Transaction Trends

A study released today by Zebra Technologies has found that 52 percent of retail decision makers say they are converting point-of-sale (POS) space to self-checkout stations, and 62 percent say they are changing their POS counterspace to clear space online order pickup. The study, the 11th annual Global Shopper Study, also found that nearly 60 percent of retailers plan to increase their spending on mobile technologies like mobile computers and tablets for their sales associates.

The investment in technologies that streamline processes, reduce stress on workers and give new tools to sales associates satisfies a growing need for efficiency in the segment, the study found. Fifty-five percent of surveyed retail store associates agreed that their company is understaffed, and 49 percent said they felt overworked. Further, the study found that 42 percent of surveyed store associates said they were frustrated with their inability to help customers because they are under pressure to complete other tasks. As such, 83 percent of retail decision makers and 74 percent of store associates concur that shoppers can have a better experience when sales associates are equipped with technology solutions.

“Our study reveals shopper expectations are on the rise,” said Jeff Schmitz, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Zebra Technologies, in a press release. “While retailers are addressing fulfillment challenges, they also need to provide a more trusted, personalized shopping experience that gives customers what they want, when, where, and how they want it.”

Payments technology companies have invested aggressively in providing omnichannel payments solutions and other value-added services like HR management, inventory management, online ordering and accounting software integrated directly into smart POS devices. Major retailers have also recently made headlines with investments in new, efficient in-store technologies powered by secure payments technology. Amazon has launched a series of cashierless, cashless smart stores that eliminate the need for checkout lines, and Walmart recently announced the implementation of a new app for sales associates to enable online ordering and payments in-store.

The report also found that consumer expectations for more powerful and convenient shopping experiences is tempered by concerns over data security. Only 13 percent of surveyed shoppers completely trust retailers to protect their data, the lowest level of trust among 10 different industries. North American shoppers were the least likely to completely trust retailers, with only 11 percent indicating complete trust.

According to a press release, Zebra’s 11th annual Global Shopper Study included approximately 4,725 shoppers, 1,225 retail associates and 430 decision makers from North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East who were interviewed in October – November 2018 by Qualtrics.