Kohl’s has expanded its new self-pickup service to its entire 1,100-store footprint nationwide, the Menomonee Falls-based retailer announced Wednesday.
The service offers a “hassle-free” alternative to its existing in-store pickup service, allowing shoppers to pick up eligible online orders within two hours without waiting in line, the company said in a news release.
Shoppers who select “In-Store Pickup” for their online order will receive a “Ready for Pickup” email that will specify if the order will be found in the designated Self-Pickup area. Customers will then be directed to the area within the store for a quick email-guided pickup process, according to the release.
“Our teams have been working hard to ensure Kohl’s Self-Pickup service was available for all of our customers ahead of the holiday rush,” said Siobhán Mc Feeney, Kohl’s chief technology officer. “At Kohl’s, we’re focused on listening to what shoppers want, and using technology to make it as easy as possible for families to get everything they need quickly, and through a simple experience.”
The national rollout of the self-pickup service is part of the retailer’s ongoing shift from brick and mortar to omnichannel, a model that combines the traditional in-store shopping experience with modern-day e-commerce. The initiative and others such as “same-day buy online, pickup in-store,” free curbside pick-up and Amazon returns are not only convenient for customers, but they also drive store traffic as well as cut shipping costs and help manage inventory.
As consumers shift their shopping habits, Kohl’s has continued to leverage technology – like the Kohl’s mobile app and Kohl’s pay – and new partnerships – like Sephora shop-in-shops- in an attempt to keep people coming through the door and keep its store base profitable.
The company is even experimenting with various store formats and sizes, with plans to open 100 small-format locations Kohl’s over the next four to five years in markets considered too small to support the typical 80,000-square-foot full-size Kohl’s store. That includes downtown Milwaukee, where a Kohl’s store is slated to open next year in the former Boston Store space on West Wisconsin Avenue.
