What Is Click and Collect? How It Works, Step by Step

Click and collect has become such a normal part of shopping that most retailers offer it somewhere at checkout. If you've never used it, though, the idea can seem a little odd: why order online and then go and fetch it yourself?

I've put this guide together from retail and consumer sources, including Which?, Square's guide for businesses and InPost's help pages, so it stays retailer-neutral. Every shop runs its own version, so always check the details on the retailer's site before you set off.

What click and collect means for shoppers

Click and collect is a way of shopping where you buy online and pick the order up yourself from a store or collection point, instead of having it delivered. Square describes it as a middle ground between the ease of online shopping and the personal touch of a physical shop. In the US the same idea is often called buy online, pick up in store, or BOPIS, and a version where staff bring the order to your car is known as curbside or kerbside pickup.

How click and collect works, step by step

The exact screens differ from shop to shop, but Square's guide describes the usual flow like this:

1. Add what you want to your basket on the retailer's website or app.
2. At checkout, choose click and collect instead of home delivery.
3. Pick your store or collection point, and a date or time slot if the retailer offers one.
4. Complete your order. You'll get your collection details, usually by email.
5. The retailer prepares your order and moves it to the collection point.
6. You get a message, often an email or text, telling you it's ready.
7. Go to the collection point with your order details and pick it up.

Click and collect options: in store, lockers and kerbside

Collection doesn't always mean queueing at a counter. These are the main formats you'll come across:

Option	How you collect	What you'll usually need
In store	From a collection desk or point inside the shop	Your order code or confirmation, and sometimes ID
Kerbside	Staff bring the order out to you, often to your car	Your order details and a message to say you've arrived, or a reply to say you're on your way if the retailer asks
Parcel locker	From a locker that opens with a code	The collection code or QR code sent to you

Lockers work to tighter windows than many shops. InPost, for example, says you have three days to collect from its lockers, sends a reminder when 24 hours are left, and returns uncollected parcels to the seller.

Where the click and collect name comes from

According to Wikipedia's entry on omnichannel retail, the UK term was coined by Argos, which already ran services called Ring and Reserve and Text and Take Home and needed a name for ordering online. The same entry says click and collect started later in the United States, and that curbside pickup grew sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many shoppers wanted to avoid going inside stores.

Why shoppers choose click and collect

• You pick the timing. Square points out that you can choose when to collect, rather than waiting in for a courier.
• It can be quicker. Collecting avoids some of the delivery problems that slow orders down.
• It works when delivery slots are full. Handy at busy times of year.
• You still get a shop visit. Staff are on hand if you have a question.
• Fewer van trips. Square describes it as a greener alternative to home delivery, especially if you're passing the shop anyway.

Why retailers offer click and collect

Retailers like it too. Square's guide says it can raise the value of orders thanks to in-person service, works well when delivery capacity's stretched and builds trust, because shoppers can see there's a real store behind the website. Wikipedia's omnichannel entry mentions research from the International Council of Shopping Centers which found that more than a third of pickup customers bought something extra while collecting their order.

Every click and collect order still travels through a chain of boxes, cases and pallets before it reaches the collection point. If you're curious how those layers work, my explainer on primary, secondary and tertiary packaging explains them.

Tips for a smooth click and collect pickup

• Keep your confirmation email or app message handy until you've collected the order.
• Bring whatever the retailer asks for. Square notes that some shops ask for ID or the card you ordered with, while others only need the code.
• Check the collection window, because items are held for a limited time and may go back if you miss it.
• Check the store's opening hours before you travel, as they may differ from the time slot you chose.
• If someone else is collecting for you, check the retailer's rules first. InPost lets you pass your collection code to a friend or relative.
• Check the items before you leave, so any problem can be sorted at the counter.

Returning or cancelling a click and collect order

Returns depend on the retailer, so read its returns policy. Which? says that, in its view, click and collect purchases are orders made online and should be treated as distance contracts, which would mean the Consumer Contracts Regulations apply. Under those rules, the cooling-off period starts when you order and ends 14 days after the day you receive your goods. Which? also reported that at least one large retailer disagreed and treated click and collect sales as completed in store, so it's worth checking the terms that applied when you ordered.

Faulty goods are a separate matter: Which? explains that the Consumer Rights Act covers goods that are faulty, damaged or not as described.

Writing about retail and the way we shop

Click and collect is one small part of how shopping keeps changing. If you work in retail or follow it closely, your insight is worth sharing.

Retail writers can share their ideas through shopping and retail blogs that accept articles.

Frequently asked questions

Is click and collect the same as BOPIS?

Yes, broadly. BOPIS stands for buy online, pick up in store, which is the term more often used in the US for the same idea.

Do I need ID to pick up a click and collect order?

It depends on the retailer. Some only need your order code or confirmation, while others ask for ID or the card you ordered with.

How long will a shop hold my order?

Each retailer sets its own collection window, so check your confirmation. InPost lockers, for example, hold parcels for three days.

Can someone else collect my order?

Often, yes, but rules vary. Check the retailer's terms first. InPost lets you give your collection code to someone you trust.

Can I return a click and collect order?

Usually, under the retailer's returns policy. Which? believes the 14-day online cancellation rules should apply too, but check the retailer's terms.