As retailers aim to streamline in-store shopping experiences and appeal to digitally-savvy consumers, offering self-checkout POS (point of sale) options is an often-used strategy. Self-checkout is gaining more popularity among retailers in a variety of sectors – spanning apparel to groceries – due to its convenience and efficiency. Brands seeking to drive more sales, especially during the busy holiday season, should consider investing in self-checkout POS systems to create better experiences for shoppers and sales associates alike.
What is Self-Checkout?
Self-checkout is a point-of-sale system that enables consumers to pay for their purchases via an in-store kiosk or retailer’s mobile app in lieu of visiting a checkout counter. Customers can either scan their desired items’ barcodes, stand near the kiosks if the items are equipped with RFID technology, or look up the items to add them to their digital shopping carts, depending on the type of system. They can then use a digital payment method, such as Apple Pay or a saved credit card in their account, to complete their purchase.
Some retailers may place self-service kiosks around their brick-and-mortar stores, while others may offer self-checkout choices via their mobile apps. Both options allow shoppers to check out at various points in the store and avoid waiting in long lines.
Rising Consumer Interest in Self-Checkout Services
Convenience is a top priority for most shoppers these days, regardless of whether they’re shopping online or in stores. Consumers who prefer the in-store route are growing more interested in using self-service checkout options to save time and maximize efficiency during their shopping trips.
According to PYMNTS’s 2023 Digital-First Banking Tracker Series Report, 84% of U.S. shoppers like using self-service kiosks. Furthermore, 82% of consumers reported that they will avoid retailers with lines of any kind.
While certain generations are more partial to self-checkout POS systems – for example, 84% of Generation Z consumers prefer self-service options – retailers must adapt to this growing demand in order to provide more seamless checkout experiences.
Read below to find out more about the popular types of self-checkout POS options and how they offer advantages for both retailers and shoppers.
Examples of Self-Checkout POS Options
RFID-Enabled Kiosks: Some retailers leverage RFID-enabled kiosks in their brick-and-mortar locations. RFID technology lets companies track products from initial shipment to the point of checkout. They can use wireless communication to assign a unique identifier tag to each item.
As soon as consumers pick up these items in a store, the RFID technology will track the items from the shelf to the checkout kiosk. When shoppers approach a kiosk, its sensors will read the tags. Shoppers will then confirm that their digital cart is accurate and proceed to the payment process.
Apparel retailer Zara was an early adopter of self-checkout kiosks, which guide shoppers through the checkout experience via touchscreen instructions. Consumers can simply carry their desired items to the kiosk, which automatically detects the items and rings them up.
Grab and Go: One of the largest retailers in the world, Amazon, offers grab-and-go self-checkout options in its brick-and-mortar Amazon Go stores. Grab-and-go services eliminate the checkout process entirely. Consumers can walk into the store, retrieve items from the shelves, and leave the store without having to open their wallets. The grab-and-go technology detects when items are removed from their shelves and carried out of the store, and it charges shoppers’ accounts for their purchase upon leaving the premises.
Mobile App-Enabled Checkout: Some brands offer in-store shoppers the ability to check out via their mobile app. For example, Walmart shoppers can open the Walmart app on their phones when they’re ready to check out, navigate to store mode and select the scan-and-go feature, and enable location access.
Then, customers can use their phones to scan the items’ barcodes and verify that the app captured everything correctly. Once they confirm their cart is accurate, they can head to a self-checkout station and scan the in-app QR code to complete their purchase.
Self-Checkout Advantages for Shoppers
Self-checkout POS options also provide many perks for shoppers. Several major advantages include the following:
Convenience: Self-checkout POS options offer several types of conveniences. Firstly, consumers can enjoy much faster checkout experiences. Secondly, those opting to use self-checkout services do not need to carry their wallets with them, as they can leverage digital payment methods like Tap to Pay on iPhone.
Privacy: Consumers who want more privacy over their purchase may choose to use self-checkout POS options. This way, they will not interact with any store associates or other shoppers, and they can complete their purchase via app or self-service kiosk with anonymity.
Efficiency: Self-checkout is very efficient during peak shopping periods, such as the holiday season, as consumers can avoid long lines. Time-strapped shoppers planning to make small purchases may choose to visit a particular retailer’s store if they discover self-checkout options are available.
Self-Checkout Advantages for Retailers
Better Associate Productivity: Thanks to self-checkout POS systems, store associates can spend more time walking around the sales floor and assisting customers, rather than staffing the checkout counter. This allows for customers to receive more personalized experiences, which may inspire them to purchase more items. Additionally, associates that have flexibility to interact with shoppers can engage in upselling and cross-selling to increase the shoppers’ average basket size.
Higher In-Store Foot Traffic: Consumers with limited time to spare may be willing to visit a brick-and-mortar location boasting self-checkout options in a bid to avoid long lines. Additionally, as mentioned above, self-checkout POS options attract more privacy-driven customers who prefer to keep associate interactions to a minimum. These guarantees of convenience result in higher foot traffic in stores, where drop-in shoppers may spot items they decide to add to their carts at the last minute.
Enhanced Store Displays: Retailers that invest in self-checkout POS systems will need to dedicate less square footage to cumbersome checkout counters and areas for long lines. This frees up space on their sales floors to showcase more inventory, which may attract more shoppers and help fuel sales.
Promoting Self-Checkout POS Options to Customers
Retailers that choose to invest in self-checkout POS systems should market them to customers by highlighting the major advantages of convenience, efficiency, and privacy. Some promotional tactics can include:
- Sending push notifications in their mobile apps to inform users about shopping in “store mode” and leveraging self-checkout options
- Placing signage around brick-and-mortar locations to indicate where self-service kiosks are stationed
- Encouraging store associates to spread the word about self-checkout options, especially during peak shopping periods
- Promoting self-checkout when customers shop in the app or on the website and select a reserve online pickup in-store (ROPIS) fulfillment option
Ultimately, with consumer interest in convenience-driven shopping options reaching an all-time high, retailers should consider deploying self-checkout POS systems in their brick-and-mortar stores. Not only will this help associates spend additional time with customers, but it will result in a true omnichannel-friendly shopping experience. The opportunities for self-checkout are vast – and today’s available technology makes them all the more attainable.
Interested in learning how your business can take advantage of self-checkout POS options? Reach out for a demo today.
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