Technology is holding back the take-up of ‘click and collect’ among retail members of the STAG Buying Group, according to the latest survey from EPOS specialist Cybertill.
While 60 per cent of respondents at STAG’s UK Winter Buying Show said they ran multi-channel operations, only 12 per cent provide a service that allows customers to make purchases from their websites and collect goods in store.
However, the majority questioned saw it as a positive service.
Just five per cent said they’re not planning to offer it in the future because, for example, of their rural location.
Independents that offer click and collect were split on its effect on sales – 50 per cent claiming it didn’t increase sales and 50 per cent saying it did – while 90 per cent said its main consumer benefit was convenience.
The top three retail benefits were cited as increase in sales, opportunity to upsell other products when in store and reduced posting costs when fulfilling online orders.
“Today retailers need to be multi-channel and an essential element of that is click and collect, as this is where the bulk of retail is growing,” Ian Tomlinson, CEO of Cybertill (pictured), says.
“Retailers need to invest in multi-channel technology that enables these services and makes managing multiple sales channels straight forward and more efficient, while giving their customers an improved service.”
A recent report by retail information company Verdict Retail revealed that click and collect purchases are set to grow by more than two thirds and will be worth over £4 billion by 2018.
