New Life For Self-Checkout?

By Matt Pillar, Editor In Chief, Integrated Solutions For Retailers magazine

Customer measurement and management solutions provider Empathica conducted a third-quarter survey of the retail tech preferences of more than 16,000 consumers. The research, published in its 2011 Consumer Insights Panel, indicates that shoppers are big fans of self-checkout (SCO). We're not so sure retailers are though.

According to the Empathica study, designed to measure what "consumers consider most valuable in enhancing their overall shopping experience," 65% of U.S. consumers considered SCO important.

But, Albertson's announced this summer that it's removing SCO from its seven-state, 217-store chain. Kroger is revisiting its investment in SCO as well, analyzing checkout requirements for every store in what looks like a move to make SCO the exception, not the rule.