Self-pay trend reaches convenience stores

Self-pay tools are very popular in Switzerland. That’s why they’ve been in many stores, such as the store, for so long MigrosAnd the barnAnd the MC Donalds or Your Majesty to exist. But more and more customers can check their purchases themselves in convenience stores.

Zumstein stationery, for example, offers this option. «After success pilot In Zurich, we have implemented this in all our branches”, General Manager Marcel Zomstein confirmed to Nau.ch.

The experiences with her “Consistently positive,” in particular because it acts as a “buffer” when there is a big rush at the exit. “But also because many clients like to do something themselves,” says Zumstein. Self-service checkout is also a relief for employees, as they can devote more time to giving advice.

Kaffeebrennerei Adriano also uses the branch self-checkout service at Berne Train Station. The Enter more records are not excluded.

However, it should not replace standard cash registers with employees, it says on request. “It’s just meant to be a convenient option, so you don’t have to wait in a queue if you just want to buy a bag of coffee beans or pads,” Evelyn Schneider, head of commerce and online communication, tells Nau.ch.

Michael Gramp, chief economist at auditing and consulting firm Deloitte, sees a trend toward self-pay lanes in convenience stores. “For customers who don’t want to stand in a queue, such a cash register is, of course, fun,” says Gramp. But smaller stores in particular will lose important and direct contact with customers as a result.

In addition, self-checkout is not useful for all stores. “It depends on the investment costs. If there are only two or three customers in the store at the same time, there is no need to self-pay,” says Gramp.

However, Gramp doesn’t believe that self-propelled payments in Switzerland will one day completely replace their long-awaited predecessors. The demand for triggered cash registers is still there.

But there are criticisms, too. “Self-service payments often lead to more StressBecause employees are responsible for oversight,” explains Tina Buchler, lecturer at the University of Bern. Especially in small shops, this function usually has to be performed in addition to operating a normal cash register. “The workload is increasing, but this is usually not associated with an increase in wages.”

Pushler drove one study for retail. She knows: “For a company, self-registration naturally has the potential to save. More clients can be processed with fewer employees. »

in See smaller shops She criticizes this development, which she also notes in everyday life. “As a customer, you are underestimating the personal exchange of paying staff. The question also arises as to how these companies will still be able to stand out from the rest once that is gone.”