Set up the pickup shelf, staff routine and customer messages your shop needs before the first online order lands.
The online part of online ordering gets most of the attention. But the moment that decides whether a customer comes back happens in your shop: the walk to the counter, the wait, the handover. Getting the floor ready before your first order makes that moment smooth. Here is a practical checklist.
Choose the pickup spot
Pick a place close to the till where staff can reach orders without leaving customers waiting. It should be out of reach of shoppers but visible enough to reassure the person collecting. A labeled shelf behind the counter is ideal. If space is tight, a set of stacking crates works.
Stock the supplies
- Bags or boxes in two or three sizes
- Sticky labels and a thick marker
- A printed sheet or tablet showing today’s orders
- Tape and tissue for anything delicate
Write the routine on one card
Every team member should be able to handle an order, including Saturday staff. Write the steps on a card and pin it by the shelf:
- Open the order list at the set check times.
- Pick each item from the shop floor or stockroom.
- If something is missing, flag it to the manager before going further.
- Bag it, label it with surname and order number.
- Place it on the shelf in surname order.
- Mark the order ready in the system.
Tune the customer messages
Most ordering tools send automatic emails. Rewrite the defaults in your own voice. The ready message should cover your opening hours, what to bring, where to go once inside, and how long you hold orders. A warm sign-off costs nothing.
Put up a sign
A small “Online order pickup here” sign at the counter saves customers from queuing behind browsers or asking around. If your layout allows, give pickups their own short line at busy times.
Plan for the uncollected
Some orders will sit. Decide in advance: a reminder after two days, a final message after a week, then refund and return the items to stock. Write it into your pickup policy so staff aren’t making it up each time.
Do a dry run
Before you announce anything, place two or three test orders yourself or ask a friend. Walk through picking, bagging, the message and the handover. You will spot the gaps in ten minutes that would otherwise appear in front of real customers.
Next steps: keep your counts honest with our stock sync answer, and see the full route on selling online from your shop.