Consumers Value Broader Benefits of Self-Service Across Store

Announced at the debut of Self-Service Universe, a conference of Europes leading retail and financial executives dedicated to the growing self-service phenomenon, the results of the study incorporate interviews with 6,359 consumers and six retailers across North America, Europe, Japan and Australia who have had self-checkout deployed for more than six months. IDC found that these early adopters are seeing up to 50 percent of transactions go through self-checkout, and five of the six interviewed plan to at least double their self-checkout installations by 2005. Consumers surveyed across seven countries cited faster checkout, shorter lines and choice as the top benefits of self-checkout. The retailers interviewed view improved service at the checkout as the key benefit, followed by improved customer loyalty and better customer service throughout the whole store. The significance of the impact of self-checkout is emphasized by the importance consumers place on these service improvements. When asked where they would like staff redeployed to improve service in other areas of the store, the top answer was a clean and tidy appearance (77 percent), well-stocked shelves (76 percent) and accessible staff to answer questions and locate products (70 percent). According to retailers interviewed for the paper, one of the primary keys to success of self-checkout is staffing. This begins by ensuring the right attendant is well trained, friendly and encourages customers to use the technology. Clear and consistent signage and the correct location within the store are other important factors in encouraging shoppers to use self-checkout. Five out of the six retailers interviewed had plans to extend the use of photo and deli kiosks to stores where they did not already have them. Consumers stated that they are most interested in kiosks that allow then to check prices (63 percent) and kiosks that allow the pre-ordering of deli items (59 percent).