The point for issuing orders from online stores is an integral element of a business sold on the Internet. Its organization and successful functioning does not require large financial investments. This type of activity can be a good start for a young entrepreneur.
Business relevance
Pickup points for online stores are an additional source of income, increase attractiveness for customers, stimulating them to purchase here, since they are given a choice of how to receive the goods. In connection with the development of online trading, the relevance of points where customers can pick up goods themselves is constantly increasing. Opening a point today is profitable not only in a large populated area, but also in a small city.
This segment is also in demand because the client wants to see real options for choosing a delivery method. Self-removal helps save personal time, reduce the cost of goods - all this increases the attractiveness of this area of business activity.
Financial costs at the opening stage
When calculating how to organize a pick-up point for orders from online stores, you cannot do without drawing up a financial plan. The main investment will be (per point) about 180 thousand rubles. This price includes:
- Rent for premises (from 20 m2) – 15,000 rubles;
- Repair work (cosmetic repairs) - about 30,000 rubles;
- Internet connection and payment for the first month – 5,000-10,000 rubles (depending on the region);
- Furniture and cash register – 50,000 rubles;
- Promotion costs – 50,000 rubles (includes website creation).
You should also allocate money to pay for utilities, taxes and pay for employee activities (at the first stage, 1 person is enough, since the business owner can temporarily perform some of the responsibilities on his own).
Business Features
This type of business, such as a point of delivery of goods from online stores, has its own characteristics that should be taken into account in order to avoid difficulties with its opening and subsequent development. Internet sales allow you to reach a larger target audience than a regular brick-and-mortar store - this is one of the main features of entrepreneurial activity in this direction.
Constant demand is the key to stable and growing, in proportion to the number of requests, income. The point for issuing online orders attracts the attention of not only potential customers, but also suppliers of goods, since it is also beneficial for them that more people purchase their products. Respectively, the business is profitable.
Features include the organization of activities directly at the point of delivery of purchases made on the Internet. In 70% of cases, it costs according to the principle: pick up the goods from the seller, pack or package them, then deliver them directly to the buyer. In turn, this type of activity can be organized in two directions:
- Independent pick-up points for online stores;
- Points working in cooperation with companies.
Features should also include working conditions and initial investments, which directly depend on indicators such as the fame and popularity of the company. A “promoted” franchise of a point of delivery of orders from online stores will bring income almost immediately after the opening of a point of delivery of purchases, while an unknown one will require investments in marketing, which will reduce the salary rate for employees.
If you choose a business line under a well-known company name, then the influx of clients will be stable, but it will be almost impossible to introduce your own developments and ideas. At the same time, an independent delivery point may not pay for itself, which will lead to losses - this should also be attributed to the peculiarities of the business. Working with a reliable and well-known retail outlet will allow you to quickly develop by opening new locations.
Search for partners
Points for issuing goods for online stores belong to this type of business activity, where without partners it is very difficult to organize profitable and cost-effective work. To search for companies willing to work together, you can contact them directly (in the cooperation section, find contacts and forms that you can fill out).
It is also possible to jointly carry out activities with other goods delivery services. In this case, it is more profitable for each party for the online store’s pick-up point to be opened under the brand of the delivery service.
Another way to find business partners is to cooperate with large (and well-known) companies, whose services include the provision of logistics. In this case, they are essentially intermediaries, and the subagent is the owner of the delivery point - a businessman.
Choosing a direction
Pickup points for online stores imply that this facility cooperates with a retail outlet that sells goods. Before opening such a business, you should decide on the direction in which the work will be carried out, as well as on the list of those sites whose interests (financial and advertising) will be represented by the directly opening shopping pickup point.
The modern market offers a wide variety of trading directions, so it is important to carefully study them all, and only then choose the most suitable direction for yourself. A good, stable income is guaranteed by stores that work with the following products:
- Sale of children's and women's clothing;
- Sales of goods for children and newborns;
- Sale of cosmetics and perfumes;
- Sale of electronics.
When thinking about how to open an order pick-up point, you need to carefully study the terms of cooperation offered by those sites that the entrepreneur initially liked. This is also necessary for the reason that delivery and organization of a pickup point is not possible in every region.
Point of delivery of orders from online stores Ya zabe.ru
Preparation of necessary documents
Legal business is possible only if documents are completed in a timely manner. The existence of a point where you can receive an order ordered on the Internet will require the future businessman to register with the relevant authorities. It is necessary to assign an OKVED code - for this area of work it will be 47.91 - “retail trade services”. It allows you to send by mail and work via the Internet.
The optimal form is to open an individual entrepreneur. To do this, you need to issue a certificate from the tax office and receive the selected form of taxation. Since this type of entrepreneurial activity is closely related to finance, for further work you will need to open a bank account. This will help make business-format payments. Experienced entrepreneurs do not recommend choosing the OJSC form, since in this case the package of documents required for registering a business will increase significantly. In addition, such an organizational and legal form will entail an increase in tax payments. Also, to register a business, you will need to obtain permits from the SES and fire department. When thinking about how to open a point for issuing online orders, it is important to remember that the building will need servicing from cleaning companies, removal of solid waste, and security. Before starting work, you will need to draw up all relevant contracts.
Advertising and Marketing
A franchise point of order delivery or an independent company equally needs advertising and promotion. That is why you will need to devote a significant amount of time to the issue of marketing. Investments in advertising depend on the chosen direction of work, the availability of partners, the region, as well as the capabilities of the businessman himself. Advertising is necessary to attract new customers, since the profit of the online store, which is represented by a pickup point, directly depends on their number.
Customers prefer to pick up their purchases themselves, as this will help them save from 200 to 1000 rubles, depending on the size of the product and its quantity. Marketing policy should be structured to reach the maximum audience. Accordingly, advertising is present:
- On the Internet (social networks, websites of online stores that are partners);
- On banners and leaflets;
- On your own or friendly websites that describe the advantages of such a service or are ready for further cooperation.
Before opening a point for issuing orders from online stores, it is very important to think through a system of special offers, discounts and bonuses for new and regular customers. This will allow you to retain active customers and attract new ones, thereby replenishing your customer base and increasing income. It is important to remember that in addition to clients, it is also necessary to attract new partners to cooperation. In order to avoid stagnation in the movement of goods, it is recommended to create a courier delivery service.
Thus, the answer to the question of whether it is profitable to open an order pick-up point will be the opinion of experienced entrepreneurs who claim that the key to success lies in the ability to find in-demand sites. In this case, the profit from the activities carried out will be high. The level and possibility of a gradual increase in profit and income that the owner of the enterprise provides for himself will depend on the number of goods (parcels) delivered, processed and transferred through the point.
You can gradually develop your business by increasing the number of points with the ability to pick up purchases yourself, which will help create a recognizable brand. You can combine several points (in the future) by creating your own courier service, with which new businessmen will enter into an agreement.
The main task is to choose the right partners at the start, so that investments begin to work and generate income for the owner of the business for self-pickup of purchased goods.
Opening an online store and cutting down the costs of warehouse services as much as possible is possible by collaborating with pick-up points. Essentially, these are intermediary companies that take on part of the courier services and eliminate the need to wait for the client in the office to receive the goods. So, the advantages of pick-up points are:
- assistance in filling out forms and accompanying documentation for the goods;
- no need to visit the central warehouse to deliver the goods;
- The convenience for customers is that the goods are ready for pickup on the day of registration;
- transfer of money to the account of the owner of the online store will be carried out in any convenient way.
ON WHAT CONDITIONS DO ORDER PICKUP POINTS WORK?
Typically, a service agreement is concluded with the seller, under which warehousing of goods or courier collection of paid goods is provided according to a schedule. By the way, unlike online stores themselves, order delivery services are required to work on weekends and holidays. Otherwise, what's the use of them! It should be convenient for the buyer to pick up his order at any time.
Naturally, these points charge a commission for their services. It can be from 100 rubles for each order (to make it interesting for them to work). Or as a percentage of the cost of the product, if it is large. Further, prices depend on the set of services ordered. For example, some points offer warehousing, documentation, packaging and labeling services, and issuing a receipt for goods. As well as the possibility of returning and exchanging goods.
ADVANTAGES OF COOPERATION WITH ORDER PICKUP POINTS
For small forms online store
First of all, this means no expenses for renting premises. This is a compelling argument that allows you to move a small office closer to the city center and forget about hangars and their maintenance. Further, working with order centers brings a good customer base and increased profits. Remember that the buyer likes to feel exclusive treatment and likes the opportunity to choose the delivery method - pick up the order at the point or wait at home for the courier all day. Finally, experience: when an experienced company takes over logistics services, it eliminates many mistakes made at the initial stage.
For big players
The effect of scale is very simple: increasing the ability to issue goods entails the possibility of increasing the load and selling a larger volume of items. Savings in warehouses have not gone away, and taking into account the volume of goods passing through them, the commission of delivery points pays for itself. The implementer takes on minimal risks, transferring responsibility to another party, and turns his attention to business diversification or improving the quality of service.
NEEDED MEANS NEEDED
It turns out that pick-up points play an important role in helping businesses develop. All that remains is to figure out how to reach them and conclude favorable terms of cooperation. To do this, study the list of services operating in your city. Call them and ask about cooperation opportunities. Check prices for different volumes of product sales. Finally, choose a pickup point with the most adequate technical support and the closest location geographically. Believe me, although this is the concern of their couriers, shortening the distance greatly simplifies life.
In an online store, a buyer can find any product, usually at a better price than in regular stores. More and more people are replacing regular shopping with online purchases - saving time, low prices, wide range, without leaving home. But many are scared off by endless mail queues, expensive orders going missing, and sometimes the unfriendly attitude of operators, and therefore they are in no hurry to shop on online platforms.
Obviously, opening a pick-up point will be the optimal solution to the delivery problem for customers and a good business idea for entrepreneurs. So, how to open a pick-up point for orders from online stores?
Some entrepreneurs are actively implementing an online shopping system, while others sell only through the website, as distance selling is gaining popularity at breakneck speed. This method of purchasing allows you to purchase the necessary thing at the best price in almost any corner of the world.
Such cooperation is equally beneficial for both buyers and entrepreneurs. However, difficulties may arise at the delivery stage.
For online stores, organizing your own courier service or opening your own pick-up point in each city is a costly business. Online store pick-up points help solve this problem.
The essence of the work of order pick-up points
- pick up goods from suppliers;
- distribute to orders and package;
- issue to clients.
Online store pick-up point as a business: where to start?
You can start such a business in two directions:
- new pick-up point;
- cooperation with well-known companies (Boxberry, SDEK, etc.).
The terms of cooperation and the necessary investments in the second case depend on the specific company you choose. Of course, working on behalf of a well-known brand makes doing business much easier, but in this case you will need to pay royalties.
Below we will look at business development according to the first option.
Is registration required and what documents are required?
It will not be possible to not register an activity, so the most preferable and less expensive form is This type of activity falls under OKPD 47.91. Will need to open
Preparing premises and purchasing equipment
When choosing a location, you should give preference to premises located close to stops and metro, even though Renting a site on the outskirts is much cheaper.
To open a pick-up point, a small room measuring 10–18 sq.m. is enough. And although it will practically be a warehouse, such footage will be enough for both parcels and for the operator, because they will not be stored there.
Depending on the terms of cooperation, you can additionally equip the room with a mirror, fitting room, etc. If the pick-up point is not located in a shopping center, it is important to install a toilet on the premises.
You will definitely need to purchase a cash register, a printer, a computer, an Internet connection, and furniture for the employee (a counter and a chair).
What to look for when recruiting employees?
One employee will be enough at the pick-up point, and at the initial stage you will be able to perform these functions yourself. When choosing a candidate for a job, pay attention to his work experience, lack of criminal record and reviews from previous jobs, because the cost of the package may exceed his salary.
Honesty and responsibility are the main characteristics of a pickup point employee. In addition, knowledge of the obligations and rights of the parties, as well as skills in operating a cash register, is desirable. If it is planned to provide courier services at the delivery point, another employee will be required to distribute parcels.
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Making contacts
It is better to unpack incoming parcels immediately and notify customers using calls or messages that the order is at the pickup point, with the obligatory indication of the address, opening hours and telephone number.
Both clients and suppliers will appreciate this, and the premises will not be overcrowded with parcels.
How to open a pick-up point for online stores and draw up a business plan with calculations?
Costs of starting a business:
- – 15,000 rubles.
- Account maintenance – 1000 rubles.
- Cash register maintenance – from 800 rubles.
- Investments in renovation of premises and purchase of equipment (cash register, PC, furniture, etc.) – 100,000 rubles (if repairs are not needed, costs will be significantly reduced).
- Rent from 16,000 rubles depending on the region.
- Employee salary is 25,000 rubles.
What is an electronic payment system and how to choose the most convenient payment system for your online store - read
Profitability and payback periods
At the initial stage, when issuing 45 orders per day, an entrepreneur will be able to earn an average of 30,000 rubles, depending on the region and tariffs. It will be possible to reach the break-even point in 7 months, provided that at least 900 orders per month are issued at the pickup point.
Ways to increase profitability:
- It is recommended to bring orders to the pickup point using your own transport, this will reduce costs for transport companies;
- deliver goods to customers at your own expense or give discounts to regular customers, so the number of orders will increase, and with them your profit.
Opening a franchise pick-up point for online stores
Today there are many successful delivery services that have managed to earn a reputation and trust from clients offering cooperation to entrepreneurs. As a rule, each company sets its own terms and cost for a franchise, but in general the requirements are almost the same.
For cooperation you need:
- register ( or ;
- select and renovate premises in a crowded place, near bus stops or in a large shopping center;
- have a sufficient amount of working and investment funds;
- be ready to work according to the standards of the chosen company.
To apply for cooperation, you will need to contact the company through a representative in your city or fill out a form on the official website.
Companies with which you can enter into a franchise agreement:
- SDEK;
- PickPoint;
- maxima-express.
A pick-up point for orders from online stores as a business is an interesting idea for entrepreneurs, but this type of business is not without its drawbacks. High competition, decrease in average bill, refusal of goods by customers - these and other difficulties can hinder business development.
Therefore, before you renovate a premises, study the supply and demand in your city, evaluate how profitable it will be to open another order pick-up point, or perhaps it would be better to join well-promoted companies.
You can get more information about the operation of the order pick-up point of the popular online store OZON in the following video:
Today there are not many reasons why virtual retail outlets are losing out to real stores. So, before making a purchase, any buyer wants to hold the item in his hands, try it on, evaluate its quality or make sure it works. In addition, due to the imperfection of delivery services, goods purchased online sometimes have to wait several weeks.
That is why the question of how to open a point for issuing orders from online stores seems extremely relevant. Indeed, such a service not only reduces the process of delivering a parcel to two to three days, but also allows the buyer to clearly familiarize themselves with the advantages and disadvantages of the product, make a decision on payment or return the product that does not meet expectations, and receive all documents confirming the transaction. Entrepreneurs, in turn, are interested in the opportunity to earn money from a simple procedure for processing and issuing orders, as well as the prospect of using nationally known online store brands to promote their own business.
Business Features
Any entrepreneur studying can note that the stage of delivering goods from the warehouse to the final buyer is the weakest point of a network business. Indeed, there are few options here: the seller either reduces costs in the faint hope of the decency and integrity of the postal service, or eliminates risks and speeds up the transportation process by using the expensive services of transport companies.Looking through the catalogs of competing trading platforms, you can find that their prices for similar products differ by no more than a few tens of rubles. Therefore, in the end, additional benefits and additional customers are received not by the store that sells cheaper, but by the one that is able to offer customers the best-cost delivery services in a reasonable time.
In such conditions, opening an order pick-up point looks like a reasonable solution to the problem not only for sellers who acquire their authorized representative in relationships with customers on the spot, but also for buyers who can:
- Receive your parcel literally a few minutes after it arrives;
- Choose the most convenient pick-up point from among those operating in the city;
- Count on prompt notifications about the departure and arrival of your order;
- Check the quality and completeness of the product before payment;
- Expect to store the parcel at the place of issue for 7–14 days;
- Refuse several items included in a composite order;
- Receive a receipt for payment and a note on the guarantee sheet.
In order to understand the nuances of the pick-up point and provide customer service with maximum efficiency, the entrepreneur must clearly understand the mechanism of the business.
During the work cycle, you must:
- Receive a combined parcel directly from an online store (if it is located in the same city) or from a transport company;
- Disassemble the shipment into individual orders and pack them;
- Enter information about orders into the database and send notifications to recipients;
- Deliver shipments to customers personally or through a courier;
- Receive payment for the goods (if necessary);
- Transfer money to the seller's bank account;
- Expect the store to provide remuneration for customer service.
Franchise benefits
A novice entrepreneur who doubts his abilities can be advised to open a franchise point for issuing orders: today on the market there are offers not only from stores, but also from large intermediary companies. The activities of the buyer of a franchise product are organized as follows:
- A businessman studies the offers of franchisors and chooses the most interesting of them;
- A franchise agreement is concluded with the product supplier;
- With the assistance of the franchisor, the entrepreneur opens a delivery point;
- The parent company trains employees of the new service;
- The entrepreneur receives advertising materials from the franchisor, takes part in marketing events and consults with his leading manager on issues of ensuring the functioning of the delivery point.
Obviously, this method of opening an order pick-up point seems simpler than creating a business on your own. However, according to the requirements of the franchisor, the buyer of the product must fulfill certain conditions:
- Register an individual entrepreneur;
- Choose a room of sufficient size;
- Install a cash register;
- Provide space for installing a franchisor order pick-up counter;
- Provide staff to process these orders;
- Ensure the installation of a sign with the name of the corresponding brand.
The most famous franchisors on the Russian market today are Maxima-Express, Boxberry, Pick-Up, PickPoint, Hermes and Ozon.
Choosing a direction and finding partners
Many entrepreneurs have doubts about which order pick-up point to open: the enterprise’s income is primarily determined by the popularity of the presented trading platform in the region and the demand for goods of certain categories. It is quite difficult for a beginner to make the right choice of direction and partners, so the service should initially represent three or four large stores with a wide range of products.On the other hand, when determining the scope of activity, an entrepreneur must take into account his own interests and knowledge. Having qualifications and experience in any industry seems to be a significant argument in the question of whether it is profitable to open an order pick-up point, since such a specialist will be able to:
- Provide professional advice to clients;
- Freely navigate a wide range of products;
- Qualifiedly assess product quality and identify faults;
- It’s easy to find a common language with employees of specialized online stores.
Obviously, the popularity of a particular trading platform to a certain extent depends on what to sell in an online store: the ideas of 2018 can be divided into several large areas, each of which has dozens of companies of different sizes. The main players in the virtual trade market interested in cooperation with pick-up points are presented below:
Largest online stores
| Direction | Stores |
| Women's and men's clothing | LaModa, WildBerries, Quelle, Otto, BonPrix, Witt, H&M |
| Children's clothing | LaModa, WildBerries, GloriaJeans, Mamsy, DochkiSinochki |
| Children's toys | Ozone, MyToys, DetMir.ru, DochkiSinochki |
| Household goods | Ozone, Quelle, Top-Shop, BonPrix, Witt, H&M |
| Bijouterie | WildBerries, Ozone, KupiVIP, Avon, Rainbow of Gems |
| Cosmetics | YvesRocher, Ozone, LaModa, L’etoile, Faberlic, Avon |
| Bags, shoes, accessories | LaModa, Quelle, BonPrix, Witt, H&M |
| Household appliances | Technopark, Citylink, Eldorado, Yulmart, 220Volt |
| Electronics | DNS, M-Video, Eldorado, Citylink, Svyaznoy |
| Handmade goods | Spinbo, Masters Fair |
| Books | Ozone, Labyrinth, My-Shop |
As you can see, this list does not include. The reason is that the largest Chinese aggregator does not see any prospects in cooperation with private points for issuing orders in Russia, preferring to use the services of regular mail.
Official registration of business
It would seem that it could be simpler - open a pick-up point in your city and start earning money. However, in practice it turns out that all large online stores, being completely legal enterprises, require the same from their partners. In addition, buyers also want to have certain guarantees in the form of a cash receipt and a document with the seal of the entrepreneur.
Therefore, you will definitely have to register the point of issue. Like any service, the service can be registered either as an individual entrepreneur or as an LLC: the first option is not only profitable, but also more convenient, since the requirements for maintaining accounting records for individual entrepreneurs are somewhat more flexible. When registering, you must indicate OKVED code 47.91 “Retail trade by mail or via the Internet,” and also select the simplified taxation system with payment of 15% of profits.
Since the activity of the order issuing point involves regular receipt and processing of payments, you need to open a current account with a banking institution. Also mandatory for comfortable work with clients is the acquiring service - accepting non-cash payments using plastic cards. Finally, the cash register should be registered with the Federal Tax Service.
The list of other documents is standard for any type of small business related to customer service. This includes:
- Permission from Rospotrebnadzor to conduct activities;
- Permits from the SES and fire service;
- Agreements for the removal of solid waste, disinfestation and deratization, recycling of lamps;
- Work records of employees;
- Decorated consumer corner;
- Instruction log on compliance with fire safety measures.
Selection of premises
An entrepreneur who has firmly decided: “I want to open a point for issuing orders from online stores,” must weigh his capabilities with the offers of landlords and choose premises that are not too expensive, but well located and renovated in advance. The location is even more important here, so if there are particularly successful options without repairs, it is advisable to consider the possibility of putting the property in order on your own.
On the other hand, not every newcomer can afford an office in the city center or in an elite shopping center. In such a situation, one should consider the prospects of opening a distribution point at some distance from the central streets or in large residential areas consisting of new buildings and populated mainly by young people. However, the main conditions still remain the availability of convenient parking nearby for customers arriving by car, and public transport stops or metro stations for those traveling on foot.
Service hours should be set according to location. For example, in the center or in the business district you can serve customers from 9:00 to 18:00, while in a residential area it is advisable to issue orders before 20:00 - this is the time when the majority of people return home after a hard day.
There is no need for a very spacious premises for the delivery point, since most customers prefer to pick up parcels within one or two days after they arrive. It is quite possible to place a warehouse, customer service area and fitting rooms on an area of 20 m².
However, the office must be:
- Dry, equipped with ventilation and heating;
- Well lit;
- Equipped bathroom for employees;
- Located on the ground floor with a separate entrance.
Equipment of the delivery point
For entrepreneurs who are planning to open their own business, the point for issuing orders from online stores is also interesting due to the small investments in equipping the enterprise. First of all, you will need strong multi-tiered shelving, a reception desk and a couple of tables with chairs.
The administrator's and accountant's workstations must be equipped with computers, a network printer must be connected to them, and Internet access must be provided. It is also recommended to install special software for tracking orders and warehouse balances.
For settlement and cash services, you need a cash register and a special POS terminal that allows you to accept payments from plastic cards. Over time, it is advisable to purchase an additional barcode scanner, which significantly speeds up the order processing process and reduces the likelihood of errors.
Finally, the business plan for the order pick-up point must include ensuring the safety of goods for which the entrepreneur bears full responsibility during storage. For these purposes, the premises must be equipped with security and fire alarm systems, as well as video cameras to prevent theft among both employees and visitors.
Equipment for delivery point
| Name | Price, rub. | Quantity, pcs. | Amount, rub. |
| Laptop | 14000 | 2 | 28000 |
| Router | 1200 | 1 | 1200 |
| Printer | 6800 | 1 | 6800 |
| Cash register | 10000 | 1 | 10000 |
| POS terminal | 8000 | 1 | 8000 |
| CCTV system | 15000 | 1 | 15000 |
| Security and fire alarm | 25000 | 1 | 25000 |
| Parcel rack | 2500 | 5 | 12500 |
| Reception desk | 7100 | 1 | 7100 |
| Electrical appliance testing table | 3000 | 1 | 3000 |
| Office table | 1500 | 2 | 3000 |
| Chair | 1300 | 2 | 2600 |
| Fitting room with mirror | 5000 | 1 | 5000 |
| Signboard | 20000 | 1 | 20000 |
| Stationery | 5000 | – | 5000 |
| Total: | 152200 | ||
Staff
As a business, the point for issuing online orders is characterized by loyalty to human resources. Theoretically, with a small amount of work, an entrepreneur will be able to independently serve clients, but this responsibility will certainly prevent him from doing other, more strategically important things - for example, developing the enterprise and finding new partners. Therefore, at least one hired administrator is still necessary.
The main characteristics for candidates for this position are honesty, accuracy and responsibility, since the reputation of the service is largely determined by the quality of the work of the employee processing orders. Errors in service, mixed up or lost parcels, refusals when processing returns can cause significant harm to the company's image and put the business on the brink of ruin, so the administrator must also be polite, extremely attentive and friendly.
Before opening a point for issuing online orders, it is necessary to resolve the issue of delivery of goods. This service is highly desirable, since many customers are already accustomed to receiving parcels without leaving their home. A courier is also needed if the service location is not the best - for example, away from the main pedestrian routes or at some distance from the city center.
Staffing of the pick-up point
Marketing activities
According to reviews, the order pick-up point is a business that requires a specific attitude to promotion. Formally, the service does not need advertising, since the buyer, when placing an order in an online store, usually chooses the office closest to his home or place of work. However, if there are several enterprises of this profile in the city, competition for customers inevitably arises between them, since you can make money at the order delivery point solely by increasing the volume of deliveries.
How to take advantage of this market:
- The schedule should be as convenient as possible for customers, including those who would like to receive the parcel on their way to work or returning home in the evening;
- By negotiating with store management, you should try to get additional discounts or privileges that increase the comfort of cooperation for customers or help them save;
- Focusing on , the list of represented stores needs to be constantly expanded. First of all, you should pay attention to well-known companies with popular products in the region;
- Related services are often in demand - for example, delivery and assembly of purchased furniture, setting up electronic devices, installing household appliances and even gift wrapping of souvenirs;
- Unpacking products, checking the quality of items and the functionality of equipment on site is a mandatory and unconditional rule for delivery points. The service must also have the right to issue a warranty card from the store.
None can become one without marketing activities. However, in the case of a pick-up point, it is not online stores that should be promoted (they will take care of their advertising), but the service itself, its services and additional benefits. However, it is not forbidden to use the brand of a well-known and popular partner to attract the attention of customers to your enterprise.
An advertising strategy as part of a business plan for a pick-up point for online stores needs to be developed taking into account maximum coverage of the main target audience - young people who make purchases online. The most suitable sites for this are local forums, city and thematic groups on social networks, contextual advertising with regional targeting and your own website containing detailed information about the service, terms of service, work schedule, physical address and transport routes convenient for visitors.
Spending plan
When drawing up a business plan for opening a pick-up point, it is imperative to make some economic calculations in order to determine the payback period and the safety margin of the enterprise. How much will you have to invest in the business?
Initial costs
As a business, an order pick-up point will not be able to function without regular monthly costs, of which the largest share will be the wage fund of hired employees:
Monthly expenses
Now you can try to calculate how much a pick-up point earns, serving several popular online stores and receiving on average up to fifty parcels per day.
Revenues and profitability
First of all, an entrepreneur needs to understand how the order pick-up point makes money. The main source of income here is online stores, which pay for the parcel to be delivered to the client on the spot or delivered by courier to the specified address. The fee will be charged even if the buyer refuses the product or returns a defective product to the store.
However, delivery of goods is not the only way online order pick-up points make money. The entrepreneur receives additional remuneration for cash management services to clients, including accepting money from them in cash or non-cash form, issuing checks and subsequent transfer of the received funds to the account of the online store that supplied the products.
Finally, the service’s cash register is sometimes replenished by customers. The fact is that, according to the terms of service, the goods can be stored free of charge at the place of issue for an agreed number of days - for example, a week. After this period, the buyer is charged a small fee for the custody service for each day of delay.
Pick-up point tariffs
For those who are planning to open a pick-up point, reviews from other entrepreneurs and some statistics will help to get a correct idea of the state of affairs in the industry. Thus, according to information provided by the owners of most large online stores, the average purchase price last year was:
- Less than 1000 rubles - for 2% of companies;
- 1000–5000 rubles - for 36% of companies;
- 5,000–15,000 rubles - for 46% of companies;
- Over 15,000 rubles - for 16% of companies.
These indicators indirectly help determine how much you can earn: according to the most pessimistic forecasts, an order pick-up point will work with an average check in the range of 3,000–5,000 rubles. Thus, for settlement and cash services for recipients of goods who wish to pay in cash, the entrepreneur’s remuneration will be 45–75 rubles for each parcel.
To determine whether it is profitable to open a point for issuing online orders, you should take into account the receipt of funds from the three sources of income described above.
Video on the topic
Pick-up point profit
| Indicator | Meaning |
| Number of orders per day | 50 |
| Number of orders per month | 1500 |
| Average order bill, rub. | 3000 |
| Orders issued on the territory of the point | 900 |
| Orders delivered by courier | 600 |
| Profit from issuing orders on site, rub. | 45000 |
| Profit from delivery of orders by courier, rub. | 72000 |
| Remuneration for accepting cash, rub. | 67500 |
| Total gross profit, rub. | 184500 |
| Tax 15%, rub. | 27700 |
| Net profit, rub. | 156800 |
| Profitability, % | 135 |
| Payback period, months | 1,5 |
Conclusion
The order pick-up point is exclusively an intermediary business, the profitability of which depends on many external factors. The reputation of such a service in the eyes of clients is determined not only by the actions of the entrepreneur, but also by the policies of the online stores represented. Difficulties in the work of virtual trade giants, hacking of servers, deterioration in the quality of goods, supply interruptions or inflated prices - any of these circumstances will immediately affect both the image of the virtual store and the number of customers at the point of delivery of orders. The entrepreneur will have to solve these problems on his own, as it is almost impossible for retail trading companies.
That is why you should not limit yourself to cooperation with one online store, no matter how attractive its assortment may be.
14
voted. Grade: 4,71
out of 5)
Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular, which makes this niche very attractive for budding entrepreneurs. Launching your own online store may seem difficult for many, and the expenses will be impressive if we talk about a large website. There are much simpler options - if you open a point for issuing orders from online stores, the costs will be minimal, the risks will be insignificant, and the profitability will be high.
Our business assessment:
Starting investments – from 150,000 rubles.
Market saturation is average.
The difficulty of starting a business is 4/10.
By opening a pickup point, you will cooperate with customers of third-party sites who made a purchase there. Additionally, you can offer them the goods that you order from suppliers yourself.
Selecting a list of online stores
First, decide on a list of online stores whose interests you will represent in a particular locality. There are a huge number of them on the market. But before you make a final decision, analyze the market situation - it is important to find out which products are in greatest demand among consumers.
As practice shows, a good income comes from a goods delivery point that works with online sales stores:
- women's clothing,
- children's goods,
- cosmetics,
- electronics.
Study the terms of cooperation of the sites you like - perhaps they do not deliver their products to residents of this region for one reason or another.
Products from abroad may also be in demand.
Arrangement of premises for a delivery point
It is better to locate the pick-up point somewhere in the city center - this will make it easier for customers to get here. Premises on the outskirts are cheaper, but this way you can lose customers, especially if there are also representative offices of a particular site in the locality. This does not have to be a separate building - for the first time, an office with a business center will be enough.
To open a point for issuing online orders, you don’t need a large room. But in addition to the office where customers will come to buy their goods, it is necessary to provide a separate room for storing products.
To start a business you will need at least 25 m2 of free space.
Refurbishment of the premises will require at least 100,000 rubles. The amount will be less if you rent rooms that have already been renovated.
You will need:
- furniture for employees - counter, chair, shelving;
- cash register equipment for making payments to customers;
- computer with Internet access for buyers.
Customers come to the pick-up point for online stores for a short time - only to quickly pick up their order. Therefore, you don’t have to buy sofas and coffee tables. The only thing you can’t do without is a computer with Internet access. This way, clients can go to the website you cooperate with right in your office and make a purchase.
Do not forget to take care of the design of the facade - the sign of the delivery point should be visible from afar. This will cost at least 20,000 rubles.
Legal side of the issue
Opening an order pick-up point is impossible without officially registering your activity - not a single online store will cooperate with you! When you find a premises, resolve all legal issues.
The point of delivery of ordered goods falls under OKPD 47.91 Retail trade services by mail or via the Internet.
Opening an LLC is more difficult and costly, and therefore it is better to register as an individual entrepreneur. You will need 5,000-10,000 rubles to complete all the paperwork.
Who will serve clients?
To service a small pick-up point, it will be enough to hire one operator. The employee must know the basics of cash transactions, as well as the rights and obligations of the parties.
The employee must be well versed in the assortment of those stores whose goods the point accepts. If customers order products directly here, they may need help in choosing a particular item.
The main problem is to find a reliable person. Can you trust a stranger to manage the entire volume of goods, the total value of which can exceed a hundred thousand? To protect yourself, be sure to formally register the operator for the workplace. And even if you “have to” pay taxes on an employee, this way you will protect your business! On average, it will cost 15,000-20,000 rubles per month to pay wages to one operator.
Do you need advertising?
An online order pick-up point as a business may require certain advertising costs. Why spend money if your profit will depend on the number of orders placed in third-party online stores? But if you attract a large audience, that means there will be more such orders.
Buyers prefer to use the services of pick-up points because of the savings. Postal delivery of the order is at least 200 rubles more expensive. If we talk about large-sized goods, the overpayment will be much higher.
You need to create such conditions for your customers that they will use your services the next time they make a purchase. Before opening a pick-up point for online stores, consider your marketing policy:
- advertising on the Internet,
- creating your own website with descriptions of services and catalogs of online stores,
- booklets and catalogs of online stores,
- bonuses and discounts.
To attract customers, you can create a courier delivery service. Then the goods will not stay in the warehouse, and the client will receive a useful “option” that he can use if he lacks time.
Experienced entrepreneurs agree that opening your own pick-up point is not that difficult. If you choose popular sites, the profit will be high. The specific level of income will depend on the number of goods delivered and transferred to the client. Excellent indicators for a beginner - a “trade turnover” of 5-10 daily delivered parcels with an average cost of 1000 rubles.
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