Curbside Pickup Vs. In-Store Pickup: What are the Differences?

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Online grocery’s popularity is booming. Within the next two years, grocery ecommerce will become the highest-selling ecommerce category in the U.S. Customers flock to online grocery stores for many reasons:

✅ They’re convenient

✅ Save time

✅ Give customers more control over their shopping experiences

Additionally, exercising control over their grocery shopping journey by choosing newer fulfillment methods like curbside pickup and in-store collection leads to a more rewarding and positive customer experience.

Unlike traditional delivery, where customers place an order online and receive it at their home, curbside pickup and in-store collection involve meeting customers halfway at a location that they prefer.

To tackle the challenges of online grocery delivery, you need to understand how curbside pickup and in-store collection work and determine if they are the right fulfillment methods for your store.

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TL;DR

Curbside pickup and in-store collection are two hybrid fulfillment methods that let online grocery customers pick up orders on their terms — without traditional home delivery.

Curbside pickup lets customers order online, drive to a pickup spot, and stay in the car while staff brings the bagged order out.
In-store pickup (BOPIS) lets customers order online, then enter the store to collect pre-bagged items from a pickup counter.
Curbside is usually faster and contactless. In-store pickup takes a bit longer but enables face-to-face service, returns, and impulse buys.
Curbside needs parking/signage and dedicated runners, especially at peak times. In-store pickup needs counter space and smooth queue flow.

Recommendation: Offer both options to maximize flexibility. With the right picking technology — like the Wave Grocery Picker App — you can run both fulfillment models efficiently without adding operational overhead.

Curbside pickup and in-store collection: A fresh approach to order fulfillment

Online grocery has grown beyond simply delivering orders placed online. There is a demand for alternative order fulfillment methods from customers ready to make a trip to the store but still want to experience the convenience of shopping online. Curbside pickup and in-store collection are two order fulfillment options that create a hybrid digital and physical shopping experience.

Thinking of online grocery delivery in purely digital terms can limit your store's sales. Instead, taking a “phygital” approach allows you to engage with more customers on their preferred terms. Let’s look at the definition of curbside pickups and in-store to see how they give online grocery stores more options to convert customers.

What is curbside pickup?

In this method, a customer places an order online and then travels to a designated pickup spot to receive their order at a specified time.

How does curbside pickup work

As the store owner, it's your job to ensure that the customers' curbside pickup orders are bagged and ready to go and that customers can conveniently receive their orders without even having to set foot in your store.

Curbside pickup is a fulfillment method that started gaining popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pros and cons of curbside pickup

Curbside pickup works like a drive-through grocery collection station. Using this approach to fulfill online orders has its innate advantages, such as:

Saving on labor costs associated with completing deliveries
Reducing crowding inside the store
Allowing contactless delivery, which, in turn, increases employee and customer safety
Saving time as customers don’t have to wait in line

Despite all the benefits of curbside pickup, it does have some disadvantages. These are:

Customers do not enter the store, so there’s no chance of them making additional impulse purchases
Item availability needs to be updated in real-time, which requires an efficient grocery ecommerce platform
Staffing and operating a curbside pickup station during peak business and traffic hours can be difficult

What is in-store pickup?

In-store collection is an alternative fulfillment method that saves customers time while making a grocery shopping trip. It’s the perfect method to convert customers who are willing to visit a brick-and-mortar store but don’t want the hassle of browsing shelves or scanning them at the counter.

How does in store pickup work

Customers simply select items from the store’s grocery ecommerce app, pay for them online, and then travel to the store to pick up the bagged items from a dedicated counter. This saves their time and also reduces the congestion at checkout lines in the grocery store. Another name for in-store collection is also the Buy Online Pickup in Store (BOPIS) method.

Pros and cons of in-store collection

Along with sales, in-store collection is also a useful way of handling returns for online orders. This flexibility of application is just one of the benefits of in-store collection, which also includes:

The ability to have face-to-face interactions with customers
Better odds of customers making impulse purchases while in the store
No need to hire extra staff for delivery or curbside operations

Despite its appeal, there are also some drawbacks to the in-store collection method. These include:

It’s more time-consuming for customers as they have to enter the store and wait in line
The in-store pickup counter can only operate during business hours
In-store pickup only works smoothly when backed by an efficient grocery ecommerce platform

Key differences between curbside and in-store pickup

Feature / Factor	Curbside Pickup	In-Store Pickup (BOPIS)
Speed	Faster, customers stay in car	Slightly slower, involves entering store
Customer Contact	Contactless, minimal interaction	Face-to-face opportunity for service or upsell
Staffing Needs	Requires dedicated staff outdoors	Can be handled by existing store staff
Store Layout	Requires parking access, signage, curb lanes	Requires counter space and queue management
Impulse Purchases	None	High potential at pickup counter
Return Handling	Not ideal	Easy to combine with pickup
Operational Complexity	Higher during peak times	Easier to manage with steady in-store flow

If you operate an online grocery store, offering both curbside pickup and in-store collection gives customers flexibility while helping you streamline fulfillment and reduce delivery costs.

Before deciding which (or both) to offer, it’s important to understand the operational and experiential differences:

Customer Experience:
Curbside pickup is the faster option, as in-store pickup can be more time-consuming for customers. However, in-store pickup allows for more personalized customer interactions.
Staffing and Budget:
Curbside usually requires dedicated runners or outdoor staff. In-store pickup can often be handled by existing checkout staff with minimal extra overhead.
Store Layout Requirements:
Curbside needs clear signage, accessible parking spots, and space for queueing vehicles. In-store pickup depends on having a well-placed service counter that won’t interrupt foot traffic.
Upselling Potential:
In-store pickup provides opportunities for last-minute purchases or returns. Curbside doesn’t. The handoff is brief and transactional.
Operational Complexity:
Both methods depend on accurate, fast picking. Without the right tools (e.g. real-time item availability, substitution workflows, scanner support), even the best-designed fulfillment process will break down.

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In practice, two factors define whether curbside and in-store pickup run smoothly:

1. Space & layout — The availability of adequate parking and designated areas for order handoff. This is a structural challenge that depends on your store's physical setup.
2. Picking efficiency — How accurately and quickly orders are assembled before the customer arrives. This is an operational challenge that technology can solve.

While store layout and parking are structural challenges, picking accuracy and readiness can be optimized with technology like the Wave Grocery Picker App — ensuring both fulfillment models operate without adding strain.

Grocery ecommerce solutions to enable both fulfillment methods

Regardless of their differences, curbside pickup and in-store collection share one requirement: an efficient, reliable fulfillment operation.

And the hardest part isn’t the handoff, it’s the picking.

Poor picking workflows cause:

Delays and bottlenecks
Costly errors and repacking
Frustrated customers at handoff

This is why modern grocery operations rely on tools like the Wave Grocery Picker App.

How the Picker App powers both curbside and in-store pickup

Whether the order ends at the curb or in the store, it begins with picking. The Wave Grocery Picker App helps your team:

Pick multiple orders simultaneously
Follow aisle-based product maps
Scan products and reduce mistakes
Get real-time alerts and instructions
Contact customers instantly for replacements
Suggest AI-powered substitutions

The app works on any smartphone, and includes a dashboard to monitor performance across locations and staff.

With the Picker App in place, you can scale both fulfillment models, without increasing overhead.

Final Thoughts

Choosing between curbside and in-store pickup depends on your store layout, staffing, and customer expectations. But you don’t have to pick just one.

With the right tools, especially a purpose-built Picker App, you can offer both, and make them equally efficient.

FAQs

What is considered curbside pickup?

Curbside pickup is a fulfillment method where customers place an order online and then drive to a designated pickup spot at the store. Instead of going inside, they stay in their car while a store employee brings the bagged order out to them. It combines the convenience of online shopping with the speed of local collection — no waiting in line, no browsing aisles.

Do you stay in your car for curbside pickup?

Yes. That's one of the main advantages of curbside pickup. You simply park in a designated spot, notify the store that you've arrived (usually through an app or by calling), and a staff member brings your order directly to your vehicle. There's no need to enter the store or wait in a checkout line.

What's the difference between curbside and in-store pickup?

The key difference is where and how you receive your order. With curbside pickup, you stay in your car and a store employee brings the order to you. With in-store pickup (also known as BOPIS), you walk into the store and collect your pre-bagged items from a dedicated counter. Curbside is typically faster and contactless, while in-store pickup offers face-to-face service, easy returns, and the chance to grab last-minute items.

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Wave Grocery Team

Our editorial team works hand-in-hand with grocery experts and digital specialists to deliver actionable content designed to help your business thrive online. Each article is built on real industry insights and practical guidance for grocers, providing actual solutions to real problems.