Here, in the province of Ontario, we are currently under a stay-at-home order. While an important safety measure, the continued attempt to decrease positive COVID-19 cases has significantly hurt the bottom lines of small businesses. The Unity Payments team advises you to look into the list of regulations set forth by the provincial government. Although we are all advised to stay at home, there are, of course, some exceptions.
Among them is the right to leave your home to obtain goods and services. In particular, “purchasing or picking up goods through an alternative method of sale, such as curbside pickup, from a business or place that is permitted to provide curbside pickup under the Stage 1 Order.”
Does your business offer curbside pickup? There has never been a more important time than now to take advantage of its many benefits. Here are three:
1. It’s the quickest way for customers to get their hands on what they want.
Online shopping is an ideal way to purchase products without coming into contact with others. However, curbside pickup offers the quickest way to receive those products. The second your store advertises that curbside pickup is available, it signals to consumers that they can get what they want from your store – as soon as they want it. This is a huge selling point.
“Curbside pickup saves the wait time of online order delivery, and reduces the time for shopping and browsing,” says Rohit Garewal on ObjectEdge.com, “Also, without the time for parking, and going into the store, curbside pickup is slightly faster than even buy online, pickup in-store.”
2. It allows customers to avoid shipping charges.
Not only do consumers need their products immediately, they want them at affordable prices. Give your customers the ability to pick up their products instead of having to pay shipping charges to have them shipped. This will help your business to increase its sales. According to Davide Petramala on Avaya.com, avoiding shipping and/or delivery charges is a top benefit of curbside pickup.
“While delivery is great, customers no longer want to pay extra for it, especially considering how common free delivery is,” he writes, “Most third-party delivery services charge a fee or increase the price of the goods being ordered over the in-store price.”
3. It keeps your customers safe and comfortable.
It should never be lost on you that the top reason curbside pickup is such a vital offering is the value of safety. Maintaining social distancing is a key part of slowing the spread of COVID-19. Curbside pickup enables your customers to pick up their purchases without coming into contact with anyone. This also keeps your employees safe. Petramala reminds us, however, to not underestimate the importance of comfort.
“Curbside pickup allows customers to simply relax in their car and listen to the radio, talk on the phone, stay in the AC, or all of the above and just wait for the product to come to them,” he points out.
With the Poynt Smart Terminal, the curbside pickup payment process has been made easier than ever! In the event your customers wish to make and pay for purchases they haven’t ordered in advance, this revolutionary wireless terminal enables you to take credit card and debit card payments on the spot. To learn all about it, please don’t hesitate to call Unity Payments at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
