CX Hinges on the POS: 3 Ways to Meet Shopper Needs and Desires

The technology that retailers use to power their businesses has profound impacts on the customer experience (CX). Yet many retailers are stuck using a previous decade’s technology; 36 percent of fashion and specialty retailers say their existing technology isn't up to the challenge of today’s tech-savvy customers and employees, either because they're locked into vendor contractors or unwilling to overhaul existing ecosystems.

This is especially true when it comes to point-of-sale (POS) systems, so it’s no surprise that retailers are shifting their preferences. IHL reports that 58 percent of the largest U.S. and Canadian retailers planned to select a new mobile POS solution in 2024. Furthermore, according to Coresight Research, physical stores remain at the center of consumer experience and commerce.

Retailers must leverage modern POS systems to power the experiences customers desire, and there are three key areas in which they can invest: self-checkout, self-scanning, and the mobile POS. Let’s walk through each of these enhancements.

Self-Checkout Should Offer Efficiency

A hurried customer wants nothing more than a quick shopping experience. Case in point: 43 percent of customers find long wait times to be frustrating, and in-store shopping especially is associated with the need for immediacy.

Customers seeking immediacy will also opt for the self-checkout lane to exercise control over the checkout speed. They do not want to rely on the cashier’s scanning pace. In fact, 73 percent of consumers actually prefer self-checkout over traditional staffed registers.

If outdated self-checkout technology is keeping customers from meeting their need for speed and agility — and keeping the store from capitalizing on that crucial advantage it offers — the customer experience suffers. The ability to find an item and complete the trip without hassle, using self-checkout, is invaluable.

Self-Scanning Gives Customers Invaluable Autonomy Amid Economic Turbulence

Shoppers gain a sense of autonomy and control when they can personalize their experience and adapt it to their exact, in-the-moment needs.

Inflation persists — the consumer price index rose 0.3 percent in November 2024 — and is causing shoppers to be more price-conscious. The ability to scan products in real time and understand the running total for the shopping trip allows customers to keep a tally of total spending as they move through the aisles. That visibility for the customer will ultimately create a fulfilling experience that inspires long-term loyalty.

Mobile POS Increases the Flexibility and Speed of Shopping Trips

Transaction value in the mobile POS market is expected to grow 13 percent annually. There's a reason for the technology’s rapid growth: mobile POS is incredibly convenient, for both the retailer and the customer.

Consider a boutique fashion store. Let’s say a customer is trying on a new outfit in the dressing room, and they love it so much they want to wear it out of the store. If an associate can support checkout using a handheld mobile device, that associate is able to capture the sale quickly and easily, and the shopper benefits from not having to wait in a long checkout line.

Whether leveraging mobile POS at the shelf, checkout line or while on the go, shoppers enjoy the same quality, speed and security of a stationary POS — with the added benefits of flexibility and speed.

Retailers Can Improve the Customer Experience at the POS

The only constant in the busy retail industry is change, and it's nearly impossible to predict how technology will evolve, especially as related to the POS.

Retailers have always experimented — and should always experiment — with new ways to meet shopper needs. However, it's important to consistently offer the technologies that matter most when it comes to both optimizing the customer experience and offering the engagement that customers are truly looking for.

Michael Jaszczyk is the CEO of GK Americas, a technology company specializing in software and services for the operation of large retail company branches.