Grocery shopping.
We all do it, and we all dread the lines — especially when we’re in a rush.
And when convenience is king, it’s no wonder that more than half of U.S. shoppers have taken to purchasing groceries online. But that does mean that grocers need to up their game and streamline the in-store pickup process.
Here's the good news: Your grocery store pickup lines don't have to be a disaster. By integrating an array of smart, efficient strategies and technological solutions, your grocery store can create a stress-free shopping environment that customers will genuinely appreciate.
Let's look at five tried-and-true tips that will make a world of difference in your grocery store pickup lines.
Why Grocery Store Pickup Lines Are Important
No customer likes to wait in a long line. In fact, it can deter them from visiting brick-and-mortar grocery stores altogether — so make sure your store keeps up with these shifting customer demands.
Give them the best of both worlds by offering BOPIS (buy online, pickup in store). With BOPIS, they can order their groceries online through your webstore, and then choose to pick them up in-store. This model blends the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of in-store shopping, keeping your customers happy.
But how do you create the most efficient grocery store pickup line to keep them coming back? Here are five tips to help you streamline operations ASAP.
1. Be Prepared and Staffed Up
Preparation avoids gridlock. Make sure you’re well-staffed during peak pickup times — you’ll speed up your lines significantly. Your team members will not only manage the process of collecting and preparing orders, but also interact with shoppers, answer customer questions, and troubleshoot any potential issues.
Plus, staff also enforce health and safety measures, ensuring that all picked items are handled correctly. This leaves customers satisfied with their experience, encourages repeat business, and cultivates a positive brand perception.
2. Invest in a Quality Point of Sale System
To fully implement BOPIS, and to create an efficient pickup process for your grocery store, you need to find the right business tools — and that starts with finding a robust point of sale (POS) system.
A solid POS system allows you to take advantage of an e-commerce integration to set up a webstore, streamlining the online ordering process. But it will also allow you to offer various delivery and pickup options, making it simple to coordinate pickups.
Plus, with a smart-search lookup function, you can quickly type a product name or keyword into the integrated search engine — which will especially come in handy if a customer does happen to notice an item missing from their order.
Remember: Most premium POS systems come packed with built-in sales reports and online reporting tools that provide useful insights in real time. Leverage this data to make informed decisions about staffing, peak hours, and more.
4. Communicate With Your Customers
Effectively communicating with customers is crucial for smooth grocery store pickup lines. Keep them in the loop with emails or texts notifying them of the status of their order — you can (and should) also emphasize the importance of adhering to their specific pickup time. This way, customers have clearer expectations and can plan their store visits more efficiently, reducing congestion once they arrive at your store.
5. Organize Orders Logically
To keep lines moving, an organized pickup area is a must. Make sure to designate an area specifically for BOPIS orders, separated from the main shop floor to avoid confusion. To streamline the process even further, make sure you have clear signage that shows customers exactly where they need to be — and to further alleviate congestion, dedicate several parking spaces for customers picking up their orders. This will save time and stress for everyone.
Create Efficient Grocery Store Pickup Lines With Markt POS
With more and more customers choosing to place orders online, you need to make sure your grocery store can handle the influx of shoppers coming to your store to pick up items — and this means you need to create the most efficient grocery store pickup lines as possible.
A lot of factors play into streamlining these operations, but we recommend starting with a solid point of sale system that can help you set up the process and handle the demand.
And luckily for you, we’ve got you covered. To learn more about how the right POS system can help you create smooth pickup lines at your grocery store, schedule a demo with one of our Markt POS specialists today!
