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The holidays have arrived. Are you ready?
Earlier this year, Amazon announced same-day delivery and pickup of select products from select locations throughout the U.S. As Christmas rapidly approaches and other holidays have already begun, regular delivery schedules prevent products from arriving in time. However, if a store offers pickup options, that means you can still get gifts until the very last minute. But which retailers offer this convenience?
What are the advantages of “buy online, pick up in-store”?
Although buying online and picking up in the store may sound like a bigger hassle than simply shopping at a brick-and-mortar store, there are actually several benefits:
- You can do all of your comparison shopping without leaving home and pick the very best product for you with a click.
- If there is limited stock or you can’t get there right away, you may be able to buy it immediately to ensure you get one.
- You only need to go to one location in the store to get everything. This is particularly useful if it’s a large department store. For example, instead of walking to the electronics department to get a TV, then over to the home section to get an area rug, you can just go to the pickup location to get everything and be in and out in minutes.
- Pickup shoppers get much better parking.
- If you’re busy or have limited mobility, you can still do the shopping, but a spouse or a friend can pick up your purchases for you.
What pickup options are available?
While it’s often called “buy online, pick up in-store,” that’s not always how it works. Some retailers offer a few different ways to pick up your merchandise:
- Pick up the merchandise inside the retailer’s brick-and-mortar store.
- Pick up the merchandise curbside.
- Pick up the merchandise at a collection point. For instance, you can order merchandise from Amazon and pick it up at select retailers or your local post office.
- Pick up the merchandise at a designated hub locker.
Stores that offer pickup options
For Amazon, when making a purchase, you need to check delivery address options for each item to see if there’s a Pickup Point near you. If there is, you can get your item at that nearby location, but you still have to check delivery dates to see if it fits your timeline.
Besides picking your item up at a Best Buy location, depending on where you live, you may be able to get your merchandise at “UPS and FedEx stores, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Michaels, Advance Auto Parts, Dollar General and other independent stores in your area.”
When you choose order pickup at Target, your merchandise is usually ready in about two hours. The store cautions that certain items, such as no stock, limited stock or those containing hazardous materials, may not be eligible for order pickup.
At Home Depot, your pickup order will be available at your selected store during its normal operating hours. While most orders will be available in a few hours, larger orders or orders requiring assembly will take more time.
While specific in-store pickup hours vary from location to location, in general, Kohl’s will have your pickup order ready in about two hours. Customers have seven days to pick up their order before items are returned to stock and money is refunded.
Ulta Beauty offers local in-store or curbside pickup for online orders. Orders are typically ready within two hours or less.
To get curbside or in-store pickup at Dick’s Sporting Goods, simply set your store, choose your product and select “Store Pickup” when checking out. You’ll receive an email when your order is ready. Orders are usually ready within the hour.
When you select a pickup option at a local Sephora location, you’ll be sent an email or text when it’s ready. This usually takes up to four hours. Once at the store, tell a Beauty Advisor you have arrived to pick up your order.
Golf Galaxy makes pickup easy. After selecting your location and the “Store Pickup” option, you’ll be sent an email notifying you that your order is ready. Once at the store, you may either head inside or have your order brought out to your vehicle.
While Wayfair is primarily an online store, there are two physical locations: The Wayfair Store at the Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts and The Wayfair Outlet in Florence, Kentucky. If you live near either location, you may be able to pick up an online order in person.
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.