--- title: What Is BOPIS? How Buy Online Pick Up in Store Works description: What is BOPIS? Buy online, pick up in store. Learn how a BOPIS order works, why retailers offer it, what goes wrong, and how to run it well. image: https://www.hotwax.co/hubfs/blogs/what-is-bopis/What%20is%20BOPIS%20banner%20image.jpg --- [![HotWax Commerce](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/hotwax-logo.png?width=200&height=63&name=hotwax-logo.png)](https://www.hotwax.co/) [![HotWax Commerce](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/Common%20assets/Logos/HotWax/HWCLogoDarkMode.png?width=200&height=63&name=HWCLogoDarkMode.png)](https://www.hotwax.co/) ☰ - Product - Bundles - [Order Management System](https://www.hotwax.co/product/omnichannel-order-management-system/) - [Store Inventory Management](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/store-inventory-management) - [Omnichannel Suite For Shopify](https://www.hotwax.co/product/omnichannel-order-management-system-for-shopify/) - Intelligence - [MCP Server](https://www.hotwax.co/product/technology/mcp-server) - [AI Powered Order Routing](https://www.hotwax.co/product/technology/ai-powered-order-routing) - [Retail Analytics](https://www.hotwax.co/product/technology/retail-analytics-software) - Technology - [OMS Architecture](https://www.hotwax.co/product/technology/oms-architecture) - [Integrations](https://www.hotwax.co/all-integrations/) - [Security](https://www.hotwax.co/privacy-and-security) - Use Cases - By Business Benefits - [Prevent Overselling](https://www.hotwax.co/use-cases/prevent-overselling) - [Unified Inventory](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/unified-inventory/) - [Order Routing](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/configurable-order-routing) - [Ship From Store](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/ship-from-store-software) - [Buy Online Pick-Up In Store](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/buy-online-pick-up-in-store-bopis-software/) - [Pre-Orders](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/pre-orders/) - [Inventory Transfers](https://www.hotwax.co/inventory-transfers) - [Cycle Counts](https://www.hotwax.co/cycle-count) - [Return In Store](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/buy-online-return-in-store-boris-software) - [Retail Sales Audit](https://www.hotwax.co/product/omnichannel-retail-sales-audit-oresa/) - By Business Model - [Footwear](https://www.hotwax.co/industries/footwear) - [Jewelry](https://www.hotwax.co/industries/jewelry) - [Fashion & Apparel](https://www.hotwax.co/industries/apparel-and-fashion) - [Beauty](https://www.hotwax.co/industries/beauty-and-personal-care) - [Travel](https://www.hotwax.co/industries/travel-and-bags) - Resources - Learn - [Blogs](https://www.hotwax.co/blog) - [Guides](https://www.hotwax.co/guides) - [Whitepapers](https://www.hotwax.co/whitepaper) - [Solution Briefs](https://www.hotwax.co/solution-briefs) - [Engineering Blog](https://www.hotwax.co/engineering) - Product Help - [Product Updates](https://www.hotwax.co/product-updates) - [Documentation](https://www.hotwax.co/hotwax-commerce-documentation) - [Shopify Integration](https://www.hotwax.co/shopify-order-management-integration) - [NetSuite Integration](https://www.hotwax.co/hotwax-netsuite-integration) - [Sample BI Reports](https://www.hotwax.co/business-intelligence-bi-reports) - [FAQs](https://www.hotwax.co/frequently-asked-questions) - Media - [Podcast](https://www.hotwax.co/podcast) - [Demo Videos](https://www.hotwax.co/demo-videos/) - Company - [Our Story](https://www.hotwax.co/about-us/our-story/) - [Team](https://www.hotwax.co/about-us/) - [Partners](https://www.hotwax.co/become-a-partner) - [Customers](https://www.hotwax.co/customers) - [Pressroom](https://www.hotwax.co/hotwax-commerce-pressroom) - [Social Impact](https://www.hotwax.co/social-impact-hotwax-commerce) - [Events](https://www.hotwax.co/events-and-conferences) [Book a demo](https://cta-na2.hubspot.com/web-interactives/public/v1/track/click?encryptedPayload=AVxigLISXXGkcOtRysPKfjcriLyodY4rudkc50veKlKDe8q2B1%2FRWGeLxDhbY%2BkohRU8XspED5h92umpu7OkRZM1bllkBJKAFAlbNGEnCRAQX7O752HQT17G9v%2FBCweH%2FXvHlZ5%2FUC0MRPtKYCn5XoGb8TpxbLxvKbLalLOZcHeqoaHicFtr15mZOUkn2Y06IxHVsa5b0g%3D%3D&portalId=6357099) [BOPIS](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/tag/bopis) --- # What is BOPIS? How Buy Online Pick Up in Store Works for Retailers 30 Sep 2026 · 5 min read · By Divesh Dutta ![Store associate handing a shopping bag to a smiling customer collecting her BOPIS order at the counter](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/blogs/what-is-bopis/What%20is%20BOPIS%20banner%20image.jpg?width=960&height=498&name=What%20is%20BOPIS%20banner%20image.jpg) SHARE - - - [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis&body=Check%20out%20https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis&media=https://www.hotwax.co/hubfs/blogs/what-is-bopis/What%20is%20BOPIS%20banner%20image.jpg](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis&body=Check%20out%20https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis&media=https://www.hotwax.co/hubfs/blogs/what-is-bopis/What%20is%20BOPIS%20banner%20image.jpg) - - BOPIS stands for buy online, pick up in store. A shopper places an order on a retailer's website or app, chooses a nearby store, and collects the order there, often the same day, instead of waiting for delivery. It sounds simple, and for the shopper it is. Behind the scenes, BOPIS depends on accurate store inventory, a fast in-store picking process, and clear communication at every step. This guide explains how a BOPIS order works, why retailers offer it, where it breaks, and what it takes to run it well across many stores. ## What does BOPIS mean? BOPIS is a fulfillment option where the store, not a warehouse, fulfills an online order from its own shelves, and the customer comes to collect it. You will also see it called click and collect, buy online pick up in store (BOPUS), or store pickup. Curbside pickup is a variation where an associate brings the order out to the customer's car. For retailers with physical stores, BOPIS turns every location into a pickup point without adding delivery cost. For shoppers, it combines the convenience of ordering online with the speed of walking out with the item the same day. ## How a BOPIS order works A BOPIS order moves through six steps. First, the shopper picks a product and a store. Ideally the product page shows which nearby stores have it in stock before the shopper reaches checkout. Second, the system checks that the chosen store can actually sell the item, not just that it has the item on hand. Third, the order goes to that store, and associates are alerted so they can start right away. Fourth, an associate picks the item from the shelf, packs it, and sets it aside. Fifth, the shopper gets a message that the order is ready for pickup. Sixth, the shopper arrives, the associate confirms who is collecting the order, and hands it over. Every step has a handoff, from the storefront to the store and from the store back to the shopper. Each handoff is a place where a BOPIS order can stall, which is why the details matter. ## Why retailers offer BOPIS BOPIS is popular because it works for both sides. Shoppers get their order faster and skip the shipping fee. Retailers skip the last-mile delivery cost on every pickup order, and they put store inventory to work for online demand instead of letting it sit on the shelf. A pickup is also a store visit, and store visits drive extra sales. In a survey of 1,004 US adults by the International Council of Shopping Centers, [67% of click-and-collect users said they buy additional items](https://www.icsc.com/news-and-views/icsc-exchange/icsc-finds-over-half-of-americans-use-click-and-collect) from the retailer when they pick up their order (ICSC, 2019). ## What goes wrong with BOPIS Most BOPIS problems come from four gaps. The first is showing stock the store does not really have. If the product page counts every unit on hand, including the last display piece or units already promised to other orders, shoppers order items that are not there. The associate cannot find the item, and the order is canceled. The second is slow picking. If the store does not know an order has arrived, nobody starts it until the customer walks in and asks. The third is uncollected orders. Orders that sit on the pickup shelf for days tie up inventory that could sell to someone else. We cover this in [the cost of forgotten orders](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/the-cost-of-forgotten-orders-managing-failed-pickups-in-retail). The fourth is having no recovery option. When an item cannot be found, the easy response is to cancel the order. A better one is to offer another store, home delivery, or a transfer to the original pickup store, as explained in our guide to [handling BOPIS fulfillment failures](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/saving-the-sale-how-to-handle-bopis-fulfillment-failures). ## What you need to run BOPIS well Running BOPIS across many stores takes four things. The first is accurate store availability. Show pickup based on what each store can sell, which means units on hand minus orders already reserved and a safety stock held back for walk-in shoppers. Our post on [inventory on the shelf vs inventory for sale](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/inventory-on-the-shelf-vs-inventory-for-sale-why-stores-need-protection-rules) explains why stores need these protection rules. The second is a simple app for store associates. It should alert them to new orders, remind them about orders nobody has started, and guide them through picking, packing, and handover. The third is clear pickup communication. Send the ready-for-pickup message only once the order is packed, and remind customers who have not collected it. The fourth is a plan for failures: a way to reroute or transfer orders a store cannot fill, and a set point at which an uncollected order is canceled and refunded. ## BOPIS vs curbside pickup vs ship from store vs ship to store These four options are often confused. Here is how they differ. | Option | Stock comes from | How the customer gets it | Typical speed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | BOPIS | The pickup store's own stock | Collects it inside the store | Same day, often within hours | | Curbside pickup | The pickup store's own stock | An associate brings it to the car | Same day, often within hours | | Ship from store | A nearby store's stock | Delivered to the customer's address | Same day to a few days, depending on the carrier | | Ship to store | A warehouse or another store | Collects it at the chosen store once it arrives | A few days | ### What is curbside pickup? Curbside pickup is a way to collect an online order without going inside the store. The shopper buys online, chooses a store, and parks outside when the order is ready. A store associate brings the order out to the car. Behind the scenes, curbside pickup works like BOPIS. The order is filled from the pickup store's own stock, associates pick and pack it in the same way, and the shopper gets a message when it is ready. The only step that changes is the handover, which happens at the car instead of at the counter. That is why retailers usually run curbside pickup and in-store pickup from the same system, and why the same inventory accuracy and store capacity limits apply to both. In HotWax Commerce, curbside pickup runs on the same BOPIS workflow, so store teams use one process for both handovers. Many retailers offer all four. Ship to store is a useful fallback when the chosen store is out of stock, so the customer can still pick up where they wanted. For more on the store-delivery side, see our [ship from store](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/ship-from-store-software) page. \*     \*     \*  HotWax Commerce is an omnichannel order management system that runs BOPIS for retailers on Shopify and other platforms. Online ATP calculates each store's pickup availability after reservations and safety stock. The BOPIS PDP app shows that availability on the product page, with store search sorted by distance, a saved My Store, and a Store Mode for browsing what is available today. In the store, the BOPIS Fulfillment App works inside Shopify POS. It gives associates new-order notifications, open-order reminders, and a pick, pack, and handover flow with proof of delivery, and lets them resend the pickup reminder to customers. When a store cannot fill an order, associates can use Request Transfer to turn it into a ship to store order, and customers can choose another option through a re-route link. Learn more about our [BOPIS software](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/buy-online-pick-up-in-store-bopis-software/), or read the [Shopify BOPIS](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/8-things-to-consider-before-launching-shopify-pick-up-in-store) launch checklist. [Talk to our team](https://www.hotwax.co/connect) to see how HotWax Commerce can run same-day pickup across your stores. ## Frequently asked questions about BOPIS - ### [Is BOPIS the same as click and collect?](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis#content-1) Yes. BOPIS and click and collect describe the same idea: order online, then collect the order at a store. Some retailers use click and collect to include lockers and curbside pickup as well. - ### [How fast is BOPIS?](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis#content-2) Most retailers aim to have BOPIS orders ready the same day, often within a few hours. Speed depends on how quickly the store is alerted and how simple the picking process is. If the item has to come from another location first, it becomes ship to store and takes longer. - ### [Does Shopify support BOPIS?](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis#content-3) Yes. Shopify's native pickup in store lets customers choose a store at checkout, and supported themes can show pickup availability on the product page. Retailers with many stores often add an order management system for accurate store availability, an associate app, and recovery options when a store cannot fill an order. - ### [What is the difference between BOPIS and BORIS?](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis#content-4) BOPIS is buy online, pick up in store. BORIS is buy online, return in store, where a customer brings an online purchase back to a store instead of mailing it. Retailers often offer both so stores can serve online customers in both directions. - ### [What happens if a BOPIS order is not picked up?](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-is-bopis#content-5) Most retailers send a reminder, hold the order for a set number of days, and then cancel and refund it so the inventory can go back on sale. Tracking uncollected orders by store shows where reminders or pickup processes need work. ## Related Blogs ### [![Magnifying glass examining a retail operations process to identify broken handoffs and timestamps in BOPIS order fulfillment.](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/blogs/what-a-failed-bopis-order-reveals-about-your-retail-operation/What%20A%20Failed%20BOPIS%20Order%20Reveals%20About%20Your%20Retail%20Operation%20banner%20image.png?width=960&height=498&name=What%20A%20Failed%20BOPIS%20Order%20Reveals%20About%20Your%20Retail%20Operation%20banner%20image.png) BOPIS What a Failed BOPIS Order Reveals About Your Retail Operation](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/what-a-failed-bopis-order-reveals-about-your-retail-operation) ### [![Smiling shopper holding shopping bags and a smartphone while looking into a retail store window.](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/blogs/saving-the-sale-bopis-blog/Saving%20the%20sale%20banner.png?width=960&height=498&name=Saving%20the%20sale%20banner.png) BOPIS Saving the Sale: How to Handle BOPIS Fulfillment Failures](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/saving-the-sale-how-to-handle-bopis-fulfillment-failures) ### [![The cost of forgotten orders](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/blogs/the-cost-of-forgotten-orders/Banner%20-%20cost%20of%20forgotten%20order.jpeg?width=960&height=524&name=Banner%20-%20cost%20of%20forgotten%20order.jpeg) BOPIS The Cost of Forgotten Orders: Managing Failed Pickups in Retail](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/the-cost-of-forgotten-orders-managing-failed-pickups-in-retail) ### [![Hourglass on a shelf symbolizing inventory hold time and margin loss for abandoned store pickups](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/blogs/the-economics-of-failed-pickup/economics-of-failed-pickup.png?width=960&height=498&name=economics-of-failed-pickup.png) BOPIS The Economics of Failed Pickups](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/the-economics-of-failed-pickups) ### [![Four phone screens of product detail pages for jackets and hoodies with stock and pickup details](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/blogs/how-to-optimize-the-product-detail-page-for-higher-conversions/how-to-optimize-the-product-detail-page-for-higher-conversions.png?width=960&height=498&name=how-to-optimize-the-product-detail-page-for-higher-conversions.png) BOPIS How to Optimize the Product Detail Page for Higher Conversions](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/how-to-optimize-the-product-detail-page-for-higher-conversions) ### [![4 Things to Consider When Offering Same-Day BOPIS Delivery](https://www.hotwax.co/hs-fs/hubfs/blogs/4-things-to-consider-when-offering-same-day-bopis-delivery/4-things-to-consider-when-offering-same-day-bopis-delivery.png?width=960&height=498&name=4-things-to-consider-when-offering-same-day-bopis-delivery.png) BOPIS 4 Things to Consider When Offering Same-Day BOPIS Delivery](https://www.hotwax.co/blog/4-things-to-consider-when-offering-same-day-bopis-delivery) [![HotWax Commerce](https://www.hotwax.co/hubfs/Hotwax-2021/HotWax_February2020/Images%20Icons,%20Apparel%20background,%20Hexagon/logo-hotwax-dark.svg)](https://www.hotwax.co/) ### Connect ### Headquarters 175 S Main St Suite 1310, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 - Product - [Order Management System](https://www.hotwax.co/product/omnichannel-order-management-system/) - [Store Inventory Management](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/store-inventory-management) - [Omnichannel Suite For Shopify](https://www.hotwax.co/product/omnichannel-order-management-system-for-shopify/) - Use cases - [Unified Inventory](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/unified-inventory/) - [Order Routing](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/configurable-order-routing) - [Ship From Store](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/ship-from-store-software) - [Buy Online Pick-Up In Store](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/buy-online-pick-up-in-store-bopis-software/) - [Pre-Orders](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/pre-orders/) - [Return In Store](https://www.hotwax.co/solution/buy-online-return-in-store-boris-software) - [Retail Sales Audit](https://www.hotwax.co/product/omnichannel-retail-sales-audit-oresa/) - Resources - [Product Updates](https://www.hotwax.co/product-updates) - [Documentation](https://www.hotwax.co/hotwax-commerce-documentation) - [FAQs](https://www.hotwax.co/frequently-asked-questions) © 2026 HotWax Commerce ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Divesh Dutta", "url" : "https://www.hotwax.co/blog/author/divesh-dutta" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-30T10:02:40.993Z", "datePublished" : "2026-09-30T10:03:40.000Z", "headline" : "What Is BOPIS? 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