You can get curbside pickup at Best Buy, Apple, Walmart and Target.
Angela Lang/CNET
Now that the ground shipping deadlines have passed to have your holiday gifts delivered on time for FedEx, UPS and USPS, you need to start thinking about other ways to make sure your packages aren’t late. There’s just one weekend left to get your gift shopping done in time for Christmas, so that means making a trip to the store will likely be necessary.
Conveniently, several retailers offer curbside pickup, so you can order online and quickly get your items delivered to your car. That means you won’t have to sift through crowded stores and wait in long checkout lines when you’re in a time crunch. We’ll tell you how to schedule a curbside pickup for Target, Walmart, Apple and Best Buy.
Target Drive Up
Target offers free drive-up pickup, but you have to order using its mobile app. Here’s how it works.
1. Open the Target app on your phone or tablet and select the store you’re picking up your items from.
2. Add items to your cart for pickup.
3. After you check out, Target will send you a notification letting you know your order is ready to be picked up. From here, you’ll need to select Drive Up as your pickup method.
4. When you’re ready to pick up your purchase, use the app to let Target know when you’re coming and what vehicle you’ll be in.
5. Once you make it to the store, park in one of the designated Drive Up spots and let Target know you’re there and how they should load your car (for instance, in your trunk). You won’t have direct contact with the employee.
Walmart Store Pickup
Here’s how Walmart’s curbside pickup works.
1. Visit Walmart’s website and begin shopping.
2. Once you’ve added items to your cart and you’re ready to check out, select Pick up and choose a date and time to grab your order.
No time for delivery? Pick up your items at the store.
Walmart
3. After you check out, you’ll get an email letting you know when your order is ready. Use the website (or app) to check in before you head to the store, to give employees time to gather your items.
4. When you get to Walmart, pull into a reserved pickup spot and call the number in your confirmation email. An employee will bring your bags outside and load them into your vehicle.
Best Buy Store Pickup
Here’s how to order curbside pickup with Best Buy.
1. Visit the Best Buy website and add what you’d like to buy to your cart.
2. At checkout, select Pickup. It’ll let you know if your item is eligible for curbside pickup.
3. You’ll receive an email confirmation when your order is ready. Head to the store and park in one of the reserved pickup areas.
4. Using the Best Buy app, enter your parking spot number and what you’re driving. Then tap I’m at the store.
5. An employee will come outside and verify your order (while social distancing) and load your items into your trunk.
Pick up your Apple order without going inside the store.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Apple Pickup
Apple stores tend to be crowded, but you can order curbside pickup to avoid the throng. Here’s how.
1. Visit Apple’s website and select the product you’d like to buy.
2. Before adding it to your cart, select a store to pick your device up. (You can do the same thing on the Apple Store app, which if you allow it to use your location will show the nearest store.) It’ll say if curbside pickup is available for that store. Tap Continue.
3. Add the item to your bag and check out.
4. Apple will send you a notification email when your order is ready to be picked up. When you arrive at the store, park in a spot designated for pickup and call the store to let them know you’re there.
5. An employee will check your ID and will need to see your order number before they hand your package over.
For last-minute gift ideas, here are 25 gifts that can arrive by Christmas and 12 Walmart deals you can get in time for the holiday.
