Click and Collect (C&C): : measuring the effects of an online multi-channel sales strategy

Click and collect (C&C) has become a staple of a successful multi-channel retail strategy in recent years. Consequently, this paper aims to explore and assess the impacts of C&C within a large chain store retailer. We compare how firms have had to adapt their retail methods to encompass omni-channel in order to keep relevant in the modern era. We investigate how these challenges have been addressed by the firms by examining their pick-up delivery decisions and how they have integrated the two methods to work in harmony rather than competition. Our findings discover C&C to be largely advantageous for the bigger retail chain as they experience positive sales growth associated with their click and collect functionality. There is also evidence of a cross-selling effect (i.e. additional store sales from customers who use the C&C pick-up service), in addition to increases in store sales. However, this study highlights, in order for retailers to achieve the desired benefits, careful integrated channel management and measurements are essential.