taken over these past several years. Customers want the convenience of having their purchases delivered to their doorstep without any hassle.
However, managing in-store and curbside pickup orders can be a daunting task, especially when orders are spread out across the store or when the store is short-staffed. Retailers need to take a load off their store associates and not compromise customer satisfaction with poor organization, lacking systems, or overwhelmed staff is necessary.
Taking control over the situation and implementing a solution that enables them to have all curbside orders in one place, that notifies the customers every step of the way and increases the likelihood of a customer returning to the brand.
The retail world is in a constant state of change, and no one knows for sure what the future holds. However, one thing is certain: in the omnichannel environment, physical stores will continue to remain an essential part of the equation.
No doubt, picking up your order directly from a physical store can be more convenient and time-effective and it provides an opportunity for customers to inspect the products before receiving them and make sure no damage during transit has occurred.
And to make the most of them, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 curbside pickup software you need to consider for your business in order to create a fantastic and memorable experience for your customers:
WeSupply is a complete post-purchase solution that encompasses in-store and curbside pickup order fulfillment, tracking, and returns management.
With real-time order tracking, status update notifications, and dedicated in-store and curbside pickup features, WeSupply makes the entire experience frictionless and streamlined for both employees and customers alike.
Customers can check in upon arrival or after they’re finished with other business around your store, so your staff members know exactly when to bring out their orders. And together with “Order ready for pickup” confirmation notifications, no one will ever have to wait around again for the other party, clearing up any confusion!
Moreover, in today’s technological world, curbside delivery is more than just a convenience—it’s a powerful marketing tool. WeSupply is fully integrated with the SMS marketing solution, Attentive, to make it easier for you to connect with existing customers whenever you need.
Branded SMS and email notifications
Attentive SMS marketing app integration
Automated & intuitive curbside pickup process
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In terms of curbside pickup, Swipeby is a great tool to connect with customers as easily as possible without spending hours on the phone or emailing back and forth with them when you could be focusing on more productive tasks.
As part of their solution, you can also access real-time analytics, send out marketing texts and push notifications, or set up custom coupons.
Just like most of the software in this list, it only focuses on the curbside part with a little post-purchase marketing thrown into the app.
It works well for small retailers just getting their feet wet, wanting a taste of what Buy Online, Pickup At Curbside (BOPAC) means.
Automated promotions
Automated marketing retargeting
$0.99 fixed per delivery
Infillion comes with a complex curbside tool that enables brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants to offer curbside pickup for their customers.
It comes both with a mobile app and a browser-based one to help business owners of different types and sizes create a smooth curbside pickup experience. Moreover, it is simple and easy to integrate and set up to save you precious time!
On the other hand, although being able to track where your customers are and when they’re going to arrive, they have to manually put in the parking spot or vehicle information since the app relies on geolocation alone.
Quick setup and integration
Works well with restaurants
Location-based only
Although it’s not exactly a curbside fulfillment management software per se, SimpleTexting is definitely worth mentioning in this list.
This tool enables you to mass-notify customers whenever their orders are ready for pickup and let them know about any shipping delays to make sure they’re not heading to your store before everything is in place.
In addition to sending notifications about upcoming curbside delivery, they’re allowing you to gather contact information for future marketing messages, helping you keep customers informed, or send them special offers and discounts via SMS.
Automated SMS workflows
Also SMS for HR & recruiting or marketing
Not built especially for retail needs
Very simple, minimalistic, and straight to the point, Curbspot enables retailers to better organize their curbside pickup experience.
It doesn’t come with complex functionalities, but it does the job well when it comes to curbside fulfillment management.
It comes with no integrations, which can be a plus or a downside, depending on your business needs. It can be nice to disconnect from any distractions or 3rd-party apps, but having integrations can help you stay one step ahead of your competition.
Whether or not integrations are a must-have for your store is something you’ll need to determine on your own!
Easy and quick to launch
/ No other app integrations
From a customer’s perspective, there’s nothing more frustrating than arriving at a store only to find that your order isn’t ready.
By offering a curbside service that enables you to keep an eye on your orders and send out text messages to update your customers all the way, you can eliminate that problem entirely.
By keeping all of your customer orders in one place, you can ensure that they’re all fulfilled promptly and efficiently and that the customer won’t head to your physical location before their order is ready for pickup.
After all, if you have the opportunity to organize and track all your customer orders in one place, why wouldn’t you? No more phone calls when a customer arrives!
Learn how WeSupply can help you achieve this, and watch our eCommerce operations demo to see the platform in action! 
Yes, WeSupply does have an official Shopify App. You can download and begin to integrate it with your Shopify store.
Yes, WeSupply has an official extension for Magento. The WeSupply x Magento integration allows for automating order tracking experiences, reducing customer inquiries, automating shipping email and SMS notifications, and providing a fully branded order tracking experience
Yes, WeSupply has an official BigCommerce App. You can integrate WeSupply with your BigCommerce store to improve your post-purchase customer experience.
Want more details about curbside pickup in retail?
Download this guide to learn everything you need to know about BOPAC!
# Seamless Customer Engagement Delivery Notifications. Use notifications to proactively notify your customers with the latest status of their order, before they reach out to
Branded Tracking Page. # Centralized Order Management Keep customers engaged, create a consistent brand experience, and reduce support calls with branded order and return
# Communication Management Solution Buy Online Pickup In Store & Curbside Pickup. Connect To Your eCommerce, ERP & POS To Enable Seamless, Automated Communication. Start
# Centralized Order Management Ecommerce Order Tracking. Ecommerce order tracking for your online store: A better way to organize, automate & improve your eCommerce operations.
Ecommerce Returns and Exchanges Self-Service eCommerce Returns Center. The self-service eCommerce returns solution that makes reverse logistics profitable for your eCommerce business. Get Started Work
# Convert and Drive Revenue Estimated Delivery Dates. Display Estimated Delivery Dates to Set the Appropriate Expectations from the Start & Boost Conversion. Start your
Logistics Analytics Made Easy. # Action-Oriented Insights Use logistics analytics to your advantage! Our dashboard shows you in real-time the status of all your shipments
