Now that customers are back in stores, retailers are focused on keeping them engaged. Experts at NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show said that the best-performing retailers keep customers returning for repeat visits. Quality products, customer service and a logical store layout are all important, but the critical factor is frictionless checkout. If customers experience slow or delayed checkouts, all the goodwill a brand has built up during the preceding shopping visit may diminish.
In a major push toward digital transformation, retail brands have been encouraged to invest in tech solutions such as mobile point-of-sale, self-checkout kiosks, computer vision systems and robotic automated store environments that remove friction from the checkout process.
The Importance of a Frictionless Checkout Experience
In a conference session with Andy Szanger, director of strategic industries at CDW, and David Dobson, global retail, hospitality and consumer goods industry director for Intel, the discussion focused on the tech and tactics that make frictionless checkout possible.https://www.cdw.ca/content/cdwca/en/brand/intel-interstitial/intel-client.html
“Customers can be fickle,” said Dobson. “A megastore can create the most immersive experience possible with digital signage and first-rate products, but if the checkout line extends from a five-minute wait to a 10-minute or 30-minute wait, people are going to get frustrated. They may even walk away from that purchase you had them on the hook for.”
Solving that problem starts with investing in the right solutions. “Retailers who are investing in more technology are outpacing their competitors,” said Szanger.
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