Self-Checkout Terminals

Being one of the most widely used self-service technologies in retail today, self-checkout terminals have been around for some time and have paved the way for more advanced solutions, like Scan & Go. 

Most shoppers today either use self-checkout terminals on a daily basis, or have at least encountered them at some point – for example, at a supermarket or a library. 

The history of self-service technology

Libraries, in fact, were the early exploration grounds of self-service technology. In the 1990s, such kiosks were first installed to help speed up checking out books. Obviously, they were a success, since they are now one of the major self-service solutions currently in use worldwide. 

Self-checkout nowadays

The concept of self-checkout terminals has changed little since the nineties. Customers move through the store and pick up the items they want to buy, then progress to the checkout area, where they use a kiosk or terminal to scan each product individually, then pay through the same machine.  

Commonly, after scanning, it is necessary to place the items in a designated area, where scales monitor the purchase. Certain product categories, such as age-restricted goods, will trigger a signal upon scanning, to alert a staff member. 

Advantages of self-checkout

Replacing traditional cash desks with self-checkout terminals, or integrating them as an addition to human checkout, can drastically enhance the shopping experience, as it enables customers to shop with hardly any human interaction. Also, it leaves the retailer and their staff with precious time for customer service and store maintenance.