Online Order & Curbside Pickup: the full procedure

A reliable pick-verify-stage-handoff flow for buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) and curbside orders that gets the right items to the right customer fast.

• Applies to: Fulfillment associate / sales associate.
• Frequency: Each online / curbside order, throughout the day.
• Scope: Covers receiving the order through verified handoff and online-order returns. Payment disputes and refunds beyond policy defer to a manager.

What you need

• POS / order dashboard
• Picking list
• Pickup-zone shelving
• Labels / bags
• SMS / email notifications

The procedure, step by step

1. Receive & review the order — Pull the new order from the POS/online dashboard and confirm items, quantities, and any customer notes before picking.
2. Pick accurately — Walk the order against the pick list, pulling exact items; flag and resolve any out-of-stock or substitution per store policy.
3. Verify before marking ready — Double-check flagged SKUs — right size, color, and quantity — against the order; verification is the foundation of pickup satisfaction.
4. Stage in the pickup zone — Bag and label the order with the customer name/order number and place it in the dedicated branded pickup area to prevent congestion.
5. Notify the customer — Send the “ready for pickup” text or email, including store hours, pickup location/curbside instructions, and any ID required.
6. Verify identity at handoff — Confirm the customer’s name and order number (and photo ID for high-value or age-restricted items) before releasing the order.
7. Complete & record the handoff — Mark the order “picked up” in the POS so inventory and records stay accurate; for curbside, deliver to the vehicle and confirm contents.
8. Process online-order returns to policy — For returns of online orders, verify the order, inspect items, and process the refund/exchange per store return policy.

Quality check before you finish

• Picked items match the order line-for-line.
• Flagged SKUs (size/color/qty) verified before “ready.”
• Order labeled with name/order number and staged in pickup zone.
• Customer notification sent with pickup instructions.
• Identity confirmed before release (ID for high-value/age-restricted).
• Order marked “picked up” in POS to sync inventory.
• Substitutions handled and communicated per policy.

This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Small Retail Store business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.

Sources

• Shopify — BOPIS & In-Store Pickup (shopify.com)
• Lightspeed — BOPIS & Curbside Pickup (lightspeedhq.com)
• Deposco — Store Fulfillment (deposco.com)