‘Now is not the time’: Target worker warns against doing drive-up, shows what it looks like from her end

A Target employee issued a warning to curbside pick-up shoppers: Be prepared to wait.

TikTok user Ivey Huerta (@ivey_huerta) offered an alternative in a viral clip that's garnered over 320,000 views on the popular social media application: In-store pickup.

But Target shoppers weren't convinced this other option offered that much better of an experience.

Target worker warns against drive-up

The retail worker writes in a text overlay of her video: "PSA: Pick up your order for less of a wait time." Next, she details why opting for drive-up during the holiday rush is such a bad idea. "You guys. When I tell you now is not the time to come for a drive-up order," she says. "Please. I promise you if you get down and pick up your order in-store it will be so much faster."

Following this suggestion she zooms in on her Zebra device. The handheld performs a variety of tasks related to retail workers' daily activities. This includes inventory management, item scanning, and order tracking.

She highlights the staggering amount of folks who've opted to sit in their car and wait for an employee to bring their item out to them. "Look at how many people are coming for their orders. 1,152," she reveals.

Show some good cheer

Furthermore, Huerta implored shoppers devoted to sitting in their cars to maintain their composure. It would appear that it didn't dawn on a slew of shoppers that maybe retailers would be mobbed at Christmas. "If you don't mind waiting, OK," she says. "Wait outside and drive up please, please. Have patience with our drive-up team members. Because it is so extremely busy and it's just like a couple days before Christmas."

Huerta went on to state, "If you don't have time to wait. I promise you it's so much faster if you go inside the store and pick up your order. Just a PSA."

Target's website seems to corroborate that long drive-up order completion times are the norm in select locations. The retailer advises patrons relying on drive-up that their order can take up to 6 hours until it's ready. However, the brand also states that this may also apply to pick-up orders as well.

Additionally, a Reddit user who posted to the site's r/Target sub also echoed these same wait times. In a video of their own that's similar to Huerta's, they scrolled and scrolled through their Zebra device. Displayed on the apparatus' screen are throngs of drive-up/pick-up orders that have yet to be fulfilled.

Drive-up vs pick-up

According to Medallia, there's been an increasing demand for curbside pickup. Consumers seem to value the convenience of doing so over "in-store pickup or home delivery," the outlet writes.

Also, the website states that there are several other operational benefits for curbside services—streamlining sales processes was chief among them. And then there's the all-digital aspect of drive-up orders. That's because all movements, order fulfillments, and customer orders/interactions are placed through an app/website. Which means that the entirety of the process is logged and can be implemented for business analytics.

Many major retailers offer the service in addition to Target such as Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods. Digital Commerce 360 writes that 44.1% of America's top 1,000 retail chains offered curbside pickup in 2023. It's a number that's expected to increase over time, as well.

One Data Source also writes that the disparity of shoppers who prefer in-store pickups versus drive-ups is staggering. Apparently, 75% of restaurant orders are placed in the drive-thru. It's no wonder that this same love of vehicular convenience has transferred over to the retail space. Albeit, the margins aren't as high, but still significant. Business Dasher writes 42% of "buy online, pick up in store" customers would rather use "curbside pick-up over in-store purchases."

TikTokers had varying opinions

There were oodles of users who disagreed with Huerta's assertion that in-store pickup was speedier. "It is not faster," one individual on the app claimed. While someone else stated they're treated like a ghost standing in line. "Negative," they wrote. "I get ignored forever in the line. They don't even acknowledge that I'm there."

Another echoed, "I waited 45 minutes in store. I guess it depends on the store lol."

But there were a slew of commenters who seemed more concerned with calling out the ridiculousness of drive-up wait times. "This is nothing. I work at a Super Target in New York, we had 80 cars outside at one point and people waiting over an hour and a line wrapped around the store," wrote one user.

Someone else remarked that they didn't fare so well in Target's drive-up lines, either. "I wish they would let me know that it's going to be a while before I'm sitting there for 45 minutes and part of my order is missing though," they wrote.

And then there was one user who swore drive-up provided a faster experience. "Inside my store is soooo slow at my store," they said. "Our drive up is fast. I always hit on my way about 20 minutes prior."

@ivey_huerta Take my advice #target #targethumor #targetdriveup ♬ original sound - Ivey

The Daily Dot has reached out to Target via email and Huerta via Instagram direct message for further comment.

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