Gen Zers Are Turning to BOPUS for Instant Gratification

These days, a dominant proportion of Gen Z consumers in the US are taking advantage of "buy online, pick up in-store."

According to mailbox tech company Package Concierge, more than half (58%) of internet users ages 18 to 25 had ever used buy online, pick up in-store (BOPUS). And among that group, nearly two-thirds said they had used BOPUS within the past month.

Convenience, unsurprisingly, was a major driver.

Fifty-nine percent of Gen Z respondents said they had used BOPUS because they wanted to get a product in their hands quickly. Another 30%—who were recognized as last-minute shoppers—used the service because they needed something immediately.

Another 18% said they liked an item online but wanted to see it in-person before buying, and slightly fewer (15%) received a discount if they used the BOPUS option.

And it's not just Gen Zers who are increasingly utilizing the service due to its speed and convenience.

In a January 2019 global study from iVend Retail and AYTM—which surveyed internet users ages 18 and older—more than four in 10 consumers said they considered click-and-collect services (the term more commonly used in Europe) to be one of the most valuable aspects of the retail shopping experience, again because of its speed and convenience.

Close to four in 10 respondents said they used the service because they wanted to pick up their purchase on the same day, and nearly as many wanted to be sure the item was in stock before they got to the store.

The largest share of survey respondents (47.4%) said they used click-and-collect to avoid shipping charges.

Similarly, in a study from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Toluna Analytics conducted in late 2018, close to two-thirds of US internet users said they used BOPUS to avoid paying for shipping, followed by needing something right away (37%) and retailer discounts (36%).