3 differences between Cart-level checkouts and self-check out kiosks

The checkout process is a crucial part of the retail experience. Customers want a fast and seamless checkout process that is easy to navigate and saves them time. In recent years, there has been a shift towards self-checkout kiosks and cart-level checkouts. Cart--level checkouts can also be called self-checkout carts.

In this article, I will highlight three differences between these two technologies.

（1）Mobility and Convenience

Cart-level checkouts offer customers a more convenient and mobile checkout experience compared to self-checkout kiosks. With cart-level checkouts, customers can scan their items and complete their purchase directly from their shopping cart. This eliminates the need to move items from the cart to a self-checkout kiosk, saving customers time and effort.

In addition, cart-level checkouts are more convenient for customers who are purchasing large or bulky items, as they do not have to lift these items onto a self-checkout kiosk.

Self-checkout kiosks, on the other hand, are stationary and require customers to move their items from their cart to the kiosk. This can be inconvenient, especially for customers who are purchasing a large number of items or heavy items. Besides, customers need to scan items’ bar codes one by one through the self-checkout kiosks, which cost much time in checking out process.

（2）Staffing and Maintenance

Cart-level checkouts require less staff and maintenance. Cart-level checkouts can replace the work of many supermarket staff, including the cashiers,and tallymen. Cart-level checkouts support customers purchase items and check out directly on the cart, in the shopping process, cart-level checkouts can also send customers promotional coupons and personal information. This reducing the staffing costs for retailers and allows them to hire less staff.

Cart-level checkouts are also easier to maintain, take SuperHii cart-level checkouts as an example,  SuperHii Co., Ltd. Has developed a magnetic charging system, 20 cart-level checkouts can be charged at the same time. This is very easy for retailers to manage these  cart-level checkouts.

Self-checkout kiosks are typically managed by staff member , which can lead to increased staffing costs for retailers. Besides,the maintenance costs of self-checkout kiosks are high.

（3）User Experience and Satisfaction

Cart-level checkouts offer a more user-friendly experience compared to self-checkout kiosks. With cart-level checkouts, customers can scan their items and complete their purchase directly from their shopping cart. This is a more intuitive and seamless process compared to self-checkout kiosks, which require customers to navigate through a series of screens and prompts to complete their purchase.

Self-checkout kiosks can be more confusing for customers, especially those who are not familiar with the technology. Customers may struggle to locate the barcode scanner or input the correct information into the kiosk. This can lead to frustration and delays, which can negatively impact the customer experience.

In conclusion, cart-level checkouts offer a more convenient and user-friendly experience, which help increase the shopping efficiency and decrease the staff cost.

Ultimately, for retailers, it is now a good chance and opportunity to deploy cart-level checkouts. (Author: SuperHii, Cindy Xin)