How does click and collect work?

[Octopup]

Trying to figure out if I’m being environmentally unfriendly using click and collect.

Say now I want to order mascara from Boots.
If I order click and collect to my local store, is the mascara going to be driven umpteen miles from the warehouse to the store specially for me, even though it might actually be in stock in my local boots already? Is it better for me to just go to the shop first and see if it’s there before ordering online?

Or, does the order go straight to the shop and if they have it, they’ll just put it in one side for me to collect?

If it is in stock at the local store you are usually told this and you can collect at once. If not, they give you a date when it will be available. I understand they just add items to the normal delivery to the store. It seems more fuel efficient/environmentally friendly to shop this way than to have individual packages delivered to home addresses.,provided you don't make a special car or public transport trip to collect.

It’s driven from the warehouse as if it was a home delivery but it’s just delivered to the store instead

Boots click and collect is boxed up and delivered from the warehouse to the store regardless if the store had store.

Superdrug click and collect (the 2/4 hour option) is from the stores stock and it’s put aside for you in a bag.

It varies from shop to shop. Some, if they have the stock, and just pick it and put it aside for collection (eg Screwfix, Argos, Wickes). Others send it into your chosen store regardless of whether the store happened to already have the stock (eg Tu at Sainsbury's). I haven't shopped in Boots for years, but the last time I did a click and collect from there (~5yrs ago now), it was in the latter category. A good indicator which camp a shop is in would probably be if you need to pick a store before you select the goods.

Great, thanks. I think I had better visit Boots first then, as it's only about 3 miles away, whereas the warehouse will most likely be on the other side of the country.