Curbside pickup lets customers order online and collect purchases from your store, warehouse, or another pickup location. It’s a form of buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS), but customers stay in their vehicles as staff bring the order outside. In retail, curbside pickup refers to order fulfillment, not municipal waste or trash collection.
Retail pickup earned strong customer scores in 2026. The ACSI Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2026 found that the ease of pickup at general merchandise retailers rose two points, to 85 out of 100. The service adds another flexible fulfillment option to the online buying journey.
This guide explains how curbside pickup works and how to offer it at your store.
What is curbside pickup?
Curbside pickup is a retail fulfillment option that lets customers order online and collect purchases from a nearby store or pickup location. Once the order is ready, the customer parks in a designated area and a store associate brings the order to the vehicle.
This process gives shoppers another way to receive online purchases and lets retailers fulfill orders through their physical locations. Customers can collect their purchases locally without entering the store.
Large chains may use dedicated pickup teams and parking bays. Smaller retailers can run the same model with a designated pickup area and reliable order notifications.
How does curbside pickup work?
Curbside pickup follows this order processing workflow:
- The customer places an online order and selects curbside pickup at checkout.
- The customer pays through your ecommerce website.
- Your store receives the order and confirms the items are in stock.
- Staff packs the order and sends pickup instructions to the customer.
- The customer follows those instructions upon reaching the pickup area.
- A store associate brings the order to the customer’s vehicle.
The advantages of curbside pickup for your business
Curbside pickup is an omnichannel fulfillment option that gives customers more control over how they collect online orders. It also lets stores use local inventory for order fulfillment.
Capture last-minute demand
Shipping cutoffs can stop customers from completing time-sensitive purchases. Curbside pickup keeps a local collection option available when inventory is already in the store.
Digital Commerce 360 found that retail chains offering curbside pickup in 2025 averaged a 4.1% ecommerce conversion rate. The average among retail chains in its Top 1000 database was 2.9%.
With Shopify, you can enable pickup at checkout for each of your retail locations. Supported themes can also display pickup availability on product pages. Checkout also shows the expected pickup time.
Fulfill orders faster
Store pickup removes carrier transit time from the fulfillment process. For example, Best Buy claims most store-pickup orders are ready within an hour. Curbside pickup is available at most of the brand’s US stores.
Shopify POS Pro lets staff prepare and complete pickup orders from the POS. This keeps the task within your existing retail operations.
Reduce last-mile costs
Curbside pickup removes last-mile delivery from local orders, which can reduce shipping and courier costs. Stores can still offer local delivery to customers who cannot visit the pickup location.
Shopify store transfers can move inventory when an item is unavailable at the selected store.
Keep customers informed
Order-ready messages and arrival instructions reduce confusion at pickup. Shopify POS Pro can alert staff when a pickup order arrives. Staff can then send the customer a ready notification from the POS.
Turn your store into a fulfillment hub
Some retailers use stores or compact facilities for micro-fulfillment, placing inventory closer to customers.
Target reported that 97.6% of its 2025 merchandise sales were fulfilled by stores. The measure includes in-store purchases and digital orders completed through Drive Up or Order Pickup.
After replatforming to Shopify, Staples launched click-and-collect and curbside pickup across their Canadian stores in under 72 hours.
Stores can also fulfill orders for a wholesale business. Shopify offers in-store pickup for B2B, but the feature is off by default. The store or organization owner has to contact Shopify Support to activate it.
How to set up curbside pickup in Shopify
Use these five steps to set up and manage curbside pickup in Shopify:
- Enable local pickup for each location
- Allow store transfers for out-of-stock locations
- Show pickup availability on product pages
- Set realistic processing times and dates
- Run the curbside workflow in Shopify POS
1. Enable local pickup for each location
Start by turning on the local pickup option in your store’s settings. Once enabled, customers can select local pick-up at checkout.
- In your Shopify Admin, go to Settings, then Shipping and delivery.
- Find the pickup in store section and turn the option on for each retail location where you want to offer it.
- Configure the settings for each location, including:
- The expected pickup time, to manage customer expectations
- Clear pickup instructions, such as where to park, store hours, or what ID to bring
By default, local pickup is only offered at checkout when the entire order is in stock at that specific location.
2. Allow store transfers for out-of-stock locations
To avoid losing a sale when an item is out of stock at one location, you can use your other stores as a source of inventory.
Enable store transfers to move an item from a store that has it in stock to the customer’s chosen pickup location. The system tracks and moves the stock between your locations, reserving the inventory at the origin store until it is officially received at the destination.
For orders requiring a transfer, you can set a different, longer processing time to account for the extra step.
3. Show pickup availability on product detail pages (PDP)
Give customers the information they need before they even add an item to their cart by optimizing your PDPs.
Add the pickup availability section to your Theme’s product pages. Shoppers will be able to see if a specific product variant is available for pickup at their preferred store location.
4. Set realistic processing times and dates
Configure your processing time and delivery dates in your Shopify settings. You can set different processing times for in-stock orders versus those that require a store transfer.
To improve conversion rates, keep your standard processing time to approximately two business days to display faster dates to shoppers.
5. Run the curbside workflow in Shopify POS
Your in-store team can manage the entire curbside process directly from Shopify POS. Add the “Pickup in store” tile to your POS home screen for easy access. This workflow is available only for locations with a Shopify POS Pro subscription.
From there, staff can use dedicated actions to prepare the order, send the customer a “Ready for pickup” notification, and finally, mark the order as “Picked up” when they hand it off to the customer.
Technology for a seamless curbside experience
Curbside pickup technology coordinates customer arrivals, order preparation, and collection. Stores can use retail technologies like geofencing, integrated POS tools, and smart lockers to manage the process.
Automated arrival notifications and geofencing
Arrival notifications tell staff when a customer reaches the pickup area. This gives the team time to stage the order before the handoff.
Some examples of this are:
- Target integrated Apple CarPlay so Drive Up customers can notify the store through their car’s display.
- Best Buy lets customers track their Curbside or Locker Pickup status on a phone’s lock screen after reporting their arrival.
Arrival detection through customer tap or geofencing alerts staff before the handoff and can reduce parking-lot wait times.
Order management and POS integration
Curbside pickup is part of your unified commerce strategy. Shopify POS keeps pickup orders and customer data in one system.
When an order is associated with a customer, staff can view a unified customer profile covering online and in-store purchases. That history can inform the handoff and future marketing campaigns.
Shopify stores can also use Alpaca to schedule curbside pickup and local delivery. The app lets you set order limits by time slot and manage packing from a fulfillment dashboard.
Using smart lockers for 24/7 pickup
Smart lockers extend pickup beyond store hours. Best Buy offers pickup lockers in select markets, and most are available 24/7. Vendors such as Smiota and Quadient provide locker systems for retail pickup.
How successful retailers manage curbside pickup
Retailers are gradually embracing this service. They make it work by advertising curbside pickup options via their ecommerce website and social media.
Clothes Mentor
Clothes Mentor sells gently used name-brand and designer clothing. The brand offers shipping and curbside pickup options. When customers get to the checkout, they see an option to ship or to pick up at their location in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Whiskeyjack Boutique
Whiskeyjack Boutique sells Canadian-made gifts and offers delivery, as well as in-store and curbside pickup.
“We use the Shopify POS to manage all of our online orders and curbside pickups,” says Cofounder Allison Mistakidis. “We’re able to print the delivery slips to attach to the orders, which makes them easy to find when the customer arrives for pickup.”
Whiskeyjack Boutique also advertises their curbside pickup options online in the header of their website, and they offer local delivery for all orders over $50.
True North Yarn Co.
True North Yarn Co. advertises curbside pickup on their website and via Instagram. Customers who live locally can select “free curbside pickup” at checkout, and a staff member will contact the customer when their order is ready.
Tips for running your curbside pickup
Keep curbside pickup organized by assigning staff, tracking inventory, marking the collection area, and promoting the service.
Manage curbside pickup with the right people and space
Assign one person or a small team to manage curbside orders. Staff need to pack orders, notify customers, and deliver purchases to their vehicles.
Store completed orders in a dedicated area so staff can find them fast. With Shopify POS Pro, staff can mark orders as ready for pickup and send customers a notification.
“Make a dedicated space in your retail store for pickup orders to stay organized,” says Allison. “Also, use the Shopify POS app to manage and mark orders available for pickup once they’re packed and ready to go. This way, the customer gets a notification that it’s ready.”
Track inventory
Use an inventory management system to sync online and in-store stock. The Shopify mobile app lets staff view inventory and make adjustments from a mobile device. Check inventory counts regularly to prevent canceled pickup orders.
“Our number one tip is to make sure your inventory is correct, because having a customer order a product that’s not physically in the store would be a bummer,” says Allison.
Allocate a designated place where customers can wait for their order
Reserve a parking space near the store entrance when possible. If reserved parking is unavailable, identify a legal curbside waiting area that does not block traffic.
Place a curbside pickup sign at the parking lot entrance. Mark each pickup space with a large number that drivers can see from their vehicles.
Include the store’s phone number or text number and brief arrival instructions. Repeat the designated space number and instructions in the ready-for-pickup notification.
Advertise, advertise, and advertise some more
Promote pickup availability on your website and at checkout. Add the option to order confirmation emails and newsletters. Use social media to remind local customers when pickup is available.
“Be vocal on social media about the option for curbside pickup to ensure customers know when you’re available,” says Allison. “Include details that indicate pickup options on your checkout page, in your order confirmation emails, and in general marketing emails. Customers will use this service if they know it’s available.”
Should you offer curbside pickup at your retail store?
If you’re considering setting up curbside pickup order fulfillment options at your retail store, you can start by asking yourself the following questions to decide if it’s right for your business:
- Do you have the resources to offer curbside pickup? Will your staff manage it, or will it be your responsibility?
- Is there curb space or parking near your store for customers to wait while you or your staff bring out their orders?
- Are you using a POS that provides the right technology to synchronize your inventory and keep track of omnichannel orders?
If you feel confident that you can accomplish the above and successfully manage curbside pickup services, it’s worth trying it out. Track fulfillment analytics such as order-ready time, pickup wait time, and completion rate during the trial.
Giving your customers the option to shop online and pick up at the curb can help you build strong customer relationships and give your retail business an edge over your competitors.
When you’re ready to get started, try Shopify POS to provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers both in-store and online, and you’ll be all set to manage in-store pickup for online orders.
Curbside pickup FAQ
What is curbside pickup?
Curbside pickup is a service offered by some businesses that allows customers to order and pay for items online or over the phone and then pick them up at the curb outside the store.
How does retail curbside pickup work?
The customer orders and pays for their items online or over the phone. They schedule a time for pickup and drive to the store at that time. A retail employee brings the items out to the customer’s car.
What is the difference between in-store and curbside pickup?
In-store pickup is when you go into the store and pick up your prepaid order yourself. Curbside pickup is when you have your prepaid order brought out to your car by an employee.
What are the benefits of curbside pickup?
For customers who don’t want to wait for delivery or prefer not to pay for shipping, curbside pickup is a useful order alternative. After the customer completes their order online, they can drive to your storefront, warehouse, or pickup point to get the order—while remaining in their car the entire time. Same-day pickup helps reduce shipping costs, saves time, and is convenient.
What technology do you need for curbside pickup?
The most important thing is an online store where customers can place and pay for their order ahead of time, with a clear option to select curbside pickup at checkout. After that, you need a simple way for them to let you know they’re waiting outside. This could be as easy as a sign with a phone number to call or text, or something more integrated, like an “I’m here” button if you have a mobile app.
