Definition‍

Customers schedule a fixed time slot online or by phone, then visit the store during that window. Unlike a regular store visit, the appointment is often paired with a dedicated salesperson who is specifically available at that time to advise the customer, turning the visit into a more structured, service-driven interaction rather than open browsing.

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Click & Meet vs. Click & Collect‍

These two are easy to confuse but solve different problems. Click & Collect is about picking up an order that was already purchased online — no consultation involved. Click & Meet is the opposite in purpose: the customer hasn't necessarily bought anything yet; the appointment exists to get in-person advice or try products before deciding. One is a fulfillment mechanism, the other is a sales and consultation format.

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Where Click & Meet came from‍

The concept gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to keep in-store shopping possible while limiting the number of customers in a store at once and complying with distancing rules. Appointment slots gave retailers a way to control store occupancy without closing entirely.

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Why some retailers still use it‍

Even outside pandemic restrictions, appointment-based shopping has stayed relevant for categories where consultation matters more than fast transactions, for example, furniture, jewelry, or higher-value fashion purchases. It gives sales staff time to prepare (e.g., pulling items in advance) and gives customers a guarantee that help will actually be available when they arrive, rather than hoping a salesperson is free.

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What this means operationally‍

For Click & Meet to work well, retailers need visibility into store staffing and appointment capacity, not just product availability. Promising a consultation slot only works if the store can actually staff it, which is a scheduling and store operations question as much as an inventory one.