Self-service checkouts have continued to gain traction across Asia, driven by younger consumers looking for faster, more autonomous shopping journeys.
These customers expect flexibility and choice in how they interact with the store, and retailers have responded by investing in smarter checkout technologies to match that demand.
Improving in-store process efficiency and enhancing the customer journey remained key priorities. With rising competition, tighter margins due to e-commerce, and increasing shrinkage, automation became an attractive solution.
At the same time, the challenge of attracting and retaining retail staff pushed many businesses to rethink how store teams could be better utilised.
“Retailers are enabling their team members to focus on valuable tasks and consumer service rather than standing behind a POS counter for several hours,” said Kristie Longhurst, General Manager, Retail for Australia and New Zealand at Diebold Nixdorf.
Hybrid checkout models emerged, allowing stores to keep all lanes open at all times. In New Zealand and Australia, more retailers have started replacing traditional cash offices with cash recycling modules at self-checkouts. This change not only improves security and reduces shrinkage, but also allows store teams to shift focus toward enhancing the overall customer experience.
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