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How Smart Self-Checkout Machines Will Revolutionize Your Sales Data & Customer Behavior Tracking

By Shekel

January 18, 2023

7 min read

Have you noticed the surge of self-checkout machines in retail settings lately? It's not just the big grocery chains anymore - businesses of all sizes and industries are jumping on board to enhance their customers' experiences and speed up the checkout process. And rest assured, this trend won't be slowing down anytime soon.

But did you know that these nifty machines are not just about customer satisfaction? They hold a wealth of potential when it comes to gathering sales data and tracking customer behavior. Self-checkout machines have the power to revolutionize the way retailers track and analyze their business, no matter the size or industry. 

Curious to learn more? Let's dive in and discover how this growing trend can benefit retailers in more ways than one!

Tracking Transactions

Self-checkout machines: Tracking Transactions

Transactions are up there with the most fundamental pieces of information to gather, as by tracking how often your self-checkout machines are used and what products are being purchased, you can learn a lot about your customers' preferences. 

Are more people using self-checkout over time, or are they hesitant to try it out? Is the sales volume through self-checkout proportionate to your overall sales? And are there certain times of day when self-checkout machines are more popular? These questions are key to finding the perfect balance between self-checkout and traditional checkout stations, which can affect staffing and space utilization, amongst other things.

Tracking sales volumes at self-checkout machines is also essential. For instance, some grocery stores may report smaller sales volumes with self-checkout or vice versa. In other settings, there might be particular products that customers hesitate to purchase via self-checkout. It’s important to gather this data in order to look for patterns and blindspots in how self-checkout is being used and identify areas for improvement.

Tracking Customer Satisfaction

Did you know that you can use self-checkout machines to measure customer satisfaction? Pretty cool, right? 

With just a simple click on the appropriate emoji, customers can show how satisfied they are with their shopping experience. And if the machines are more advanced, you can even offer a quick survey for customers to fill out before they finish their purchase. The survey doesn't have to be focused solely on the self-checkout process; it can be about the overall shopping experience. This way, retailers can get more efficient and accurate customer feedback without having to rely on employees to gauge customer mood in the checkout line. 

Product Mix

As mentioned, there is sometimes a difference between the products people buy via self-checkout and those purchased through traditional checkout lines. For example, have you ever wondered if people are less likely to purchase products that require age verification through self-checkout? Or if they avoid buying larger products because of the limited space at the self-checkout machines? Do customers intentionally buy fewer products if they plan to use a self-checkout machine? 

Collecting this type of data can be incredibly valuable in creating a better self-checkout experience for customers. It can also help retailers decide how many traditional checkout counters they need to keep based on customer preference for both options. Some retailers even use promotions to encourage customers to try self-checkout machines but to do so effectively, you'll need to know which products are most commonly purchased through them.

Tracking Trends in Real Time

With the help of self-checkout machines, keeping up with the latest sales trends and inventory management can be a breeze. These sophisticated machines can provide real-time insights on what products are selling like hotcakes and what products are gathering dust on the shelves. This type of information can be a game-changer when it comes to making crucial decisions about inventory management and promotions. Imagine being able to order new inventory or adjust your promotions strategy as soon as you detect a trend rather than after the fact. 

What's more, this type of information can help you to optimize your store layout by directing customers to areas with the most traffic, leading to more efficient use of space, an enhanced shopping experience for all, and more sales. 

Product Recognition

Self-checkout machines are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with product recognition emerging as a popular feature. From library books to clothing items and produce that needs to be weighed, these machines can identify specific products at the checkout counter. The possibilities for product recognition seem endless, making it an exciting development in the world of retail technology.

The days of accidentally scanning the wrong product at the checkout counter may soon be over. Retailers are harnessing this technology to help prevent these kinds of costly mistakes and ensure that customers are getting exactly what they pay for. It's not just limited to grocery stores either; retailers of all types are embracing this innovative technology to improve their checkout experience. From high-end fashion boutiques to electronics stores, the possibilities are endless. And with the ability to accurately track inventory and sales data, retailers can use this technology to make more informed decisions about their business.

Theft Patterns

As self-checkout machines continue to gain popularity, retailers are grappling with a growing concern - theft. Since customers are responsible for scanning their own items, there is a fear that they may intentionally or unintentionally omit some items, hoping to get away with it. However, theft patterns can be easily identified through self-checkout systems since sales data can be quickly compared to inventory. This means retailers can quickly detect if an item was stolen and fraudulently scanned. While other technologies can also be used to deter theft, self-checkout machines offer a valuable way for retailers to understand any patterns related to customer theft, enabling them to take action and minimize loss.

Repeat Offenders

On the topic of theft, self-checkout systems can actually play a role in identifying repeat offenders. After all, if customers believe they have gotten away with theft at a retailer’s self-checkout station, there is every reason to think that they will attempt it again. But by analyzing sales data and inventory trends, it’s possible to identify suspicious transactions, potentially while they are still being processed. 

Even if the self-checkout system doesn’t identify the first or second transgression, repeat offenders will be easier to identify. If theft is suspected, self-checkout technology can discretely notify a self-checkout attendant or store manager in real time that a potential theft is in the process of checking out so that they can be investigated before getting away with another theft. 

Using AI

As technology continues to improve, self-checkout machines can be used hand-in-hand with artificial intelligence (AI). Integrating self-checkout systems with AI can take customer tracking and sales data to another level. A combination of the two technologies can help to create profiles of individual customers, learn what products they purchase most frequently, and suggest complementary products and promotions that might interest them. This data can go so far as to forecast what products a particular customer might purchase in the future and how much they might spend in a specific retail location. Retailers can use this to measure whether they are getting enough out of that customer and doing enough to encourage or promote specific items or additional sales. 

It might sound like a lot of effort, but the beauty of AI and self-checkout technology is that this information can be gathered without a lot of effort from retail employees. It merely gathers data about customer behavior and purchase history in a way that can make it easier to better serve the needs of customers. 

In the end, customers will be happier with their purchases and their experience in retail locations while retailers will be able to boost sales. In other words, the impact that self-checkout machines can have on sales data and customer behavior tracking will ultimately make everyone happy.

Want to reap all these benefits? Check out our range of self-checkout machines on offer. And don’t worry if you can’t find what you’re looking for, as we’ll be happy to work with you to build a custom solution today. 

Shekel

Determining precise weights has always been an essential part of commerce, from ancient marketplaces to the silk road – that’s why our company name is Shekel, from the ancient Hebrew word for “to weigh.” Shekel has been at the forefront of the digital weighing industry for the past five decades, and we continue to lead through innovation.

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