Ordered Online, Picked In-Store: Why Quick Commerce Depends on Robust Store Processes

At NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe 2026, Continente demonstrated how closely e-commerce and store operations are now intertwined. The Portuguese grocery retailer runs its quick commerce fulfilment entirely with store staff. Across Europe, pure dark store models have come under considerable economic pressure. That makes this store-based approach particularly relevant for retailers with an existing branch network.

Why quick commerce can fail before the order leaves the store

Continente has been operating online grocery since 2001. As Guilherme Cardoso, Head of E-Commerce at Sonae MC, explained, customer expectations have shifted. Shoppers no longer want to choose between speed and quality; they expect both. The internal complexity behind the service should remain invisible to them.

That complexity sits in the store. The workflow runs from the online order to the store order, through picking and stock updates, to staging and handover. If any step breaks down, even the best delivery promise is worthless.

The typical failure points are well known. Items are not at their expected shelf location, the system shows stock that is not physically there, or paper pick lists lead to long search times and queries. On top of this, store staff handle customers, shelf replenishment and online orders at the same time.

How stores can pick online orders quickly and accurately

According to Continente, the retailer used data to rethink its picking process. This is the right approach, because speed in store fulfilment comes primarily from removing friction. That means clear order allocation, short walking routes through the store and scan confirmation for every item picked.

In grocery, checking best-before dates and maintaining the cold chain are also part of the job. If an item is missing, a decision is needed immediately: a substitute, where the customer has accepted substitutions, or a short pick. This information has to flow straight back into stock. Otherwise the online shop will sell the same unavailable item again with the next order.

What inaccurate stock data costs in store fulfilment

Every short pick creates follow-up costs: rework, customer queries, refunds and, in the worst case, cancelled orders. The loss of trust is just as serious. Customers who repeatedly receive incomplete grocery orders will take their next basket elsewhere.

At the same time, inefficient picking ties up staff who are then missing from the shop floor. For retailers running quick commerce from their existing store network, process quality is therefore a matter of profitability.

How store fulfilment processes can be managed digitally

COSYS digitalises operational retail processes between stores, warehouse and head office. Its modular platform covers in-store picking, inventory management, best-before date checks and task management in a single mobile app. Using the COSYS WebDesk, head office manages orders and keeps track of processing status in every store. Integrations with ERP and merchandise management systems ensure that stock changes do not have to be re-entered manually.

The overall system includes suitable mobile computers from Zebra, Honeywell and Datalogic, mobile printers for order labels and smart lockers as pickup points for click-and-collect orders. MDE services and COSYS MDM keep the device fleet operational across all locations.

Process data and AI as a basis for decisions

Process data analysis shows where time is lost in store fulfilment. In addition, COSYS AI answers questions based on the data captured in the WebDesk. Examples include "Which stores had the most short picks on online orders last month?", "For which items does booked stock most often differ from the picking result?" and "At what times of day does picking take longest?"

Retailers do not need to start with a complete solution. They can begin with picking or inventory management, for example, and then expand step by step with additional modules, devices and stores. This limits both investment risk and implementation effort.

Practical tip: measure search time before you shorten the delivery promise

Before discussing faster delivery times, take an honest look at the shop floor. Shadow a picker for a full shift and note every item that cannot be found at the first attempt. This list often reveals more precisely than any KPI where stock data, shelf placement and processes have drifted apart. That is exactly where quick commerce can genuinely become faster.

Looking to run quick commerce and store fulfilment reliably from your stores?

Contact the COSYS team for individual advice on picking, inventory management, best-before date checks, task management and process data analysis. Book an appointment at vertrieb@cosys.de or +49 5062 900 0.

Alternatively, try the free COSYS Retail demo app for Android and iOS.