Curbside pickup lets a customer buy online, drive to your store and have a staff member bring the order to their car. The customer never goes inside. It suits shoppers who know what they want and want it fast, and it costs a retailer less than delivery because the customer does the driving.
This guide covers how it works, how to set it up, what goes wrong and how to show which of your locations offer it.
Related: BOPIS guide | How to increase foot traffic | Store locator examples | Pickup point and parcel locker locator
The short answer
- Curbside is BOPIS where the customer stays in the car. It trades the chance of a browse for speed and convenience.
- Four things make it work: numbered parking spots, a staging area, an easy way to say "I'm here" and staff who bring orders out quickly.
- Start small. A few spots, a text check-in and a short list of eligible items beat an ambitious launch.
- Measure the wait between check-in and handoff. It is the number shoppers feel.
- Tell shoppers which locations offer it, with curbside hours and instructions, on your site and on your store locator.
What is curbside pickup?
Curbside pickup is a fulfillment method where a customer places an order online or by phone, drives to the store and has a staff member bring the order to their vehicle.
You will also see it called:
- BOPAC. Buy Online, Pick Up At Curb
- Car-side pickup, used by some restaurant chains
- Drive Up, Target's branded version
- Contactless pickup, which stresses the no-touch element
Curbside is a variant of BOPIS. The difference is that the customer stays in the car. That removes parking, walking the store and queueing. For parents with children in the car, shoppers with limited mobility or anyone in a hurry, it makes ordering for pickup easier than delivery.
Curbside, in-store pickup and delivery
| Feature | Curbside pickup | In-store pickup | Home delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer enters the store | No | Yes | No |
| Speed | Often same day | Often same day | Hours to days |
| Cost to the customer | Usually free | Usually free | Often a fee |
| Chance to sell more | Lower | Higher | None |
| Retailer cost | Staff time | Staff time | Delivery logistics |
| Order size | Fits the vehicle | Fits what they carry | Carrier limits |
| Contactless | Yes | No | Sometimes |
In-store pickup suits shoppers who want to browse. Delivery suits shoppers who can wait. Curbside suits shoppers who want something now and prefer not to leave the car. Many retailers offer all three.
How curbside pickup works
The customer's view
- Browse and buy online.
- Choose "Curbside Pickup" and a store, and sometimes a time window.
- Get a confirmation by email or SMS.
- Get a "Ready for pickup" message.
- Drive to the store and park in a marked curbside spot.
- Check in. Tap a link, send a text, use the app or call the store.
- Receive the order. Staff bring it to the car and check the order.
The retailer's view
- The order arrives in the point of sale or order system.
- Staff pick and pack it and check it.
- The order is staged near the curbside exit, labelled with a name or order number.
- The customer is told it is ready.
- The customer checks in, and staff see the spot number and vehicle.
- Handoff. Staff walk the order out and confirm who it is for.
- After pickup, the system marks the order as fulfilled and can trigger a receipt, a review request or loyalty points.
Most stores know picking and packing. The new part is the short walk from the staging area to the right car.
Why curbside keeps growing
Curbside started as a pandemic workaround and stayed because shoppers like the speed and retailers like the cost. For research on adoption and preferences, see Capital One Shopping's BOPIS statistics, a Research and Markets release on click-and-collect market growth, eMarketer, NRF and Bringg's resources. Figures differ by source and category, and curbside is strongest in grocery, pharmacy and restaurants.
Benefits
For retailers
- Lower fulfillment cost than delivery. No carrier, no last-mile logistics.
- A strong offer at checkout. Free pickup in a short time answers shipping cost and wait.
- More frequent orders, especially in grocery and pharmacy, where curbside replaces a trip around the store.
- Less delivery pressure. Each curbside order is one fewer delivery.
- A point of difference where local rivals do not offer it.
- A human touchpoint. Staff can hand over a flyer, a sample or a promotional card with the order.
For customers
- Speed. No aisles, no checkout queue, no hunting for parking.
- Convenience for parents, people with limited mobility and anyone short of time.
- No shipping cost, which matters most for bulky items.
- Same-day availability.
- Contactless collection without the wait of delivery.
- Certainty. No missed or stolen parcels.
How to set up curbside pickup
It needs planning more than infrastructure.
1. Designate curbside spots
Reserve a few spots near the entrance, sized to your order volume. They need:
- Clear signage: "Curbside Pickup Only" with your brand
- Numbered spots, so customers can say where they are
- Visibility from inside, so staff see a car arrive
- An accessible spot, in line with local accessibility rules
Start with fewer spots and add more as demand grows. Empty reserved spots annoy regular shoppers.
2. Build a staging area
A space near the curbside exit where packed orders wait:
- Organised by time window
- Temperature-appropriate if you sell perishables
- Labelled with name, order number and pickup time
- Separate from in-store pickup to avoid mix-ups
3. Set up check-in
Customers need a way to say "I'm here," and staff need an alert at once. Common options:
- SMS check-in: a keyword or a link in the "ready" message
- App check-in: an "I'm here" button
- A call to the store, as the backup for people who do not use apps
- A QR code on the parking sign
Aim to hand over soon after check-in and watch your own wait times.
4. Train staff
- The workflow, from alert to handoff
- Order checks by name or order number, not handing bags to anyone
- Vehicle identification at check-in
- Several pickups at once at busy times
- Customer manner. This is your brand's face in a short moment.
5. Connect your systems
At minimum:
- Order management to track orders from placement to pickup
- Notifications at each stage
- A check-in method
- Point of sale integration, so curbside orders sit with in-store and online sales
Many point-of-sale systems, such as Shopify POS, Square, Toast and Lightspeed, offer curbside features or add-ons. Check each vendor's current features.
6. Define hours and capacity
- Curbside hours, which may end before closing time
- An order cutoff for same-day pickup
- A limit on simultaneous orders you can stage and hand over
- Pickup windows that you can keep
Start conservative and expand. Windows you can keep beat tight windows where orders stack up.
Best practices
Staff and operations
- Dedicate staff at peak hours. Do not make one person cover the counter and curbside at once.
- Use a runner. One person watches the check-in queue and another carries orders out.
- Track wait time between check-in and handoff, and set a target you can hit.
Customer experience
- Send real-time messages: confirmed, being prepared, ready, picked up.
- Offer extended pickup windows where it suits your products, so customers can order today and collect tomorrow.
- Allow changes until the order is picked, which captures extra sales and reduces "I forgot one thing."
- Add a personal touch, such as a thank-you note or a sample.
Revenue
- Suggest add-ons at checkout. "Picking up dog food? Add treats."
- Put an in-store offer in every bag to bring curbside customers inside later.
- Mention a current promotion at handoff.
Showing curbside locations on your store locator
A good curbside service does not help if shoppers cannot tell which locations offer it. This is true when only some of your stores do. A shopper in Denver wants to know before they order whether the closest store has it.
Use a filter
Add a Curbside Pickup filter to your store locator. Shoppers search for a store near them, switch the filter on and see only the locations that offer curbside. StoreRocket's filters let you tag locations with services such as curbside pickup, BOPIS or drive-through, so visitors filter by what they need.
Show curbside on the location card
Make it visible on each location. A "Curbside available" custom field or a button that links to your ordering page makes it clear. StoreRocket supports your own buttons on a location, for example a link to your ordering page.
Show curbside hours separately
If curbside ends before closing time, say so. StoreRocket shows weekly opening hours with an Open Now status in each location's own time zone, and you can add curbside hours as a custom field such as "Curbside hours".
Add instructions per location
Setups differ. One store may use numbered spots at the front and another the side lot. Put short per-location instructions in a custom field such as "Curbside instructions".
For the steps to put a locator on your site, see how to add a store locator to your website. A locator helps shoppers find the right store. Your online store still handles orders, check-in and live availability.
Industries using curbside pickup
Curbside started in grocery and fast food and now covers most physical retail. It works best where customers know what they want before they arrive.
- Grocery. The original category. Walmart, Kroger and Target made it routine.
- Restaurants. Chains such as Chipotle, Olive Garden and Panera use curbside spots or lanes. For restaurant marketing, it offers the convenience of delivery without a delivery platform's fee.
- Pharmacy. Chains and independents offer prescription pickup, which suits people who are unwell or have limited mobility.
- Retail (general merchandise). Target's Drive Up, Best Buy and Kohl's are examples.
- Auto parts. Customers usually know the part they need.
- Home improvement. Heavy or bulky items go straight into the trunk.
- Pet stores. Repeat orders of food and supplies suit curbside.
- Liquor and wine. Where local rules allow online orders for pickup.
Curbside and the omnichannel journey
Curbside is one piece of an omnichannel customer experience. A typical journey:
- A customer finds your product through search or social media.
- They add items to the cart on your website.
- They see which nearby locations offer curbside.
- They choose the closest store.
- They get the order in the car the same day.
- They receive a follow-up email with in-store offers.
- They visit the store later to browse.
The store locator sits at steps 3 and 4, where online intent meets a physical location. See also retail customer experience.
Common mistakes
- Understaffing at peak hours. Wait time is the most common complaint.
- No dedicated spots. Making people park anywhere and call the store is a poor experience.
- Silent order status. Automate a message at each stage.
- Unclear availability. If only some locations offer curbside, tag each one in your locator.
- No bad-weather plan. Have a covered staging area or a sheltered pickup zone.
- A flat handoff. A disengaged handoff undoes the convenience you built.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is curbside pickup?
A fulfillment option where customers order online and collect outside the store without going in. A staff member brings the order to the vehicle. It is also called BOPAC and is a variant of BOPIS.
How does curbside pickup work?
Order online, choose a store, wait for the "ready" message, park in the marked spot, check in by text or app and a staff member brings the order to your car.
Is curbside pickup free?
Usually. Some retailers set a minimum order or charge a small fee, so check the retailer's terms.
What is the difference between curbside pickup and in-store pickup?
With in-store pickup you walk in and collect at a counter, and you may browse. With curbside you stay in the car and staff bring the order out. Curbside is quicker and more convenient. In-store gives you a chance to see and buy other products.
How long does curbside pickup take?
Order preparation varies by retailer and is usually stated at checkout. The handoff at the store should be short at a well-run operation. If shoppers regularly wait, look at staffing and workflow.
What stores offer curbside pickup?
Many large retailers do, including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe's, Kohl's, Kroger, Walgreens and PetSmart, and many smaller ones. Offers change by location, so look for a curbside filter on the retailer's store locator.
How do I set up curbside pickup for my business?
Mark a few curbside spots, create a staging area, set up an SMS or app check-in, train staff on the workflow and connect curbside to your point of sale and order system. Many point-of-sale systems have curbside features built in.
Can I show curbside pickup on my store locator?
Yes. Use a locator with filters so shoppers can switch on "Curbside" and see only qualifying locations, and add curbside hours and instructions to each location as custom fields. See how to add a store locator to your website.
The bottom line
Curbside is straightforward to start and valued by shoppers who want speed. The first step is making sure customers can find the locations that offer it. A locator with a curbside filter, clear tags and per-location instructions does that.
StoreRocket gives multi-location retailers a store locator for their own website: import your locations from a spreadsheet, match it to your brand and paste one embed code. Create your locator with a free trial, no credit card needed.