Curbside pickup is convenient and here to stay

The popularity of curbside pickup has skyrocketed in recent months as many stores have been closed to shoppers. Evidence suggests that it will continue to gain in popularity when daily life returns to some semblance of a post-pandemic normal. “We think curbside is going to be exceptionally sticky,” said Sajal Kohli, McKinsey senior partner. “The fundamental question for most retailers is, if you think about the retail box and the physical footprint, what’s the strategic intent of the box in the world of omnichannel post-COVID? Some categories are still going to be incredibly conducive to in-store interaction, but for several categories, I think consumers discovered this newfound convenience and they will actually stick to curbside, which has massive implications, as you can imagine, for retail.”