Retailers have traditionally relied on the RFM model, segmenting customers by the recency, frequency and monetary values of their purchases. Sometimes they also bucket people by the categories they typically shop, whether someone is a dress buyer or more of a fashion buyer, for instance. Rarely do retailers segment by how a customer shops. This increasingly includes click and collect: curbside pickup and buying online, picking up in-store, otherwise known as BOPIS.

Click and collect has been steadily growing in popularity for years, naturally accelerating this year. Surveying 5,000 consumers from various demographics in September, Marigold Engage by Sailthru and Liveclicker found that 31% had used BOPIS or curbside pickup this year.

The Four Click and Collect Personas

It’s a mistake to think of these shopping behaviors as simply being another channel. Click and collect isn’t a channel; the customer is the channel. There are different shopper personas to keep in mind and we’ve identified four particularly important ones:

  • The new shopper, who’s new to your brand
  • The loyal customer, who has shopped with you in-store and online
  • The pickup pro, who has clicked and collected, and will do so with your brand if the experience is seamless
  • The BOPIS beginner, who became a click and collect shopper recently, whether out of convenience or caution

These four personas represent unique customers and should be engaged differently. Though some messaging tactics apply to any click and collect shopper — personalization and clearly outlined pickup protocols are always important — some warrant more emphasis with some personas than others. Understanding the nuances is challenging, but a worthwhile endeavor. Consumer behaviors have evolved in response to the pandemic, and many of the brands having strong years, such as Target and The Home Depot, owe much of their growth to strong click and collect experiences.

Optimizing yours is a must, and along with our sister brand Liveclicker, Marigold Engage by Sailthru, here to help you do it. Download The 4 Pickup Personas You Need to Know to learn more about the four click and collect personas, and the different messaging tactics that work best for each, featuring examples of the brands doing it best.