Click and collect is a fulfilment option where customers order and usually pay online, then collect their purchase from a store, venue or pickup point. It is also known as buy online, pick up in store, and avoids delivery costs and waiting times for the shopper.
When a customer places an order, the ecommerce platform sends it to the chosen store through the POS or order management system. Staff are alerted, pick the items from local stock, mark the order as ready and notify the customer by email or text. At pickup, staff verify the order, hand over the goods and close it off in the system.
Retailers use click and collect to get online customers into stores, where they may buy more, and to make use of existing stock. Hospitality venues apply the same idea to takeaway orders, where customers order ahead and collect at a set time.
Success depends on accurate real-time stock, a clear process for picking and storing orders, defined pickup times and good communication. Common pitfalls include selling items that are not actually available, orders left unattended because staff are not notified, and a lack of dedicated space for packed orders. Returns and partial pickups also need clear rules.
It matters because it combines the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of a store. RetailCare supports platforms such as Nomni, ERPLY and ecommerce integrations that connect online orders with store stock and POS workflows.