May 15, 2024
iStock.com/Don Wu
Should All Retailers Utilize Self-Service?
In today’s fast-paced world, convenience is king. Yet currently, there has been a growing divide between supporters and detractors of self-service and self-checkout lanes.
Self-serve retail, also known as unattended retail, removes the cashier from the equation. It encompasses various checkout systems, from kiosks and vending machines to mobile payment devices. The goal is to put customers in control of their payment experience, mimicking the ease of online shopping in physical stores.
For consumers, self-serve checkouts offer speed and autonomy. Research shows that most users opt for self-checkout to avoid long lines and enjoy a faster transaction process. As digitally native consumers prioritize convenience, businesses must adapt to meet these evolving expectations to stay competitive.
But it’s not just consumers who benefit. Self-serve retail also streamlines operations for merchants, reducing in-store congestion and cutting labor costs. This efficiency not only improves the buying experience but also boosts profitability.
Self-serve retail comes in various forms, from self-checkout lanes in grocery stores to smart basket technology that automatically calculates purchases. Kiosks and vending machines are also on the rise, offering everything from movie tickets to meals with minimal wait times.
Taco Bell has experienced a significant uptick in digital sales, boasting a 35% growth, thanks to the introduction of in-store kiosks. These kiosks, present in all of its quick-service eateries, offer customers control over their orders and time. Paired with Taco Bell’s mobile app, these kiosks have become a staple in the fast-food industry.
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global kiosk market reached an estimated value of $22.69 billion in 2021. Forecasting ahead, the market is expected to experience substantial growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3%, reaching approximately $51.05 billion by 2028.
The benefits of these kiosks are manifold. They notably reduce long lines, a major turnoff for 82% of consumers, according to a 2023 survey by Retail Customer Experience. Additionally, they streamline the ordering process, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. By freeing up employees’ time, Taco Bell can focus on delivering quality service and aims to transition to digital sales for 100% of its transactions in the near future.
For businesses, self-serve retail saves costs, improves capacity, and meets consumer preferences for choice and convenience. By offering both self-serve and traditional checkout options, businesses can cater to a wide range of customers and enhance the overall shopping experience.
However, before diving into self-serve retail, merchants must consider factors like security, compliance, and payment processing. Ensuring that self-serve systems meet PCI standards and implementing fraud protection measures is crucial to safeguarding transactions.
Just last week, California bill SB 1446 proposed regulations for self-checkout systems in stores, aiming to preserve jobs and address concerns about theft. Supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, it faces opposition from the California Retailers Association. Retailers like Walmart are exploring alternatives, while self-checkout remains popular among consumers despite concerns about theft.
Furthermore, Raydiant, a platform managing kiosk content, surveyed retail customers over the last three years, finding increased usage and evolving attitudes. The survey found that 85% of customers view self-checkout as faster than employee-staffed lanes, and 60% prefer it over manned checkouts. Despite the popularity, however, 67% have experienced self-service kiosk failures, with 25% discontinuing use due to bad experiences.
One of the key benefits of self-service kiosks is their ability to streamline a variety of processes. Instead of waiting in long queues, customers can quickly access the information they need and complete tasks such as placing orders, making payments, or checking into facilities. This efficiency not only reduces wait times but also minimizes the risk of customers turning to competitors due to frustration.
Moreover, self-service kiosks operate 24/7, catering to customers’ needs beyond traditional business hours. By enabling customers to interact with a business at their own pace, a retailer can enhance their experience and increase throughput.
Ultimately, self-service in retail is a powerful tool that puts the customer in control of their transactions and interactions with a business. Whether it’s ordering a customized meal at a fast-food joint or browsing product information in a retail store, this technology offers enhanced control and convenience, potentially leading to greater satisfaction and loyalty.
BrainTrust
Jeff Sward
Founding Partner, Merchandising Metrics
Lisa Goller
B2B Content Strategist
Shannon Flanagan
VP|GM Retail & Consumer Goods at Talkdesk
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Do you think there could eventually be stores that are able to successfully remain fully self-service?
How might the rise of self-serve retail reshape the traditional roles and interactions within physical stores, particularly in terms of customer-staff dynamics and the overall shopping experience?
Poll
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When it comes to ordering and checkout, one size does not fit all. Consumers want choice and that means retailers need to have manned checkouts (at sufficient capacity) as well as self-checkouts and other options. QSR foodservice needs to have kiosks as well as some traditional ordering.
However, more thought needs to be applied to the process. As currently configured, self-checkout in most US grocery stores is inefficient. Shoppers schlep round, putting stuff in their carts, unload it and scan it, and then put it in bags. Most UK retailers offer self-scan where you scan products with a handheld scanner as you add them to bags in your cart. When you’ve done you simply go to a payment station and make payment without unloading anything. It’s way better for the customer and prevents long lines.
When it comes to kiosks, I think ensuring solutions are context specific is vital. Fast food is about speed and convenience, so self-service is no real detriment to the format. Having self-service in a mid-range or more expensive restaurant is just grotty and jars with the value equation!
Very true in terms of the process with self-checkout in US grocery stores. I think that is part of the reason more people prefer cashier lanes here versus self-checkout. Might change if they didn’t have to scan all their items at the end and then try to bag them too!
Yes! It really is an annoying part of the process. I love using scan as you go when I am in the UK. It’s also better for the environment as most people have reusable bags they put in their carts so they don’t use bags at the checkout (though you have to pay for plastic bags in the UK anyway).
What’s interesting in our latest national research in supermarkets is that 60% of shoppers indicated a preference for a cashier lane versus 40% who prefer a self-checkout. I’ve always felt there is a correlation to the number of items in the basket here as well. Does a supermarket shopper really want to scan 50 items if they have a full basket (at the end of their shopping trip)? Perhaps if they could do it throughout the shop it might be more appealing.
Brian, the statistic you quote is telling, One could interpret it to mean that there needs to be an acceptable ratio of manned to self-checkout lanes many category chains. Sixty-percent of customers will use the cashiered lanes and the remaining forty percent of customers will self-serve. And, in certain situations e.g. volume of items to purchase, some in one group may occasionally opt for the other method. It is not an all-or-nothing proposition. And some chains (we’re talking anything but apparel here), such as our much-revered Trader Joe’s, may never put in a self-checkout lane! There is a cover for every pot. Retailers just have to figure out what size pot they are, and find the right cover.
My how the times have changed! For all of my life – right up until about 10 minutes ago – “self-service” meant you could select items yourself; which is to say, part of the retail experience was DIY. Now, it would seem, the phrase covers the entire process. So how do I feel about it ? (“it” being the new, unimproved definition): I like choices…I dislike not having them. The only thing I dislike more is having a self-serve kiosk at a restaurant tack on a ******** 25% gratuity!
It should be a 25% gratuity for yourself – i.e. a discount!!
To be fair, tho the 25% was the default, one could adjust it to anything. I was quick-witted enough to lower it, but still caught off guard enough that I left too much…since probably anything is too much in that cirumstance
Your definition of self-service is still correct! Most of the time self-service has nothing to do with the checkout. Maybe I am showing my age here… 🙂
Let’s compromise: Dennis is showing his youth!
Think Automat in the 40s 50s and 60s…Your definition is correct.
I love self-checkout. However, errors frequently occur, so we won’t see 100% cashierless stores just yet. We still need a human touch and discernment.
Self-serve retail has led many cashiers to evolve into a combination of customer service, IT support and security roles. As stores get more digital, associates’ roles will continue to support technology that enhances operational efficiency and the customer experience.
Just to clarify, self-service doesn’t always mean self checkouts. There are many, many self-serve opportunities in stores.
But since this article is primarily about self checkouts let me ask a question: Have you ever stood in line at a fast food self service kiosk at an airport? It’s a brutal experience, and it’s definitely not fast. People take FOREVER to place their orders. DIY can be helpful, but it isn’t always the best answer.
This is interesting because I have also seen it happen! I think the problem is that if you’re standing in front of someone placing your order, you discipline yourself to quickly say what you want. If you’re at a kiosk you kind of scroll the screen and browse at your leisure.
It’s even worse than people who have been to McDonald’s a gazillion times but still have to stop and think about what they want before telling the associate.
Food Retailing Industry reports the biggest shift in self-checkout trends came in 2021, when 30% of transactions were self-checkout, compared to 15% in 2018. According to the report, 96% of food, drug, and mass retailers offered self-checkouts in 2023, but with wide variations in how many compared to full-service.
The year 2024 is already proving to be a year of indecision about check-stands, and retailers are going in all kinds of directions.
Some traditional supermarket chains plan to go 50% self-check by year end, which I think is a bit more than what is ideal. My recommendation is 30%. However, any amount will vary depending on how many human check stands are in service.
Several studies indicate that more than 65% of consumers prefer self-checkouts when shopping for less than 10 items, but not with a full cart, or when the cart contains large, difficult-to-scan items. Not all check stands offer manual scanners, and many consumers don’t notice their availability.
Many retailers can get by with one employee per six to eight self-checks. Even better, self-check machines come to work every day, never get sick, and do not join unions.
Self-checks make fewer mistakes than humans, but of course humans can make mistakes using self-checks. Some mistakes are dishonest. For example, a consumer can put two bags of big cherries on the scanner, $5.99 per pound, but use the code for celery, priced at $1.49 per pound. But beware thieves, because AI is about to catch you doing it.
The other popular way to steal is when consumers place something on the bottom of the cart, and conveniently forget to scan it. Innocent mistake, right? Once again AI will find it for you!
A certain amount of people are belligerently opposed to self-check stands without the choice for human check stands. These types of self-check curmudgeons promise to take their business elsewhere, and some actually do. Choice is still the best route.
I live in the St. Louis market where Schnuck’s, a regional supermarket chain of 115 stores, will allow self-check for 10 items of fewer. I like that plan except I would have recommended 15, or fewer. Do three cans of baked beans, three for $5.00, count as one item, or three?
With new AI technology at the doorstep, self-check disarray will work itself out, and by year-end 2025, most retailers will be on the same track, I promise. Db
I think the whole point is to provide the best possible service and create as much customer satisfaction and loyalty as possible. Sometimes that will be self-service and sometimes it will mean human support and assistance. There are lots of scenarios where self-service is indeed the best answer. The customer is saying, “I know why I’m here. I know what I want. I know where it is. Please just let me grab it, check out and be on my way.” It’s the glitchy checkout that is the problem. Other times the customer says, “I have have questions, and you have answers. Please help me.” Self-service shouldn’t be confused with self-checkout. Retail used to be all about service. And yes, the definition of service is changing, but the rush to self-service can just as easily frustrate the customer as it can delight the customer. There are lots of learning curves and abundant fine tuning along the way to the right model for any given retailer.
These tools are great, and for those who want to engage with their retailers this way, make it the best experience possible for them. If you also value customers who want to talk to people and have face to face experience, make sure that option is also available. Going back to Omnichannel – great retailers will meet their customers where they want to be and engage them on channels of their customer’s choice.
We’ve talked a lot about Self-Checkout (SCO) in the past several weeks because it touches so many aspects of a retailer’s store operations as well as a shopper’s journey and overall experience. SCO technology continues to evolve and improve with respect to speed, efficiency, shrink capabilities, advertising, and equipment modernization. From baseball parks to pro golf tournaments to grocery stores to QSR’s to airport hybrid stores, different versions of SCO technology are making the shopper journey a pleasant, seamless and speedy experience. Some retailers see 100% SCO situations while others offer choice, based on consumer need and purpose.
In some businesses (retail, restaurants, grocery, etc.), self-service options are accepted and, in some cases, expected. However, there are always people there to help, and most retailers still have traditional check-out experiences. However, not all retailers should offer self-service. You’ll probably never see a self-service checkout kiosk at Gucci. (An exaggerated example, but you should get the idea.) Know your customers and their expectations and decide if self-service retail is right for you. Recognize that self-service is continuing to evolve, improve, and will be more relevant in the very near future. People are more comfortable with self-service and will eventually prefer it in certain retail segments.
Shortages of capable people and increased costs of said people are going to drive this trend, whether it enhances the customer experience or not.
This trend is more about economics than it is about service.
We are relentlessly moving towards a self-service retail experience and operating model. Even with all the emerging, innovative, cost-effective, and efficient self-checkout capabilities, not every customer segment wants to exclusively use self-checkout. There are very disparate customer journeys that need to be accounted for. While self-service checkout models may have a viable business case in some airport retail, QSRs, rest stops, and convenience stores, the paradigm of choice matters when it pertains to grocery, restaurants, and other specialty retail formats.
Retailers have attempted to solve friction-filled checkout experiences for decades. The new business models supported by autonomous capabilities provide a compelling value proposition for consumers. They significantly reduce operational and labor costs for retailers, with increased access to consumer data and in-store shopping behaviors.
Autonomous stores drive efficiencies, enable personalized experiences, minimize theft, empower dynamic pricing, and provide seamless integration with omnichannel strategies, including:
- Automated Checkout: Leverages advanced computer vision
- AI – Provides personalized product suggestions
- RFID & Smart Shelf IoT Sensors: Tracks product inventory and movement
- Real-Time Inventory Management: Monitors product levels with seamless integration with order management systems
- Mobile Apps, QR Codes, and Digital Interfaces: Provide access to store layouts and personalized offers
I think were the fault lies is that many retailers retailers didn’t design the experiences with the customer top of mind. There are many scenarios, as shared by so many in other comments, to enable self-service in a way that makes sense. I love Amazon’s walk-out technology. My experience at Uniqlo was awesome. Enabled by RFID, you throw your clothes in a bin & voila you pay and you’re out of there in no time. Unlike self-checkout, say at Target, I find it laborious (then again I always have too many products in my cart & likely some wine which means I can’t use it :). In short, it’s all about the right use cases that create great customer experiences.
Fully self-service stores could become a reality, especially in urban areas where speed and convenience are crucial. Stores like Amazon Go, where customers shop and leave without traditional checkouts, show this potential.
However, not all customers prefer self-service and challenges like technical glitches, theft prevention still needs addressing; so offering both options would be wise.
Eventually, the rise of self-serve retail would mean that staff roles could shift from cashiers to customer service and troubleshooting. This can enhance the shopping experience by focusing more on personalized service and less on transactional tasks.
Aside from self-checkout, more retailers will utilize self-service in the store to address some of the most trying pain points in the customer experience and to better align the physical with the online experience.
Some of the most difficult occasions in Grocery have been buying a bottle of wine/liquor for a special event. Having a kiosk to help with that purchase based on food planned, preferred types of wine can help the customer tremendously when facing that confusing wall of varietals.
Another example in a similar special event or entertainment occasion is ordering a special cake or dessert in the bakery. A self-service kiosk with options and examples can really elevate that experience vs. looking through a catalog and filling out an antiquated paper-based order form. The bakery professional can still be there to answer questions and give advice, but the digital form could be a much better way to communicate and keep track of the bakery order.
These are just simple examples but if some of these forms are online on the website, maybe there is a way to bring it to the store and provide that same level of digital convenience in person.
Fully self-service stores should remain the north star for any retailer and technology provider that believes this to be their sweet spot and point of major differentiation.
As long as we continue to built out this capability in a modular fashion – we can offer the the best of fully self-service stores, in a manner which allows retailers to use components that align with their modus operandi and brand mission. Multi-modal AI, and other innovations will only improve the enablement of real-time monitoring, dynamic fraud detection, and seamless customer interactions. My company’s tech strives to accomplish this, but ensuring robust infrastructure, continuous learning, and adaptive systems to respond to real-world challenges is a collective task. This is a call to action for the ecosystem to understand new tech’s capability, honor brand promises, and keep humans in the loop. At the center, the customer remains the priority, reinforcing that “the customer is always right”
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When it comes to ordering and checkout, one size does not fit all. Consumers want choice and that means retailers need to have manned checkouts (at sufficient capacity) as well as self-checkouts and other options. QSR foodservice needs to have kiosks as well as some traditional ordering.
However, more thought needs to be applied to the process. As currently configured, self-checkout in most US grocery stores is inefficient. Shoppers schlep round, putting stuff in their carts, unload it and scan it, and then put it in bags. Most UK retailers offer self-scan where you scan products with a handheld scanner as you add them to bags in your cart. When you’ve done you simply go to a payment station and make payment without unloading anything. It’s way better for the customer and prevents long lines.
When it comes to kiosks, I think ensuring solutions are context specific is vital. Fast food is about speed and convenience, so self-service is no real detriment to the format. Having self-service in a mid-range or more expensive restaurant is just grotty and jars with the value equation!
Very true in terms of the process with self-checkout in US grocery stores. I think that is part of the reason more people prefer cashier lanes here versus self-checkout. Might change if they didn’t have to scan all their items at the end and then try to bag them too!
Yes! It really is an annoying part of the process. I love using scan as you go when I am in the UK. It’s also better for the environment as most people have reusable bags they put in their carts so they don’t use bags at the checkout (though you have to pay for plastic bags in the UK anyway).
What’s interesting in our latest national research in supermarkets is that 60% of shoppers indicated a preference for a cashier lane versus 40% who prefer a self-checkout. I’ve always felt there is a correlation to the number of items in the basket here as well. Does a supermarket shopper really want to scan 50 items if they have a full basket (at the end of their shopping trip)? Perhaps if they could do it throughout the shop it might be more appealing.
Brian, the statistic you quote is telling, One could interpret it to mean that there needs to be an acceptable ratio of manned to self-checkout lanes many category chains. Sixty-percent of customers will use the cashiered lanes and the remaining forty percent of customers will self-serve. And, in certain situations e.g. volume of items to purchase, some in one group may occasionally opt for the other method. It is not an all-or-nothing proposition. And some chains (we’re talking anything but apparel here), such as our much-revered Trader Joe’s, may never put in a self-checkout lane! There is a cover for every pot. Retailers just have to figure out what size pot they are, and find the right cover.
My how the times have changed! For all of my life – right up until about 10 minutes ago – “self-service” meant you could select items yourself; which is to say, part of the retail experience was DIY. Now, it would seem, the phrase covers the entire process. So how do I feel about it ? (“it” being the new, unimproved definition): I like choices…I dislike not having them. The only thing I dislike more is having a self-serve kiosk at a restaurant tack on a ******** 25% gratuity!
It should be a 25% gratuity for yourself – i.e. a discount!!
To be fair, tho the 25% was the default, one could adjust it to anything. I was quick-witted enough to lower it, but still caught off guard enough that I left too much…since probably anything is too much in that cirumstance
Your definition of self-service is still correct! Most of the time self-service has nothing to do with the checkout. Maybe I am showing my age here… 🙂
Let’s compromise: Dennis is showing his youth!
Think Automat in the 40s 50s and 60s…Your definition is correct.
I love self-checkout. However, errors frequently occur, so we won’t see 100% cashierless stores just yet. We still need a human touch and discernment.
Self-serve retail has led many cashiers to evolve into a combination of customer service, IT support and security roles. As stores get more digital, associates’ roles will continue to support technology that enhances operational efficiency and the customer experience.
Just to clarify, self-service doesn’t always mean self checkouts. There are many, many self-serve opportunities in stores.
But since this article is primarily about self checkouts let me ask a question: Have you ever stood in line at a fast food self service kiosk at an airport? It’s a brutal experience, and it’s definitely not fast. People take FOREVER to place their orders. DIY can be helpful, but it isn’t always the best answer.
This is interesting because I have also seen it happen! I think the problem is that if you’re standing in front of someone placing your order, you discipline yourself to quickly say what you want. If you’re at a kiosk you kind of scroll the screen and browse at your leisure.
It’s even worse than people who have been to McDonald’s a gazillion times but still have to stop and think about what they want before telling the associate.
Food Retailing Industry reports the biggest shift in self-checkout trends came in 2021, when 30% of transactions were self-checkout, compared to 15% in 2018. According to the report, 96% of food, drug, and mass retailers offered self-checkouts in 2023, but with wide variations in how many compared to full-service.
The year 2024 is already proving to be a year of indecision about check-stands, and retailers are going in all kinds of directions.
Some traditional supermarket chains plan to go 50% self-check by year end, which I think is a bit more than what is ideal. My recommendation is 30%. However, any amount will vary depending on how many human check stands are in service.
Several studies indicate that more than 65% of consumers prefer self-checkouts when shopping for less than 10 items, but not with a full cart, or when the cart contains large, difficult-to-scan items. Not all check stands offer manual scanners, and many consumers don’t notice their availability.
Many retailers can get by with one employee per six to eight self-checks. Even better, self-check machines come to work every day, never get sick, and do not join unions.
Self-checks make fewer mistakes than humans, but of course humans can make mistakes using self-checks. Some mistakes are dishonest. For example, a consumer can put two bags of big cherries on the scanner, $5.99 per pound, but use the code for celery, priced at $1.49 per pound. But beware thieves, because AI is about to catch you doing it.
The other popular way to steal is when consumers place something on the bottom of the cart, and conveniently forget to scan it. Innocent mistake, right? Once again AI will find it for you!
A certain amount of people are belligerently opposed to self-check stands without the choice for human check stands. These types of self-check curmudgeons promise to take their business elsewhere, and some actually do. Choice is still the best route.
I live in the St. Louis market where Schnuck’s, a regional supermarket chain of 115 stores, will allow self-check for 10 items of fewer. I like that plan except I would have recommended 15, or fewer. Do three cans of baked beans, three for $5.00, count as one item, or three?
With new AI technology at the doorstep, self-check disarray will work itself out, and by year-end 2025, most retailers will be on the same track, I promise. Db
I think the whole point is to provide the best possible service and create as much customer satisfaction and loyalty as possible. Sometimes that will be self-service and sometimes it will mean human support and assistance. There are lots of scenarios where self-service is indeed the best answer. The customer is saying, “I know why I’m here. I know what I want. I know where it is. Please just let me grab it, check out and be on my way.” It’s the glitchy checkout that is the problem. Other times the customer says, “I have have questions, and you have answers. Please help me.” Self-service shouldn’t be confused with self-checkout. Retail used to be all about service. And yes, the definition of service is changing, but the rush to self-service can just as easily frustrate the customer as it can delight the customer. There are lots of learning curves and abundant fine tuning along the way to the right model for any given retailer.
These tools are great, and for those who want to engage with their retailers this way, make it the best experience possible for them. If you also value customers who want to talk to people and have face to face experience, make sure that option is also available. Going back to Omnichannel – great retailers will meet their customers where they want to be and engage them on channels of their customer’s choice.
We’ve talked a lot about Self-Checkout (SCO) in the past several weeks because it touches so many aspects of a retailer’s store operations as well as a shopper’s journey and overall experience. SCO technology continues to evolve and improve with respect to speed, efficiency, shrink capabilities, advertising, and equipment modernization. From baseball parks to pro golf tournaments to grocery stores to QSR’s to airport hybrid stores, different versions of SCO technology are making the shopper journey a pleasant, seamless and speedy experience. Some retailers see 100% SCO situations while others offer choice, based on consumer need and purpose.
In some businesses (retail, restaurants, grocery, etc.), self-service options are accepted and, in some cases, expected. However, there are always people there to help, and most retailers still have traditional check-out experiences. However, not all retailers should offer self-service. You’ll probably never see a self-service checkout kiosk at Gucci. (An exaggerated example, but you should get the idea.) Know your customers and their expectations and decide if self-service retail is right for you. Recognize that self-service is continuing to evolve, improve, and will be more relevant in the very near future. People are more comfortable with self-service and will eventually prefer it in certain retail segments.
Shortages of capable people and increased costs of said people are going to drive this trend, whether it enhances the customer experience or not.
This trend is more about economics than it is about service.
We are relentlessly moving towards a self-service retail experience and operating model. Even with all the emerging, innovative, cost-effective, and efficient self-checkout capabilities, not every customer segment wants to exclusively use self-checkout. There are very disparate customer journeys that need to be accounted for. While self-service checkout models may have a viable business case in some airport retail, QSRs, rest stops, and convenience stores, the paradigm of choice matters when it pertains to grocery, restaurants, and other specialty retail formats.
Retailers have attempted to solve friction-filled checkout experiences for decades. The new business models supported by autonomous capabilities provide a compelling value proposition for consumers. They significantly reduce operational and labor costs for retailers, with increased access to consumer data and in-store shopping behaviors.
Autonomous stores drive efficiencies, enable personalized experiences, minimize theft, empower dynamic pricing, and provide seamless integration with omnichannel strategies, including:
I think were the fault lies is that many retailers retailers didn’t design the experiences with the customer top of mind. There are many scenarios, as shared by so many in other comments, to enable self-service in a way that makes sense. I love Amazon’s walk-out technology. My experience at Uniqlo was awesome. Enabled by RFID, you throw your clothes in a bin & voila you pay and you’re out of there in no time. Unlike self-checkout, say at Target, I find it laborious (then again I always have too many products in my cart & likely some wine which means I can’t use it :). In short, it’s all about the right use cases that create great customer experiences.
Fully self-service stores could become a reality, especially in urban areas where speed and convenience are crucial. Stores like Amazon Go, where customers shop and leave without traditional checkouts, show this potential.
However, not all customers prefer self-service and challenges like technical glitches, theft prevention still needs addressing; so offering both options would be wise.
Eventually, the rise of self-serve retail would mean that staff roles could shift from cashiers to customer service and troubleshooting. This can enhance the shopping experience by focusing more on personalized service and less on transactional tasks.
Aside from self-checkout, more retailers will utilize self-service in the store to address some of the most trying pain points in the customer experience and to better align the physical with the online experience.
Some of the most difficult occasions in Grocery have been buying a bottle of wine/liquor for a special event. Having a kiosk to help with that purchase based on food planned, preferred types of wine can help the customer tremendously when facing that confusing wall of varietals.
Another example in a similar special event or entertainment occasion is ordering a special cake or dessert in the bakery. A self-service kiosk with options and examples can really elevate that experience vs. looking through a catalog and filling out an antiquated paper-based order form. The bakery professional can still be there to answer questions and give advice, but the digital form could be a much better way to communicate and keep track of the bakery order.
These are just simple examples but if some of these forms are online on the website, maybe there is a way to bring it to the store and provide that same level of digital convenience in person.
Fully self-service stores should remain the north star for any retailer and technology provider that believes this to be their sweet spot and point of major differentiation.
As long as we continue to built out this capability in a modular fashion – we can offer the the best of fully self-service stores, in a manner which allows retailers to use components that align with their modus operandi and brand mission. Multi-modal AI, and other innovations will only improve the enablement of real-time monitoring, dynamic fraud detection, and seamless customer interactions. My company’s tech strives to accomplish this, but ensuring robust infrastructure, continuous learning, and adaptive systems to respond to real-world challenges is a collective task. This is a call to action for the ecosystem to understand new tech’s capability, honor brand promises, and keep humans in the loop. At the center, the customer remains the priority, reinforcing that “the customer is always right”