Retailers warm to pickup lockers during pandemic
Eighty-three percent of retailers using automated pick-up locker solutions cite improved efficiency, according to a survey by Package Concierge, a provider of automated locker solutions.
Among retailers not currently using lockers, 66% said they realize that lockers improve the customer experience.
"Ecommerce numbers have hit record highs this year with more people shopping online than ever before; and with that, BOPIS fulfillment methods must evolve to meet the demand," Penny Lasater, head of Package Concierge Retail, said in a press release. "Our research shows that retailers are exploring multiple BOPIS fulfillment options, with contactless pick-up being an important feature."
While curbside pickup is contactless, and helped retailers through the shut-down, it's labor intensive and cumbersome to manage and scale, Lasater said.
"Automated lockers require the least store labor and provide the most store and customer flexibility, all while being contactless — they're the ideal solution," Lasater said.
The survey found significant increases in all BOPIS fulfillment methods since COVID with 18% of retail respondents adding a curbside BOPIS solution for the first time.
Those who utilize lockers are sold on their value as half plan to significantly increase the usage of their existing lockers, and one third are likely to install more lockers in the next 12-18 months.
Other key considerations revealed in the research, related to retailers considering lockers, include installation space constraints and the perception that their products won't fit in the locker compartments.
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