Back over the holidays (remember way back when, ten weeks ago?) an interesting stat floated across our desk. It really caught our attention and stood apart from the annual blizzard of holiday e-commerce shopping stats: Adobe Analytics reported that the number of buy online, pickup in-store (“BOPIS”) orders for the holiday period jumped 47% YoY. Business Insider noted that “Retailers should invest in their ability to fulfill both roles (in-store and online) to succeed going forward.”

Here it was: ecommerce was not eating retail, or the other way around; this was confirmation that the two channels were actually complimenting each other. Customers were using digital to educate, shop and compare. And, when ready, they were heading to retail for final selection, advice on installation, and pickup.

These days, consumer expectations are paced by advancements in technology and the marketers that are able to exploit those advancements and turn them to their advantage. There are key lessons – and opportunities – for FI’s in these holiday numbers. How well does your organization support the customer that wants to “BOPIS”?