Coresight Research is releasing a new report that explains the buy online, return in store (BORIS) model in detail and assesses how some U.S. retailers are using this service to enhance their omnichannel retailing. Retailers can add BORIS returns to store inventory, or ship to another store or distribution center (DC) at an additional cost, Coresight notes.

When launching BORIS, most retailers integrate inventory systems and invest in technologies such as order management systems that align online and offline channels, Coresight observes. Only 42.1 percent of U.S. retailers currently offer BORIS, compared to the international average of 46.7 percent, according to OrderDynamics—but the rate is much higher at 70.5 percent among U.S. omnichannel retailers, almost in-line with the international average of 72.6 percent.

BORIS is gaining traction among U.S. retailers as it supports faster returns and provides upselling opportunities, Coresight says. Most consumers choose the BORIS model (about 58 percent) to avoid shipping fees, according to a UPS study. When managing BORIS, retailers may face challenges tracking logistics and inventory, managing higher product return rates and handling additional costs.

U.S. retailers train their international counterparts marginally in adopting the “buy online, return in store” (BOPIS) model, with 42.1 percent offering the service versus the international average of 46.7 percent, according to a 2018 OrderDynamics survey of retailers in seven countries. Omnichannel retailers see much higher rates of adoption.