How to Setup Local Pickup Time and Delivery In WooCommerce- Step-by-step guide

Picture this: You are running a bustling WooCommerce store where orders are flying in daily. One of your customers, Sarah, a single busy mom of two, orders a birthday cake for her youngest child.

She’s relieved to avoid the hassles related to delivery and selects the local pickup option. However, without the ability to specify a pickup time, she ends up waiting in line for an extended period, frustrated and anxious worrying about her kids.

This scenario is all too common for many shoppers.

Offering a local pickup time selection addresses your customers’ pain points, which you have experienced yourself. By letting them choose a specific pickup time, you can ensure that the orders are ready when the customers arrive, reducing waiting times and improving overall satisfaction.

In this definitive guide, we will walk you through setting up local pickup times and delivery options in WooCommerce.

What is Local Pickup?

Local pickup is a delivery option in WooCommerce where individuals purchase products online and then physically collect them from a designated store or location instead of having them shipped to their address.

This method allows customers to save on shipping costs and provides more immediate access to their purchases.

From a WooCommerce store owner’s perspective, offering local pickup can help reduce shipping expenses, remove the hassle of hiring a third-party delivery partner, and strengthen customer loyalty if they have a great experience with your staff.

Additionally, local pickup can drive increased foot traffic to your store, where the customer can potentially make further purchases, upping your sales even more.

If you want to know more about what is local pickup, how it works and why it is important for WooCommerce store owners to setup local pickup read our guide here.

Why Should You Allow Customers to Choose A Specfic Local Pickup Time?

Allowing your customers to choose a specific time for local pickup has multiple benefits for your store. By implementing this, you not only cater to your customers’ needs but also improve your store’s efficiency.

Here are some of them.

Key Benefits

• Enhanced Customer Convenience: When you allow your customers to choose a specific pickup time, you give them the flexibility of planning their day more efficiently. This is particularly beneficial for those with busy schedules, as it eliminates the uncertainty of when their order will be ready. Moreover, giving this option shows that you value your customers’ time and are committed to offering a seamless shopping experience.
• Reduced Waiting Times: By letting your customers select a specific pickup time, you can also better manage the flow of pickups throughout the day. This prevents the buildup of long lines during peak hours and reduces waiting times, leading to a smoother and more pleasant experience for your customers. It also helps your staff to manage their workload better, making sure that each order is prepared and ready for pickup on time.
• Word-of-Mouth Marketing: When customers have a positive experience with your staff at the store, they are more likely to return and recommend your business to others. Allowing them to choose a convenient pickup time shows that you care about their needs and are willing to go the extra mile to provide excellent service. This can lead to higher customer satisfaction, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth marketing.
• Better Resource Allocation: Knowing when customers will pick up their orders allows you to allocate your resources more efficiently. You can schedule staff shifts based on peak pickup times, ensuring that you have enough team members available to handle the demand. This can lead to more efficient use of labor and reduced operational costs.

How to Setup Local Pickup Time in WooCommerce?

Before we go ahead, you should know that WooCommerce has a built-in local pickup feature. However, it has limited functionalities, so we recommend using Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin which has various additional features that make setting up local pickup and enabling specific pickup time for the customer a cakewalk.

We will list several of these features in the later part of this guide. Just follow the below-given steps to setup local pickup time in WooCommerce.

1. Install the Plugin

First, you need to install Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin.

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
• Navigate to Plugins → Add New and search for “Dotstore Local Pickup”.
• Install and activate the plugin.

2. Configure Basic Settings

• After installing and activating the plugin you have to enable local pickup and configure basic settings. On the WooCommerce dashboard go to Dotstore Plugins → Global Settings → Enable Shipping.

3. Schedule Pickup Appointment Time

• Scroll down to the “Pickup Appointment Settings” to select specific time ranges for specific days of the week. Only between the selected time ranges can the customer schedule a local pickup. Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin allows you to select different time ranges for different weekdays. Here, we have selected a time range of “8 AM to 7 PM” on “Tuesday.”

4. Select Holidays Dates

• In the “Default Holiday Dates” section, select the days on which your store will be closed. Your customers won’t be able to schedule pickup on these days. Here, we have selected “12 June” and “21 June” as holidays.

5. Save Changes

• Make sure to save all changes.

• Once these steps are completed, customers can select a pickup time during checkout.

Bonus Tip: If you have multiple stores and want your customers to select different pickup times and holiday dates for each store, you can do that with Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin.

• Select “Pickup Locations” and click “Edit” for whichever store you want to select individual pickup times and holiday dates.

• On the next page under the “Pickup Appointment Settings”, toggle on the “Pickup Hours” and “Holiday Dates”. Select the time as shown in Step 3 and decide the “Holiday Date” as shown in Step 4.

• Finally, click on “Update Location.” Add as many stores, pickup times, and dates as you want.

How can Customers Choose their Preferred Pickup Time?

When customers reach the checkout page, they will see an option to choose local pickup as a delivery method. Customers can easily select their preferred pickup time by choosing from the available slots shown in the dropdown or calendar. Here are the steps they will follow:

• Select Local Pickup: customers must choose a local pickup option from the delivery methods.

• Choose the desired pickup date: Customers now have to choose the date on which they want to pick up their order.

• Choose a Time Slot: They need to choose a time to pick up their order. We have scheduled the pickup time for 9 a.m. on June 28th.

• Confirm Selection: The customers have to confirm their selection by clicking on “Place Order” and proceed to payment.

• This user-friendly process ensures customers have a smooth experience selecting their pickup time.

Best Plugins to Set Up Local Pickup Time Selection

As mentioned earlier, WooCommerce’s default local pickup options have limitations, especially in terms of allowing customers to select a specific pickup time. To overcome this, downloading a plugin is necessary.

We recommend Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin for its advanced features. In the following section, we highlight three powerful plugins that provide the functionality of time selection at the point of pickup.

1. Dotstore’s Local Pickup Plugin

For local pickup, Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin offers various advanced features. Here are some of its key features:

• Scheduled Pickup Times: Your customers can conveniently select specific times for pickup, improving their overall experience.
• Customizable Time Slots: You can set up and customize time slots at your store’s operational hours, providing flexibility for customers to choose suitable pickup times.
• Holiday Dates Configuration: Prevent your customers from scheduling pickups on days when your store is closed, ensuring efficient management of pickup schedules.
• Real-time Notifications: The plugin notifies customers when their orders are ready for pickup, enhancing transparency and customer communication.

2. Advanced Local Pickup for WooCommerce

The Advanced Local Pickup for WooCommerce plugin enhances the default local collection shipping options, providing an improved pickup experience for customers.

With features such as status email notifications, collection instructions, and clear order completion status, this plugin offers an advanced solution for managing local pickup times. Here are some of its features.

• Status Email Notifications: Customers receive notifications when their orders are ready for pickup, ensuring a smooth pickup experience.
• Collection Instructions: Admins can add collection instructions to emails, helping customers understand the pickup process.
• Order Completion Status: Orders are marked as “Picked Up” once collected, providing clarity on order status.

3. Local Pickup Plus Plugin

Local Pickup plus plugin offers versatile solution for local pickup. This WooCommerce extension enhances store functionality by allowing specific pickup selections. Here are three standout features of the Local Pickup Plus plugin:

• Streamlined Checkout Process: Simplifies the selection of pickup locations and times during the checkout process.
• Customizable Pickup Options: Flexibility to set multiple pickup points and specify pickup time slots.
• Email Notifications: Automated emails for order-ready alerts and pickup instructions, enhancing customer communication and satisfaction.

Best Practices for Managing Local Pickup and Delivery

When managing local pickup and delivery, these best practices can ensure a seamless process:

• Communicating with Customers: Communication with the customer has to be on point. If due to unforeseen circumstances you are unable to give the delivery of the order at the customer’s chosen pickup time, then he should be given adequate warning.
• Handling Peak Times: Adequate number of staff should be available at peak times, else long queues will hinder the experience of the customer.
• Ensuring Order Accuracy: All efforts should be made so that orders are correctly labeled so that there are no delays or hassles when the customer comes to pick up the order.

Final Words

Offering your customers the option to select a specific local pickup time addresses a common pain point of your customers. If you let them choose their own time to pickup their order you increase the chances of customer retention, increased sales, and word-of-mouth marketing.

Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin simplifies the setup and management of local pickup times, giving you advanced options. With its advanced feature set and customization options, the plugin allows for greater flexibility and control over the pickup scheduling process.

We encourage you to try Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin for a 14-day free trial and see the difference it can make for your WooCommerce store.

FAQ

What is Local Pickup shipping?

Local pickup is a feature in WooCommerce that if enabled at your WooCommerce store’s site allows the shoppers (your customers) to come and pick up their orders from your physical store instead of you having them shipped to their home.

How do I add Multiple Local Pickup Locations to WooCommerce?

You can add multiple local pickup locations by using Dotstore’s Local Pickup plugin which lets you enable local pickup at multiple locations. Each location can be configured with its unique settings.

You can follow our step-by-step guide here or watch this YouTube video to learn how to add multiple pickup locations to your WooCommerce store.

How do I select Delivery Location in WooCommerce?

Customers can select their delivery location during checkout by selecting from the available locations through the dropdown menu.