Since the start of the 2020 pandemic, companies have gotten creative with how they provide access to their goods and services. The pandemic also brought about significant changes in how people do their shopping, with many preferring to shop online and getting their purchases delivered to their doorsteps. Even though ecommerce growth seems to slow down post-pandemic, the change in shopping behavior is here to stay.
Whether it’s a restaurant supplying contactless delivery or a store providing pickup services, businesses need to embrace e-commerce more than ever. But not every business has an ecommerce solution for delivery and pickup. If you haven’t implemented such a solution, it’s time to update your offerings.
Here’s the good news:
There are many WordPress plugins that can make the job easier. Using these plugins, you can seamlessly integrate multiple pickup and delivery options onto your website with no fuss.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- The benefit of offering more options for your customers
- The most useful plugins for your business’s needs
Why you should invest in delivery and pickup systems
There has been a spike in pickup and delivery since the spring and summer of 2020. The demand for delivery and pickup nowadays, although not as great compared to during the pandemic period, is still considerable.
According to tech company Medallia Zingle’s 2020 report “COVID-19 & The Future of Commerce,” 87% of consumers want services that decrease the necessity of in-person visits.
79% of respondents said their shopping habits have changed since the pandemic started. Also, 77% of consumers said they would factor in how much time is needed when choosing which business to visit in person. If it takes more time for them to go to the business themselves, then they may resort to buying online.
So, consumers are changing the way they shop, whether it is due to convenience or time constraints. If your business doesn’t keep up, you may lose customers who choose to go with competitors who are more accommodating. Do your company a favor and give your customers plenty of options for receiving your product.
The best plugins for delivery and pickup
Assess what services your business can offer and find a plugin that helps you implement them. By starting with installing the WooCommerce ecommerce plugin on your WordPress website, you can extend your reach online and start offering your products and services to the online audience. After you’ve configured your storefront, it’s time to choose a plugin to integrate delivery and pickup solutions to your ecommerce business.
Leave At Door for WooCommerce
Leave At Door is a free and simple plugin that adds an option for customers to select contactless delivery when checking out. The message gets sent to the administrator’s order screen, the confirmation email, and the order email. The customer can also add additional instructions if necessary.
Delivery Drivers for WooCommerce
If you’re managing several drivers, the Delivery Drivers plugin can help. This plugin permits you to assign drivers to specific orders and have drivers update you regarding the order status. You’ll have a better idea of your employees’ location and your orders, making your business run smoother.
WooCommerce Cash On Pickup
If you want to offer a cash payment method, Cash On Pickup can accommodate your business. You can customize your instructions on the checkout page and make cash the only available option for pickup if desired.
Order Date, Order Pickup, Order Date Time, Pickup Location, Delivery Date for WooCommerce
Although the naming of the plugin isn’t the most attractive, it actually offers quite a few attractive features and customization options.
It provides detailed features that give customers options to schedule their deliveries and pickups. Store admin can also change the delivery date and time if needed and can also notify the user via email. Next to that, you can designate specific pickup dates or offer holiday delivery dates.
The free version gives you some of the mentioned features, but if you want the full capability of the plugin, then you should really consider the Pro version. It won’t break your budget, and you’ll get loads of new features. Some of the useful features include the option to add order preparation time, disable payment methods, or disable fields in the checkout form.
Local Pickup Plus
If your customers can pick up items from a local store, Local Pickup Plus offers a comprehensive system to organize multiple locations, pickup sites, and distribution centers.
This plugin gives retailers several tools, including the option to control the number of items available for pickup, schedule pickup times, set up discounts for pickups, and notify employees of pickup orders.
Using Local Pickup Plus, your customers know exactly where to go to pick up their products, and you know where to expect them. Customers will see a list of available pickup locations for each product that can be picked up, and they can choose locations that let them receive orders. Or you can also opt to only allow one pickup location per order.
This is a more sophisticated plugin, so it will cost you an annual fee. Don’t worry about breaking your bank though, as the subscription runs for less than $100 per year.
Final thoughts
Times are changing while competitors are getting better at offering services and convenience to customers. So, your business needs to keep up to stay afloat. By adding various pickup and delivery options on your website, you can better serve your customers.
These WordPress plugins will cover your needs, including facilitating curbside delivery, offering cash-only pickups, or organizing a pickup system at multiple locations.
Providing your customers with top-notch services and giving them options when it comes to ordering ensures your business stays competitive. Are you ready to upgrade your ecommerce website? Browse through Bluehost’s hosting packages today.
