If You Shop at Kohl's, Prepare for This "Efficient" Change at All 1,100 Stores

Kohl's already made a big change to 400 stores this year.

Kohl's has been revamping its business model in 2022, primarily by rolling out a new store format and adding small Sephora shops to 400 locations. Announced in February, Kohl's originally intended to have the Sephora concession stands replace the current in-store beauty departments. Plans were thwarted in April when the owners of JCPenney made an offer to purchase Kohl's for nearly $8.6 billion, putting the Sephora stores in jeopardy, per the New York Post.

Meanwhile, Sephora shops have continued to open in Kohl's stores, including this month, with new locations in Bel Air, Maryland, two stores in Williamson County, Tennessee, and one Kohl's in Glendale, Arizona.

But these have been limited to certain Kohl's locations. The retailer's latest change, on the other hand, will show up in every store across the U.S.

You can now skip the line at Kohl's.

When stores and restaurants were forced to temporarily close brick-and-mortar locations during the worst days of the pandemic, curbside pickup became commonplace. After quarantine restrictions were eased, you were then able to pick up online orders inside stores, including Kohl's. The store currently lets you place an online order and pick it up at your nearest location, but purchases are held at the customer service desk, which often has a line. As of Aug. 10, however, Kohl's is eliminating the need to wait by formally introducing its own self-pickup service, the retailer confirmed in a press release.

“Our customers love the convenience of same-day Buy Online, Pickup In-Store, and now we’re taking the experience to the next level," Siobhán Mc Feeney, Kohl’s chief technology officer, said in the release. "With some of the busiest months ahead for both customers and associates, we’re excited to offer Self-Pickup at every store for an easier and more efficient omnichannel experience."

The pickup process is made simple.

Self-pickup has been rolled out at "all of Kohl's more than 1,100 stores nationwide," available for eligible Kohls.com orders, according to the press release.

Orders placed online will be ready in two hours when selecting "In-Store Pickup," the press release says, and you'll get an email letting you know that your order is ready to be picked up from the "designated Self-Pickup area."

When you get to your local Kohl's store, there's no need to wait in line—just follow signs for the self-pickup area. Once there, click the "Open Pickup Pass" link included in the email on your smartphone, then click "Start Pickup." You'll be prompted to enter a four-digit code displayed on the physical pickup station in order to receive a bin number. Once you've located the numbered bin and your purchase, you select "Complete My Order" on the screen and go on your way.

The rollout is timed ahead of the holidays.

Kohl's introduced drive-up curbside pickup in 2020 during the pandemic, which has been "temporarily paused," the retailer told Axios. Self-pickup, on the other hand, was piloted in 2021, and "positive feedback" from customers prompted the retailer to expand the offering, the press release states. The retailer added that self-pickup is intentionally being rolled out before the holidays when stores and shops are particularly busy.

“Our teams have been working hard to ensure Kohl’s Self-Pickup service was available for all of our customers ahead of the holiday rush,” Mc Feeney said in the release. “At Kohl’s, we’re focused on listening to what shoppers want, and using technology to make it as easy as possible for families to get everything they need quickly, and through a simple experience.”