Supercheap Auto has launched a 90-minute click and collect service in over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand. The new service allows customers shopping online to collect products from their chosen store within 90 minutes during store trading hours. It allows products to be selected on the company website and from chosen stores, where a live inventory check is completed to confirm that stock is available. “While Supercheap Auto has actually been offering click and collect for a number
of years, about 18 months ago, we took some time to reflect on what we could do to make our offer stand out from the crowd, and deliver an even better level of service to our customers,” Supercheap Auto trade and digital manager, Angus McDonald, told Inside Retail Weekly.
“We started working very hard with our store managers and area managers to focus on improving execution of store fulfilment for online and click and collect orders, and since then we have been achieving a consistently high level of service.”
Once orders have moved through the retailer’s e-commerce system, a notification alerts the Supercheap team that a new order has arrived. Once staff in store have picked and packed the order, a confirmation message is sent to the customer alerting them that their order is ready to collect.
“In many cases there are stores completing this process in a matter of minutes,” McDonald said. “Likewise, if there is a problem with the order, the store team will seek to contact the customer immediately to resolve any issues.”
The automotive retailer sees this new service as part of a broader strategy in engaging with customers across different channels.
“This is a very important part of how we can help our customers to connect with us, in their preferred method for both research and shopping, whether it’s instore, online or on the go using our mobile site,” said McDonald. “Our overall objective is to make the experience for our customers as seamless as possible no matter which channel they choose to transact in, or if they choose to transact across multiple channels. This initiative is really just one small component of what is an important aspiration that we will continue working towards.”
McDonald said the company has implemented processes in its more than 300-strong store network across Australia and New Zealand to promptly action any new orders that come through its ecommerce system.
Supercheap is calling the new service “one element” of growing the online part of the business, of which click and collect currently represents half of total online sales.
“We know that quite a significant share of our customers research online, but ultimately still choose to buy in store,” McDonald said. “Offering this service is about providing customers with an even more convenient way of securing their chosen products when they purchase from Supercheap Auto.”
Supercheap’s click and collect ramp up comes off the back of the release of parent company, Super Retail Group’s, half-year results. The Brisbane-based retail group announced NPAT of $44.9 million, up 33.6 per cent from the same period last year. Like for like sales have grown approximately four per cent in the group’s auto division.
“We are happy with the momentum of the auto and sports divisions, which we expect will continue in the second half given no major external factors impacting consumer confidence,” said Super Retail Group MD and CEO, Peter Birtles, in announcing the results.
“The strong performance of the auto and sports divisions is reflective of the work we are doing to inspire and engage our customers, through investing in store refurbishment, extending our service offering, developing our online channels and focusing on more tailored marketing.”
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