One-third of its global online sales are now picked up in the store, the company says, but that has created long lines in some cities and waits for attendants to retrieve packages, customers say. To speed up the process, Zara said earlier this year it would roll out a robot-run version of click and collect, automating the service. The collection points in brick-and-mortar stores will allow shoppers who have ordered items online to scan or enter a code, triggering a behind-the-scenes robot to search for the customer's package in a small warehouse, and then deliver it quickly to a drop box. The move comes as Zara faces heightened challenges to maintain its momentum and compete with online-only apparel retailers, such as Zalando and ASOS, that sell a variety of brands. Annual sales at both have grown more than 20% in the past couple of years compared with low double-digit percentage growth at Zara's Spanish parent company Inditex SA ITX 0.46% .