Are the many self-service checkouts problematic?

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 03. 18. 12:18

The spread of self-service cash registers is increasingly associated with an increase in shoplifting, which causes serious losses for retailers. According to a recent survey, nearly 14% of customers admitted to deliberately shoplifting at the self-checkout cash register. This high rate highlights the fact that self-service cash registers are much more likely to be stolen than traditional cash registers.

According to an analysis by Grabango, a leading provider of cash registerless technology, self-service checkouts are 21 times more likely to be stolen. Theft is not always intentional; honest mistakes also often occur, for example, customers accidentally forget to swipe one of the products. This is especially true for members of Generation Z and those with an annual income of over $100,000.

For retailers, automated systems can help reduce theft by tracking exactly what customers buy. At the same time, even larger chains such as Walmart and Costco have changed their self-checkout strategies due to the increase in product loss. The loss rate when using self-service systems is around 4%, which is significant compared to the industry average.

Problems with self-service cash registers are not only technological, but also due to human error, such as incorrect product identification or age verification difficulties when purchasing alcohol. These problems further complicate the use of robot cash registers.