If consumers have a choice they’re more likely to tap self-service technology versus interacting with a retail sales associate, according to a SOTI survey.
The survey revealed that 66 percent of shoppers preferred self-service and self-checkout is by far the most preferred solution with 53 percent favoring the technology, followed by digital kiosk /scanners to enable price checks, coming in at a distant second (23 percent). In addition, 77 percent of consumers would be very or somewhat comfortable in a retail setting where only self-checkout technology was offered.
According to the survey, which looked at U.S. consumers shopping habits both online and in-store, 76 percent of consumers indicated they have a had a better in-store experience when retail sales associates were armed with technology. Additionally, 67 percent of the respondents said retailers that utilized more mobile technology enabled them to save time, according to a press release.
“SOTI found that consumers have a better retail experience when technology is integrated, whether through the availability of self-service kiosks or sales associates armed with mobile technology on the sales floor. However, consumers don’t want technology because it provides a ‘cool’ or ‘wow’ factor, they favor mobile technologies that help them save time,” Carl Rodrigues, SOTI CEO and president, said in the release. “The in-store technology experience is no longer in its infancy and if retailers aren’t utilizing these innovations, they are putting themselves at a competitive disadvantage.”
