The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the way we live in numerous ways. Between work-from-home, online school, business closures, and social distancing requirements—we’ve all had to adapt our day-to-day lives since the pandemic began. While everyone experienced some degree of change this year, restaurant owners have felt the impacts tenfold.
Restaurant owners are resilient—and no strangers to thinking on their feet and finding unique ways to keep their businesses alive. Despite the pandemic that has hit small and independent businesses particularly hard, many have found creative ways to keep their businesses thriving—finding particular success in online ordering and e-commerce.
With less in-person business and most consumers avoiding face-to-face transactions, online spending has increased dramatically since the pandemic’s inception. Global digital sales increased 45 percent in 2020 and nearly $1 in every $5 was generated from online orders. Businesses with curbside pickup, drive-thru, or in-store pickup options gained the most significant sales spikes during the holiday season this year—providing both a convenient and safe way for consumers to complete purchases. As a restaurant owner, if you aren’t offering an option for Buy Online Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) you should definitely consider it.
BOPIS and Its Rapid Growth in 2020
While Buy Online Pick Up In-Store commerce has always been popular for the big-box stores, many smaller retail businesses—and even restaurants—began leveraging this solution during the pandemic. BOPIS is exactly as it sounds—it allows consumers to purchase something online, and then pick it up in-store or in-restaurant. For smaller restaurants with a lean staff, this is a great option to keep your order volume high, without sacrificing your staff’s time coordinating delivery orders. BOPIS is a great option not only because it is safer for both customers and employees during the pandemic, but also because it eases the customer experience and gives your restaurant more opportunities to sell.
Since the pandemic began, brands are seeing customers selecting BOPIS four times more than before the pandemic and nearly 70 percent of consumers have made multiple BOPIS purchases. More than half of shoppers have selected a brand because of the BOPIS option—so if your business doesn’t offer BOPIS, 2021 is most certainly the year to start.
Online Ordering, Hold the Hefty Third-Party Fees
Since the pandemic began, many restaurants have had to rely on takeout orders to keep their businesses alive. Unfortunately, takeout and delivery can be costly if your restaurant is relying on third-party platforms to list your restaurant. By offering BOPIS, your restaurant can skip the hefty third-party fees, and offer ordering right from your website or social media, allowing customers to place orders from the safety of their home and pick it up curbside.
More than a third of consumers plan to avoid in-person interactions and in-person dining until they have received a vaccine, making BOPIS an attractive option for your restaurant and your customers. However, while so many consumers are shifting to buying online—88 percent of the adult US market shops online—46 percent of small businesses don’t have a website.
Take Your Restaurant Online
Building a website is no small feat, and for many restaurants, it’s a low priority that will just take too much time. Using a third-party platform like Grubhub or DoorDash might seem like an easier option, since they will handle the online aspect, but when your restaurant is handing out nearly 20% of every order in commission fees, it can be hard to stomach the costs. Either way, there’s a simpler solution all together. Our online storefront is an easy and affordable solution for your online ordering and e-commerce shopping cart needs.
Storefront will get your menu online and help you start taking orders in no time. Your restaurant can offer curbside pickup or delivery, creating a safe experience for customers, and a cost-effective solution to online ordering for your business. Jump into 2021 with your best foot forward by taking your restaurant online fast. With a stylish, mobile-friendly interface, and easy-to-use menu setup that will highlight your offering, utilizing a cost-effective online menu solution is a sure-fire way to position your restaurant for success this year.
2020 was a tough year—and 2021 is sure to have its challenges for restaurants as well. Beyond is here to make things easier. Whether through our intuitive suite of business tools, or our round-up of small business insights and resources, trust us as your go-to partner for everything you need to run your restaurant better in 2021.
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