Every time I make my curbside delivery order from the convenience of my smartphone, I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank God I don’t have to leave my couch until it’s time to pick up my order.” LOL!
Curbside delivery, the product of a global pandemic, has made its way into grocery stores, retail shops, and restaurants. The point was to minimize contact between customers and essential workers and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
It has proven very effective.
But with COVID regulations subsiding, many wonder, is curbside delivery here to stay?
Below, is a list of pros and cons I deem important to the fate of curbside delivery:
PROS:
- Alternative Options: In the case of restaurants and most fast food places, there are now multiple options. You can dine-in, go through the drive through or opt for curbside delivery. In the case of curbside delivery, there are designated parking spots, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of finding a spot as you would with dine-in. Additionally, from a consumer's viewpoint, they are the first in line. No long drive-thru waits. Just you, your smartphone, a code, and then your order brought out to you.
- Accommodates Traffic: These options bring opportunities for faster and more efficient serving. Restaurants and stores are able to have employees designated to either curbside delivery, or in-store service. Therefore, they are able to focus and serve their specific customers quickly and efficiently.
- Delivery Fees: We all know the pain of getting to the online checkout of our take-out order and seeing the, sometimes ridiculous, delivery fee. But with curbside services, there are no delivery fees. With the popularity of services such as Uber Eats and Favor, delivery fees are continually rising. With curbside delivery, that financial burden is relieved.
- Accessibility: Many curbside delivery orders are placed through an app made by the company. In my experience, especially in the case of grocery shopping, it’s much easier to shop smartly and save money. When at grocery stores, sometimes the item you are looking for is misplaced under a price tag that does not correspond with the actual price. It is easy to get confused, and accidentally choose the pricier option, or grab an item without knowing the price. However, through the app, the prices are distinct and easily comparable.
- Convenience: The advantage here is easy to decipher. If you are someone with kids or a busy schedule and don’t have the time or energy to do in-store shopping, save yourself the stress and order online.
CONS:
- Control: In the case of grocery shopping, specifically for produce items, you don’t have much control over what gets picked. How do I order one ripe avocado for immediate consumption and one un-ripe avocado for a later time? Those specific requests are hard to relay over an app. Additionally, I would like to see the other produce options available. I want the biggest apple, not the smallest one!
- Payment: The only payment option for curbside delivery is through card. Since the point of it is to minimize contact, there is no option to hand pay for your items with cash. So much for the $100 cash mom gave you when you visited her.
- Time Slots: Many places have specific time slots for when you can pick up your items. In that case, if none of the times work for you, you will most likely have to pick another day. This is not too great for spontaneous orders.
- The Environment: Sometimes shopping can be a good reprieve for people. A leisurely, mostly mindless activity that provides a break from responsibilities. If you are continuously opting for curbside delivery you lose that in-store experience. So long social interaction, the procrastination excuse for a necessary cause (like grocery shopping) and even those daily steps you’re trying to get in.
- Impulse Pushing: This is mostly a disadvantage for retailers. If consumers are unable to see other options, they are less likely to buy multiple items. I find this most relevant for food services. If I’m at the grocery store and see an item that looks particularly delicious, I am going to buy it. If I’m doing an online order, I’m not aware of that item and therefore will not be buying it. Maybe this is good for consumers. Less temptation and more money saving. However, you might also be missing out on your new favorite food.
Curbside delivery is one of the most convenient, safe, and effective systems to come out of the pandemic. But the question still remains, should they stay or should they go? And, which is better, in-store shopping or curbside shopping?
