Reserve and Collect

Making a R&C order requires several steps:
1. Selection: Customers explore the retailer’s full product catalogue through their website or mobile app, with access to detailed product information, images, prices and availability. They then add the desired items to their virtual shopping cart and proceed to checkout. They may need to create an account or log in to finalise their reservation.
2. Reservation: During checkout, customers specify their preferred collection location, typically a physical store or designated pickup point. They also choose a convenient pickup date and time slot. The R&C system automatically interfaces with the retailer’s inventory management software (OMS), ensuring real-time visibility into product availability. This prevents overbooking and stockouts.
3. Notification: After a successful reservation, customers receive notifications via email or SMS, including order confirmation, pickup details and reminders. This keeps them informed throughout the process.
4. Collection: At the designated pickup time, customers visit the chosen location to collect and review their reserved items. They may need to present a reservation code, order confirmation, or other identification for a smooth pickup experience.

To execute R&C, retailers must uphold real-time inventory transparency throughout all sales channels. This guarantees that customers can only initiate orders for products currently in stock.

The R&C solution has emerged as one of the foremost trends in the retail landscape. This shift towards enhancing the shopping experience is substantiated by research from Invespcro, which reveals that a notable 57% of shoppers perceive the capability to reserve a product online and subsequently collect it in-store as a primary advantage of omnichannel commerce. This statistic underscores the growing significance of the R&C model in meeting the evolving expectations of today’s consumers.

R&C offers several benefits, including:
● Complimentary convenience: Customers can revel in the ease of a cost-free shopping journey, encompassing everything from placing an online order to the hassle-free in-store collection of their desired items.
● Personalised guidance: This service extends an avenue for customers to tap into personalised assistance and expert advice, enhancing their decision-making process and ensuring their needs are met with precision.
● Flexibility of choice: When coming in store, customers can explore products, try them on and, if they so desire, make an alternative selection that better aligns with their preferences after a hands-on experience. This flexibility ensures that their final purchase is a perfect match for their requirements and preferences.

Store associates view every customer interaction as an opportunity to provide valuable guidance and enhance the shopping experience. Thanks to R&C, they will proactively engage with customers, offering guidance and suggestions to ensure they make informed decisions.

Addressing the issue of no-shows in R&C orders is paramount to ensure efficient inventory management. At OneStock, we’ve implemented several strategies to minimise the occurrence of no-shows:
● Multi-channel confirmation: We offer a variety of channels to reach customers, including email, phone calls, SMS and even popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
● Appointment booking: Our solution goes beyond order confirmations. It also allows customers to book appointments for in-store tryouts, ensuring that their visit aligns with their availability

Launching a R&C project without an Order Management System (OMS) or a unified view of your stock can present significant challenges and risks. An OMS is a must to benefit from inventory accuracy, efficiency and cost optimisation, to streamline store operations, and to improve customer satisfaction.