The Buy-Online-and-Assemble-in-Store Model: Rethinking Convenience, Sustainability, and Consumer Experience

Prairie Falcon

22-10-2025

Kingfisher asks again: “Oh? So the uselessness must remain untouched to be truly wondrous?”
Now Zhuangzi really laughs: “You spiky creature—are you uncomfortable unless you go against the Dao? This habit of always distinguishing—hasn’t it nearly starved you many times already? In the end, what matters more: being full, or distinguishing fish?”

In Kingfisherish Wandering [1]

© Wix

In the age of digital commerce, companies like IKEA, Haier, and TUHU are redefining the shopping experience through the Buy-Online-and-Assemble-in-Store (BOAS) model—a hybrid approach that merges online purchasing with in-store assembly [2,3]. A recent study by Zhang, Meng, Feng, and Kou [4] examines the economic, behavioral, and environmental effects of this model, using a game-theoretic framework to explore how BOAS influences firm strategy, consumer welfare, and sustainability.

The researchers model a monopolistic firm selling products that require assembly or post-processing—such as furniture or car parts—to two consumer types: professionals (skilled and DIY-inclined) and amateurs (service-dependent). They compare market outcomes with and without the BOAS option, analyzing pricing, demand, and consumer surplus. Their findings show that while the BOAS model can improve convenience for amateurs, it does not always increase overall market demand or total consumer welfare. Under some conditions—such as high processing costs or travel expenses—the total demand for products may decline despite higher satisfaction among certain consumer segments.

For firms, the decision to adopt BOAS depends on a delicate balance of costs and market composition. When the proportion of professional consumers is large and processing costs are manageable, BOAS can raise profits. However, high traveling or handling costs often discourage adoption. From the consumer perspective, amateurs benefit most, gaining greater access and service quality, while professionals may face higher prices and reduced surplus. This nuanced dynamic challenges the assumption that more options always lead to greater collective welfare.

Beyond economics, the study highlights sustainability advantages. Centralized in-store assembly reduces packaging waste, tool duplication, and carbon emissions from home assembly or scattered deliveries. By pooling resources and reducing energy use, the BOAS model aligns with the Nature Quotient (NQ)—maximizing harmony between human activity and ecological systems [5]. In this view, sustainable operations are not merely cost-saving strategies but reflections of relational intelligence: optimizing value without overexploiting nature’s capacity.

At a deeper level, the BOAS model encourages mindful consumption. It fosters collaboration between consumers and firms, replacing the passive “click-to-consume” habit with shared participation in product creation. This cooperative dynamic resonates with the idea of individual and social peace, where efficiency and empathy coexist [6]. In cultivating convenience that also conserves, BOAS exemplifies how economic design can nurture ecological balance and human well-being.

References

[1] Nguyen MH. (2025). Kingfisherish Wandering. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FVLLLXNW/

[2] Shi X, Dong C, Cheng TCE. (2018). Does the buy-online-and-pick-up-in-store strategy with pre-orders benefit a retailer with the consideration of returns? International Journal of Production Economics, 206, 134-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2018.09.030

[3] Li Z, Li S, Mei W. (2023). Buy online and pickup in-store: co-opetition strategy of omnichannel supply chain players. Electronic Commerce Research, 25, 369-417. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-023-09693-6

[4] Zhang G, et al. (2025). Effects of the buy-online-and-assemble-in-store approach: Implications for firms, consumers, and environment. Sustainable Operations and Computers, 6, 47-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susoc.2025.03.001

[5] Vuong QH, Nguyen MH. (2025). On Nature Quotient. Pacific Conservation Biology, 31, PC25028. https://doi.org/10.1071/PC25028

[6] Nguyen MH, Ho MT, La VP. (2025). On “An” (安): Inner peace through uncertainty, nature quotient, and harmony with Dao. http://books.google.com/books/about?id=NIKMEQAAQBAJ