The containment and the health crisis did not fail to upset our consumption habits. While the French have returned to a certain freedom - including that of going to a store -, they continue to appreciate the "drive" or "contactless withdrawal" systems put in place by several brands in April to overcome the closing of shops.
Its principle? As with "food drives", this service allows you to collect your order placed on the Internet a few hours later in the store car park according to a "safe" process, the products being deposited directly in the trunk or at the foot of the vehicle. It therefore differs from "click & amp; usual "collect which obliges the customer to go to the checkout.
"Safer, more comfortable"
Castorama was among the first to set up this system with definite success, including since the reopening of its stores. “We went from several dozen orders per store before confinement (note: with a standard withdrawal method) to several hundred during. And, today, this remains a sustained activity despite the deconfinement ”, specifies Jean-Claude Denis, regional director at Castorama France, who sees in particular a lot of orders for swimming pools and garden furniture. “It is considered safer but also more comfortable. Withdrawal is by appointment, with the possibility of obtaining a slot within twenty-four hours. This therefore avoids having to queue or travel for nothing, ”he adds.
The same goes for the toy brand, Picwictoys, which launched this service on April 14: “Since the reopening, this has remained an important sales channel. Customers appreciate the practicality, the human contact on the phone for making appointments and the contactless guaranteeing security, ”points out Sébastien Maissin, customer director of the brand.
"Avoid entering shopping centers"
This system has also won over the Ceetrus property company, which has set it up in six of its shopping centers through the AuShopping drive label. "If you order an item on the Internet in one of the shops in the center that has signed up for this service, you can collect your order for free, a few hours later in the car park, in spaces provided for this purpose", explains Jean-Marie Brial , director of the Saisons de Meaux shopping center (Seine-et-Marne), where the service is operational.
"This idea emerged during the confinement to allow the revival of our centers since some people are still reluctant to go there," said Caroline Hélart, director of operations at Ceetrus France. In the future, this service may also meet the expectations of these customers who prefer to avoid entering a shopping center on busy days. "
The idea germinated before the health crisis
Precisely, once the crisis is over, will these drives continue to attract consumers? "I have no doubt that this mode of withdrawal will continue," replies Jean-Claude Denis of Castorama. Picwictoys also believes in it: "It is a mode of consumption that has spread beyond food," says Sébastien Maissin.
At Fnac-Darty, which also launched its "drive" during confinement, the picture is more nuanced. Since May 11, customers still buy a lot on the Internet. But among those who come to collect their order, "a large majority go to the checkouts rather than by the withdrawal mode in the car park," says Benoît Jaubert, chief operating officer of the group. This shows that customers still have the desire and the need to contact a seller for advice or to help them complete their purchase. "
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For the clothing brand Gémo, which has also been on the drive since May 11, it is above all a question of offering consumers "an additional withdrawal channel in order to gain their loyalty and attract those who have not no desire or no time to come in or queue to pick up an order at the checkout, "says Renaud Montin, marketing and digital director of Gémo. And to clarify: “We were already thinking about this idea before the crisis. The health crisis has allowed us to speed up its implementation. "