Retail Watchers

Yesterday I made an online order from Kohls'...first time ever. Found a pair of UA shoes that were interesting, then pulled together a $50 order (a couple of flannel shirts for 6.25 apiece, a pair of UA underwear---etc) We'll see how well delivery occurs...should be interesting.

Romr123 wrote: ↑July 4th, 2022, 6:37 am Yesterday I made an online order from Kohls'...first time ever. Found a pair of UA shoes that were interesting, then pulled together a $50 order (a couple of flannel shirts for 6.25 apiece, a pair of UA underwear---etc) We'll see how well delivery occurs...should be interesting.

I used to order from Kohls website around the holidays and it was usually just fine. I never did try to pick up in store, just order and let UPS or whoever deliver it. I wonder if they fulfill orders from the stores or do the orders from a warehouse. In the instance where they failed to fulfill an order on a Black Friday vacuum, they allowed me to retain the earned Kohl's Cash (and refunded what I was redeeming). I was able to quickly reorder a similar vacuum at a better price (and earn more Kohl's Cash).

I placed an online order for curbside pickup at Kohl's last week, and yesterday I was notified it was ready for pickup. However, when I tried to check in on the app today, there was no option for curbside pickup -- it said I had to go into the store. Sure enough, when I got the store, all of the signs on the designated curbside pickup parking spaces had new signs pasted over them indicating that curbside pickup was "temporarily unavailable."

I inquired about this change when I picked up my order -- the clerk informed me that the service had been discontinued nationwide two days ago. This is really a bad move on Kohl's' part -- especially when COVID upsurges are occurring all over the country.

J-Man wrote: ↑July 7th, 2022, 3:46 pm I placed an online order for curbside pickup at Kohl's last week, and yesterday I was notified it was ready for pickup. However, when I tried to check in on the app today, there was no option for curbside pickup -- it said I had to go into the store. Sure enough, when I got the store, all of the signs on the designated curbside pickup parking spaces had new signs pasted over them indicating that curbside pickup was "temporarily unavailable."

I inquired about this change when I picked up my order -- the clerk informed me that the service had been discontinued nationwide two days ago. This is really a bad move on Kohl's' part -- especially when COVID upsurges are occurring all over the country.

Any reason given by the clerk for why they discontinued the Curbside pick-up?

As you point out- COVID cases rising, nice weather so no imposition for employees to walk in/out to give the orders out (summer)...

Did you have to walk all the way to the back corner of the store to pick-up, or was this a newer Kohl's with the pick up/customer service up front?

I didn't ask why they discontinued it, only if it was a nationwide policy or just local. She said it was nationwide. I did have to walk all the way to the back of the store to pick up my order. My local store is a former one-story Mervyn's.

J-Man wrote: ↑July 8th, 2022, 10:09 am I didn't ask why they discontinued it, only if it was a nationwide policy or just local. She said it was nationwide. I did have to walk all the way to the back of the store to pick up my order. My local store is a former one-story Mervyn's.

Possibly to cut expenses (less people needed if customers go to them vs. running out with orders all the time - especially in a setup like that with the pickup way in the back), possibly just thinking it was no longer needed (since few stores did that in the past, it was more started as a temporary thing when the virus was an issue and/or rules required it), and always possibly that they are trying to help sales (hoping people will spot something else they want once in the store - that can't happen if the customer never leaves their vehicle).

Eventually stores are just going to go back to normal, or they'll be in a perpetual loop of going back and forth.

cjd wrote: ↑July 10th, 2022, 8:43 am Eventually stores are just going to go back to normal, or they'll be in a perpetual loop of going back and forth.

I think Curbside pick up is the new normal. It is a customer expectation at this point. I had a good experience with it one time at Wal Mart to get cough syrup. It was a good way to do that.

storewanderer wrote: ↑July 10th, 2022, 11:37 am

cjd wrote: ↑July 10th, 2022, 8:43 am Eventually stores are just going to go back to normal, or they'll be in a perpetual loop of going back and forth.

I think Curbside pick up is the new normal. It is a customer expectation at this point. I had a good experience with it one time at Wal Mart to get cough syrup. It was a good way to do that.

Not sure about Walmart but Target certainly seems to be pushing it hard. It seems like many specials they have now only apply for 'drive up' orders.

mbz321 wrote: ↑July 12th, 2022, 8:10 pm

storewanderer wrote: ↑July 10th, 2022, 11:37 am

cjd wrote: ↑July 10th, 2022, 8:43 am Eventually stores are just going to go back to normal, or they'll be in a perpetual loop of going back and forth.

I think Curbside pick up is the new normal. It is a customer expectation at this point. I had a good experience with it one time at Wal Mart to get cough syrup. It was a good way to do that.

Not sure about Walmart but Target certainly seems to be pushing it hard. It seems like many specials they have now only apply for 'drive up' orders.

Given Wal Mart has done store renovations installing pick up storage departments, re-done parking lots to have pick up areas with covered canopies and their own entrance/exit (employees only) and ramp out to the canopy area, I don't see them pulling back on this concept at all. I think a lot of customers love being able to use that service and not have to physically enter/deal with Wal Mart. Also can you walk into Wal Mart and pick up an order? They deactivated the "pick up towers" in my area, the old layaway departments are empty/no longer a pick up area. I think the only way to pick up an order there is via curbside?

Target of course painted a few lines and installed a few signs in the parking lot but their Curbside pick up looks to do about 1/8 the volume of Wal Mart's pick up area. Maybe people actually prefer to go inside. You can go pick up at the refund counter at Target inside the store.

Target at this point is desperate to get customers and will do anything. I keep getting 20% off groceries from them.