There’s an overwhelming shift to self-service technology in retail, according to several new reports. If you were considering adding a self-checkout kiosk to your convenience store operation, the numbers say you’re making the right decision – for now and the future.
Shifting to Self-Service
The consumer focus on self-checkout may have started with the global pandemic, but now, more than 6 in 10 consumers say they plan to continue using self-checkouts beyond COVID-19, according to a new report. Why? Two reasons: speedier transactions and to avoid waiting in line.
Self-checkout is also one of the top tech trends for c-stores in 2021, according to CSP Magazine.
Retailers have taken notice and are acting accordingly. Self-checkout installations jumped 25% in 2020, Progressive Grocer reported. The trend is by no means a fad either. By 2026, a projected 1.5 million self-checkouts will be used globally.
Separately, Gilbarco has seen a surge in self-checkout installations in the convenience store space as well.
Everyone Wins
Self-checkout doesn’t just meet the needs of consumers, it meets the needs of c-store retailers too.
Retail workers are the hardest-to-find employees in today’s tight labor market, according to NACS. Not only are retailers offering sign-on bonuses to entice new workers, but some are even offering expedited paychecks like same-day pay or next-day pay.
For many retailers (c-stores included), hiring part-time workers is the greatest challenge, even when increased wages and bonuses are offered.
Most retailers who use self-checkouts aren’t trying to do more with less, they’re trying to do the same with what they have in a tight labor market. Often times, operators use self-checkouts like Passport Express Lane™ to allow their limited cashiers to step away from the front counter and perform other duties such as cleaning or stocking shelves.
Read more about Maplefields’ self-checkout strategies here.
Other retailers use Express Lane self-checkout to fix long lines at busy lottery stores or even expand lottery sections at those sites.
Read more about how Breeze Thru Markets uses Express Lane self-checkout here.
The Bottom Line
Passport Express Lane enhances the consumer and the employee experience. The result? Higher retention rates for both camps. Consumers know they can depend on your fast, clean, modern shopping experience. And staff members get the sense that your is brand worthy of their employment. It’s part of the reason Maplefields has such a loyal team.
Ready to learn more about Express Lane self-checkout system?