The past 12 months have been incredibly challenging. Many businesses were forced to close, to reduce the spread of the pandemic. In many cases, this includes pet stores. At the same time, just because pet stores cannot have as much foot traffic does not mean they cannot meet the needs of their customers. It is possible for pet stores to set up curbside delivery for people who order products and services online. How can this be done?

Set Up Your Online Store

First, you have to make sure that your customers can order your product and services online. If your pet store already had an online portal set up, then you don’t need to worry about this step. Next, you simply have to make sure that you add “curbside pickup” or “curbside delivery” as one of the options at the checkout. Otherwise, you need to set up an eCommerce page where people can see the products and services that you offer. Then, make sure you streamline the checkout process. Some customers may prefer to pay for their product or service using the online portal. Other customers might choose to pay for their purchase when they come and pick it up at the curbside.

How Does Curbside Pickup Work?

Efficiency is everything, and you need to make the process as easy as possible for your customers. The steps involved in curbside pickup include:

• Specify how, when, and where your customers are going to pick up their order.
• Include all of the necessary contact information for your pickup location, including the hours, phone number, and address.
• When the customer selects curbside pickup as the delivery option, your pet store should get a notice about the order.
• Send another notice to the customer when his or her order is ready to be picked up.
• When the customer arrives, they should be able to let you know quickly that they are ready for the order.
• Finally, simply bring the order to their vehicle and let them drive away.

If you make this process as easy as possible, your customer may make future purchases using this step.

Safety Precautions During Curbside Pickup

It is essential for you to make sure that your employees remain as safe as possible during curbside pickup. Some tips to keep in mind include:

• Always use gloves when you are packaging the orders.
• Wear masks when you bring the order to the curb.
• Do not accept cash unless you have to. Encourage your customers to pay online or at the curb using a credit card.
• Encourage your employees to sanitize their hands regularly with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

These simple precautions will reduce the spread of the virus, helping you keep your employees and customers safe from harm.

Work with NextPaw To Optimize Curbside Pickup

Curbside pickup is a great way for you to keep your orders up while reducing foot traffic. To get the most out of the curbside pickup and delivery options, rely on the team from NextPaw! Contact us today for a free tour and learn more about this option!