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The Post-COVID Consumer: The Future of Brick and Mortar Stores
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If something is out of stock at a local store, BOSS lets
consumers tap into inventory f rom the retailer's other
branches. Pre-COVID, BOSS was a relatively niche buying
option. But like stock alerts, this became one of the main
ways consumers got the products they needed when items
were out of stock.
Unlike stock alerts, BOSS involves a shift in the way
consumers and retailers think about stores. It's not simply
purchasing f rom your local store. It's using your local store to
access products f rom somewhere else. It's treating your local
store as a distribution center.
BOSS, BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store), BORIS (buy
online, return in store), and curbside pickup all saw more
widespread adoption throughout the pandemic. While
these buying options don't account for the majority of sales,
their adoption represents a turning point in the evolving
relationship between consumers and brick and mortar
stores. And preparing for the future means preparing for
these shopping methods to become an expectation—just
like f ree shipping did with ecommerce. (More on that later.)
Buying online and ship to store (BOSS)
