Self-checkouts in retail: technologies for a better shopping experience

More and more retailers are turning to self-checkouts, allowing customers to scan and pay for goods without the help of staff. This is particularly true in DIY, construction, drugstore and supermarket chains. The use of self-checkouts has the potential to significantly reduce queues at the checkout and increase customer satisfaction. Retailers can deploy their staff more efficiently with more self-service checkouts. However, they also face challenges, particularly in terms of security.

Use of self-checkouts depends on various factors

Self-checkouts are cash registers where customers scan and pay for their goods themselves. The self-service checkouts are located in the exit area near the staffed cash registers. Often, the conventional checkout staff also supervise the self-checkouts. In other cases, separate staff members are assigned to supervise them. Many retail businesses accept card payments, cash payments and mobile payments. However, there are also retailers who do not accept cash payments at self-checkouts.

Self-scanning is very similar to self-checkout. Customers scan the products while shopping, before placing them in their shopping trolley. Customers can scan using mobile scanners, their smartphones or scanners integrated into the shopping trolley. At the end, the payment process can be carried out in various ways: at a staffed checkout, at a checkout terminal or digitally. Self-checkouts are usually located next to conventional checkouts. This gives customers the choice of whether they want to use the self-checkout. The effective use of self-checkouts in retail depends on various factors. Self-checkouts are particularly useful in retail for products that do not require a lot of advice. They also reduce queues when customers have very different shopping baskets in terms of the number of products and the value of the goods. This is because customers with fewer products prefer a quick and flexible checkout. Self-checkouts are less suitable for products that require a lot of advice and are high-priced, as they require more staff to monitor.

The success of self-checkouts always depends on the customer base. Younger, tech-savvy customers tend to be more accepting than older, less tech-savvy customers. Detailed knowledge of the demographic composition of the customer base is essential for retailers when planning the installation of self-checkouts. Retail analytics provides a reliable data basis for this.

Advantages and challenges of self-checkouts

Self-checkouts in retail can reduce queues, increase customer satisfaction and enable more effective staff deployment. An important advantage of self-checkouts is that they can be open regardless of staff availability.

Employees who previously worked at the checkout now take on specific tasks in customer service or product presentation. Depending on the type of retailer, the installation of self-checkouts can even reduce overall staffing requirements and thus personnel costs.

Ideally, customers choose their preferred checkout method based on their needs. This choice can in turn increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Based on the distribution, retailers can see whether acceptance of self-checkouts is increasing over time and whether they should provide more self-checkout terminals.

If retail space is limited, self-checkouts can create additional space. This is because conventional checkouts with conveyor belts and staff require more space than self-checkouts. However, the amount of additional space always depends on how many traditional checkout counters a retailer replaces with self-checkouts. Self-checkout systems can be flexibly adapted to any type of retail business and all specific requirements of the retail space.

The challenges include user-friendliness and technical functionality. Scanning and payment must be intuitive for all customers so that they gain confidence. Self-checkouts should cause as few technical problems as possible. Faulty scanners or frozen displays disrupt operations and reduce customer satisfaction, which in turn affects acceptance. Therefore, sufficient staff must always be available to provide assistance.

Innovations in retail for a better shopping experience

Self-checkouts are fundamentally changing brick-and-mortar retail. They improve the customer shopping experience and increase staff efficiency. For a consistently positive shopping experience at self-checkout counters (SCOs), it is crucial that the payment process is as simple and smooth as possible. The requirement to scan the receipt to open the gate is particularly disruptive, as receipts are often left behind, poorly printed or customers do not have a free hand. As the last touchpoint, this step has a significant influence on the acceptance and use of SCOs. Intelligent systems that recognise paying customers at the barrier and open it automatically provide a remedy. This eliminates the tedious barcode scan, noticeably improves the shopping experience and at the same time ensures inventory security for the retailer.