As more and more of us go under orders to shutter in place, retailers and traditional brick and mortar stores are having to become more creative not only to continue with business, but also keep us all safe.
Everything is evolving so quickly and “Contactless Shopping” is suddenly introduced to our vocabularies. When you need to shop for essentials, this is the way to go.
Referred to as “Buy Online Pick Up in Store” (aka BOPIS or BOPUS) programs, this isn’t a new concept by any means. You basically shop online and then pick up for free in the store a few hours later. In some cases, you can even get curbside service, so if you’re rushing around doing errands during your lunch break or have a sleeping baby in the car, you don’t even have to get out!
This is actually one of my favorite ways to shop and has been for years. It’s been a convenient way of taking advantage of online coupon codes, stacking them with your favorite online rebate site (like RetailMeNot, CouponCabin, Ebates (now Rakuten) and then avoiding lines and those possible last-minute purchases of items you don’t really need. Easy Peasy.
While a bunch of stores have been doing this for a while, new retailers have jumped on the bandwagon as of late, making this a really convenient, time and money-saving way to get your shopping essentials done while limiting exposure to others. It’s a win, win.
If you’re running low on food staples or you just need a break from the home-cooked meals and want to treat your family to a meal from their favorite restaurant, be sure to check out our handy list of restaurant chains that are offering Free Delivery.
Thank you to RetailMeNot for providing this list. Do you have any others to add?
31 Stores Offering In-Store and Curb-Side Pick Up
Apple
When an item is available at your local Apple store, you can order it online and choose to pick up in-store, often within an hour. In some instances, you may also be able to select a window of time to go to an Apple Store to pick up your order to avoid waiting. And with Apple’s free personal setup service, you can walk out with a fully set up and functioning product.
They also have fast and free delivery on any in-stock iPhone products and free 2-day delivery on almost everything else. Faster options are available for a fee. Plus, they offer 2-hour delivery in most metro regions for a small $9 courier fee. You can select this option at checkout if it’s available.
Bed Bath & Beyond
Buy all the bedding you desire with Bed Bath & Beyond’s in-store pickup service. You select the items you want to purchase online and enter your credit card info to reserve them. They then send you an email to confirm the reservation. When you arrive at the store, show the confirmation email and checkout with any form of payment you want. They will hold your items for up to 2 days. Plus, don’t forget those ubiquitous 20% off coupons!
Best Buy
Best Buy lets you order and—in some cases—pick up in-store in as little as 45 minutes. Bring your ID, credit card and order number to the store and pick up your items. They’ll hold them for up to five days. Avoid shipping fees and ensure that your brand-new 50-inch TV isn’t waiting outside your home while you’re at work all day. Talk about speedy!
Bloomingdale’s
Sometimes you just need that Vince Camuto blush jumpsuit ASAP. And when that need arises, Bloomingdale’s in-store pickup is here for you. Use the “pick up in store” filter to search for your items and select “pick up in store” at checkout. Keep an eye on your inbox–they’ll send an email to notify you when your items are available.
The Container Store
On a mission to reorganize your kitchen? Use The Container Store’s GoShop! option, and pick up all those drawer organizers on your schedule. The Container Store has a free Drive Up and Pick Up curbside carryout service at most locations, where an employee will bring your order out to your car—a nice perk if you’re ordering bulky items.
CVS
At CVS, you can order photos, prescriptions and even shampoo, and pick it all up that same day—in as little as an hour! It’s a free service with no minimum, and you can opt to go into the store for pickup or go curbside. Plus, you can use their app to monitor your order and set a pickup time.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Does your child need a new pair of cleats ASAP? No problem! Check inventory and order online with Dick’s, and then pick up for free in as little as 1 hour at your nearest store using the self-service station. Watch for email updates for when your items are ready. So high-tech!
Dollar Tree
Fill up your online cart with $1 goodies, ship the order to your local Dollar Tree store for free and then four to six days later—voilà, it’s yours! You’ll get an email notification when your order is ready for pickup. Present the manager with your email confirmation and photo ID, and they will process your order through the “In-Store Pickup” lane. If your order is large and you need assistance, ask the store manager for help.
Gap/Banana Republic/Athleta
Not sure whether you need a small or a medium, but you can see that stock is limited for both sizes? No sweat. With Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, you can “reserve” online but not pay for anything until you get to the store. This way you can try on first before committing. Super cool and convenient!
Home Depot
Sick of trolling the aisles of Home Depot for that random half-inch, galvanized carriage bolt? Us too. Order online, pick up at customer service and avoid the meandering! Store pickup is available at all Home Depot stores, with purchases ready in as little as two hours. Thousands of items are eligible for this service. Talk about a game-changer!
JCPenney
Available at select JCPenney stores, free same-day in-store pickup means your order may be ready in as little as four hours if it is placed before 3 p.m. local time. Plus, you camn choose for someone else to pick up your order, making it super easy to ask your spouse to swing by on their way home. Sweet!
Kmart
Shop online and skip the shipping fees! You can select items that are available for in-store pickup or curbside pickup (though you must be a Shop Your Way member for in-vehicle pickup), add them to your cart and easily check out. You’ll get an email when your order is ready for pickup. If you use in-vehicle pickup, an associate will be out with your order in five minutes or less—guaranteed!
Kohl’s
Once you’re done shopping, and you buy the items in your bag, click the “FREE STORE PICKUP” tab next to “SHIP”. Then, all you have to do is wait for the notification that your order is ready for free pickup at your local Kohl’s! Orders are usually ready within two hours.
Lowe’s
Never stop improving—and improve faster with Lowe’s in-store pickup. Choose “store pickup” as your shipping option when you place an order on Lowes.com or on the mobile app. You’ll be notified via email once your purchase is ready for pickup. Plus, they’ll hold your items for up to 4 days.
Macy’s
Macy’s makes it super easy to get the clothing, toys and electronics you love fast and easy. They offer free in-store pickup on most items in just two hours if your order is placed before 6 p.m. local time. You’ll be notified with an email once your order is ready for pickup. Sounds great to me!
Nordstrom
Many love Nordstrom for its customer service, and the service with in-store pickup is no exception. You can even mix and match the way you buy, so if you have items you want to pick up ASAP (like that elegant blazer to wear on your upcoming job interview), plus items you want to have shipped to you and purchases you want to send to someone else, you can do it all in one order. If you’re a Nordy member, you can check in on the app and when you arrive at the store and an associate will bring your order out to you. Same-day delivery is also available.
Office Depot
Printer out of ink and your daughter’s book report is due in the morning? No problem! At Office Depot, most in-stock items are available for free store pickup in one hour. If you order within two hours of closing time, the products will be ready for you the following day (hopefully before homeroom!). Just look for their Online pickup Station when you arrive at the store.
Old Navy
Old Navy recently launched its buy online, pickup in-store service at all stores nationwide. After you place an order, you have seven days to visit the store to pick up your purchase at a specially designated kiosk. So easy!
PetSmart
It happens: You realize that Fluffy’s food bowl is empty, and you don’t want him to miss mealtime. For your convenience, you can shop online and pick up at your local PetSmart within one hour or less. Rest easy, Fluffy.
Redbox
Ah, Redbox: Easy, cheap, and those kiosks seem to be everywhere. The only uncool thing? Not being able to get your favorite movie or game because that guy in front of you snagged it first. So reserve and pay online or in the app, and then pick up and return at the kiosks as usual. Plus, you can get a free night when you create a Redbox account.
REI
Calling all adventurous, outdoorsy types. Get your merch sent free to an REI store when you order online (or, for that matter, over the phone). They’ll send you an email when your order is ready,. So order that shiny new bike and pick it up for free.
Sears
Sears is not playing. Many items can be purchased online and then picked up for free as soon as they’re available. In addition, the store offers curbside pickup if you’re a Shop Your Way member, so whether you enter the store or stay in your car rocking out to Lizzo (just us?), Sears guarantees it’ll have your order ready within five minutes. They even have special reserved parking spaces!
Staples
Reserve online, choose the “pick up today” option and head over to the store, where your items will be waiting for you with customer service—in one hour or less! If your item isn’t available for immediate pickup, Staples will ship it to the store for free.
Target
It’s a tale as old as time: You go into Target for one thing and emerge with 20. Take a more focused approach to your Target run by ordering online and picking up in-store. (Just steer clear of the dollar spot on your way to customer service.)
To see if an item is eligible for order pickup, look for “free ship to store” or “free order pickup” when adding the item to your cart. You can also shop from a list of pickup-eligible items by browsing any category and selecting “buy online & pick up” from the “shipping & pickup” drop-down. If the price is lower in the store, you will automatically receive the lower price.
Tiffany & Co.
Browse to your heart’s content, and then pick up select items at one of three Tiffany stores in New York City. While you’re there, enjoy some breakfast!
Urban Outfitters
More and more Urban Outfitters locations are offering in-store pickup nationwide. Just select the “In-Store Pickup” option on the product page. You can pick up items same-day (if they are in stock) or have them shipped to a store for free and pick them up in 4-6 days. Fabulous!
Walmart
The retailer offers many items that can be picked up same-day or shipped for free to your nearest Walmart, which is super-convenient if there’s something online you want that is not available in your local store. And Walmart offers a pickup discount on many of the items in your order! Just search “free pickup + discount” items in the left navigation on search pages.
No Walmart nearby? No problem. There’s also an option to get your order delivered to a nearby FedEx Office location, where it will be held for you for free. Just choose this option at checkout.
World Market
Look for items marked with “free in-store pickup,” and add them to your basket. At checkout, select which products you want shipped (if any), and which you want to pick up in store. You can get them as soon as the same day, or schedule to pick up at a more convenient time for you. Done and done!
Zumiez
Zumiez makes it easy to pick up new looks in store for free—just choose “store pickup” when checking out. You can also choose to just reserve your items and pay in cash when you get to the store. Orders placed before or after store hours will usually be available for pick-up the next business day. Plus, they’ll hold your items for up to 10 days. Winning!