One strong indication that we are very much in the “multichannel” era – in other words, the age in which it is customary for merchants to sell products through multiple sales channels, both online and offline – is the existence of “Buy Online, Pick Up in Store” (BOPIS).
The COVID-19 crisis brought an obvious opening for BOPIS (otherwise often referred to as “click and collect”) to gather momentum. However, this sales model proved far more than a mere “pandemic fix”.
BOPIS has proved its staying power – but your store locator page might not reflect that
Retailers have long realised that BOPIS gives them a way to engage their target customers and boost shopper convenience, while providing a seamless connection between online and in-store experiences.
One might have thought, then, that any retailer with a “high-street” and ecommerce presence would have a store locator page on its website that is well-optimised to drive BOPIS sales.
There are plenty of instances, however, in which this isn’t the case. So, if you’re worried that your own retail business’s store locator page might be a bit “stuck in the 2000s”, you may be interested in knowing what you could do to improve this part of your site.
A quick introduction to store locator pages
Before we go any further, let’s remind ourselves what a store locator page is. This is a page on a company’s website that enables a customer to find the nearest physical outlet of the given brand. Typically, the user enters their postcode or allows the site to detect their current location, at which point, information on the closest store can be presented to them.
For a given store location, the store locator page will typically show such information as the address, phone number, and opening hours.
Even this relatively limited version of a store locator page can greatly encourage online browsers to become buyers in the brand’s physical outlets. However, your business could also be missing some major BOPIS opportunities.
After all, many of the people who visit your store locator page will be high-intent shoppers. They will be people who likely have a particular purchase in mind, and who are prepared to embark on the journey to your nearest physical outlet to buy it. They won’t want to turn up to your high-street shop, only to find their desired item is out of stock.
So, what can you do to optimise your store locator page for the BOPIS era?
To capture high-intent shoppers and turn your site’s store locator page into an even more potent revenue generator, you might consider changes such as:
- Including inventory counts directly on the store locator page
The way this works for the customer can be pretty simple; they enter their postcode and add a product, followed by your site showing them inventory information for the physical branches of your brand that are closest to them.
This might use messaging like: “[15] [product name]s available for pickup”. Such a display of specific inventory levels will help reassure the shopper.
- Incorporate ‘calls to action’ for BOPIS
One or multiple CTAs on your store locator page – such as “order online, pick up in-store in an hour” – could help you close the sale quickly before the customer drives to your high-street outlet.
- Giving the customer incentives to BOPIS
Whether these take the form of location-based discounts applicable only to pickup orders, or perhaps “10% off your next purchase when you BOPIS”, or exclusive deals for those who select the pickup option, there are various ways you could tempt the customer over the line.
Are you looking to optimise your brand’s online presence in all the right ways through 2025? If so, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the leading website design, digital marketing, ecommerce, and bespoke system solution companies in Gibraltar – Piranha Designs.
