Ecommerce businesses are booming, and local delivery and in-store pickup are becoming two popular methods for customers to get orders in the post-COVID era. As an ecommerce business owner, it’s important that you understand how to effectively manage local delivery and in-store pickup for your Shopify store.
Local shoppers can order faster with in-store pickup; many prefer doing so to lessen the risk of delayed delivery. But in-store pickup can be complicated to support, so you need to be sure that you have the right processes in place to ensure smooth operations and a positive customer experience.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to effectively manage local delivery and in-store pickup for your Shopify store. We’ll cover topics such as setting up a shipping policy, creating an efficient customer experience, and more.
Tools You Need To Manage Local Delivery and In-Store Pickup
The first step to managing local delivery and in-store pickup for your Shopify store is to set up the proper tools. You’ll need a shipping policy, inventory management system, customer service platform, and payment processing system.
Shipping Policy
A shipping policy will let customers know what types of deliveries you offer (local delivery or in-store pickup) as well as any restrictions that apply. It should also include details about who will be responsible for paying shipping costs and how long it takes to process orders.
On Shopify, you can customize your shipping policy in the settings; here's how to do it:
Step 1: Go to Settings > Shipping & Delivery.
Step 2: Under Local Pickup, enter the necessary details such as pick-up location, opening hours, etc.
Step 3: Under Delivery, enter the necessary details, such as shipping rates and delivery times.
Then, you’ll want to create or edit your “shipping policies” page to highlight your new delivery methods for customers that want to learn more.
Having a clear shipping policy will help customers understand the delivery process and make informed decisions about their order.
Inventory Management System
Inventory management is one of the most challenging issues DTC businesses face. You need to make sure you always have the right products in stock and that you’re able to keep track of orders in order to avoid any inventory issues.
Shopify offers a native inventory management system that allows you to keep track of your products, as well as monitor order status and other important information. To set up the Shopify inventory management system:
Step 1: Go to Admin > Inventory.
Step 2: Select the products you want to track, and then click “Save”.
Step 3: Enter any additional information, such as SKUs or barcodes.
For more advanced inventory management solutions, visit our ecommerce software tool directory.
Store Pickup Tools
Aside from in-store pickup, you may also want to offer local delivery. This can be a great way to increase your sales as it gives customers the convenience of having their orders delivered right to their door. As long as you have a Shopify store, you can easily set up local delivery service.
ProPickup by Amai, is one of the most popular Shopify in store pickup and delivery apps that you can start using for free. This app allows you to offer local delivery and in-store pickup with ease. Customers can select the delivery option they want, choose their pick-up or drop-off location, and pay for their orders.
Setting up this app is very easy; once you're on your Shopify Admin, simply head over to the App Store and search for ProPickup. Once you find it, click on "Get" and follow the instructions to install the app. After installing, here's how to set up ProPickup and a store:
Step 1: Head on to the App and go to the Location section
Step 2: Click Create Location
Step 3: Edit Opening hours for the Pickup and setup the Lead Time by toggling the Date Picker button
Step 4: Set the pickup time by toggling the Time Picker button
Step 5: You can also add pickup rates, cut-off time, and how many slots per pickup so that customers can book the slots accordingly
The biggest benefit of having this tool is that you can easily manage local delivery and in-store pickup with ease. For example, you can set up different pickup locations and times so that customers can choose the one they prefer. You can also add delivery fees if necessary, as well as manage the inventory in real-time.
Plus, having the freedom and ability to navigate through your pickup and delivery system easily is one of the many benefits you get from ProPickup.
Multi-Storefront Manager
Some businesses have the luxury of having brick-and-mortar stores in addition to their online store. This makes it much easier to set up an in-store pickup and local system for customers. If you run your store on BigCommerce, you'll need to use a multi-storefront manager to accomplish this.
Basically, a multi-storefront manager will let you manage multiple storefronts from one place. This means that you can easily create a store for each of your locations and then manage them all in the same place. You can easily build unique categories and make products available in different stores.
This will help you to manage orders more efficiently, as customers can easily select the store they want their order delivered to or picked up from. You can also use this tool to keep track of inventory levels for each store and make sure that you always have the right products in stock.
Unfortunately, Shopify doesn't offer a multi-storefront manager, but there are several third-party apps available that will do the job.
Just head on to the App Store, search for a multi-storefront manager, and select the one that works best for you.
Payment Processing System
Finally, you’ll need a payment processing system if you want to accept payments from customers. Shopify offers several payment gateways that allow customers to pay with their preferred method (e.g. credit cards, PayPal). To set up the payment gateway:
Step 1: Go to Settings > Payments
Step 2: Select your preferred payment gateway and follow the instructions provided by Shopify to complete setup
You can also add additional features such as fraud protection, recurring billing, and subscription management.
After setting up your payment gateway, make sure to test it out with a dummy order to check that everything is working correctly.
Conclusion
Managing local delivery and in-store pickup for your Shopify store can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. There are multiple benefits to be gained by offering local delivery and in-store pickup. Customers want to have their orders delivered quickly, and they appreciate the convenience of in-store pickup. Also, some customers prefer this type of delivery to avoid the cost of shipping.
By following the tips outlined in this article, you can ensure that your local delivery and in-store pickup operations run smoothly. You’ll need to set up the right tools (shipping policy, inventory management system, customer service platform, etc.) and make sure to test them out before going live.
With efficient processes in place, you can provide a great customer experience with local delivery and in-store pickup for your Shopify store.
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