DISCUSSION

Has COVID-19 revealed pickup’s pain points?

September 8, 2020Written by Tom Ryan

Photo: Getty Images/Osarieme Eweka

Asked about their experiences with businesses that have added curbside pickup options since COVID-19, 55 percent of consumers chose the description “fast & easy" in a survey from Medallia Zingle, 35 percent said "a little rocky" and 10 percent "poor." A survey from Rakuten found minimal wait times were particularly important for pickup from retailers or restaurants, but other factors also weighed in. Asked what is important when picking up their order, the top four answers in the Rakuten survey were:

“My order is ready when I get there,” 78 percent;
“Social distancing protocols are obvious,” 69 percent;
“I want to see visual cleaning,” 52 percent;
“Prioritized parking or pickup areas,” 41 percent.

Demand for a seamless in-and-out experience was evident in the Rakuten survey that also showed 62 percent wanted to learn details on how to pick up their order and 65 percent were open to predictive arrival technology that lets businesses know when a customer is approaching so they can have orders ready when they arrive. In the order prep process, consumers in the Rakuten survey ranked “employee safety” as most important, cited by 75 percent, followed by “implementing the latest health and safety guidelines,” 71 percent. Both surveys confirmed that pickup has significantly expanded in popularity amid the pandemic. According to the Medallia Zingle survey taken in May, 87 percent would like businesses to continue to offer options like curbside pickup that limit the need for in-person visits. Asked what types of items or businesses they would like to shop at or interact with using curbside pickup, the top five answers were: restaurant, cited by 69 percent; grocery, 68 percent; pharmacy, 54 percent; home goods/supplies, 45 percent; pharmacy, 54 percent; and pet supplies, 37 percent. Non-essential categories ranked lower, with fashion/apparel at 20 percent. In a new survey by North Carolina-based automobile dealership Leith Cars, the majority of shoppers found curbside pickup to be less stressful, more convenient and safer.

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