Two extraordinary contrary scoops this summer: Albert Heijn has opened the first grocery store without cashier or check-out counters in the Netherlands last week (Ahold, 2019). Contrary, Jumbo launched special ‘chit-chat’ counters in their grocery stores this summer, especially for isolated people who would like to have more interaction with other people (Pauw, 2019). The digital development of digital shopping stimulates opposite developments in the meantime.
Amazon was the first company who unveiled a grocery store without lines and counters in 2016 (Garun, 2019). The concept is simple: customers can shop the items they want and just leave the shop. Special sensors and cameras detect which items the consumer has taken, and automatically charge the right price to the customers’ bank account. For the customer ‘it feels like shoplifting, except that you have to pay for it’. Those cashier-free stores will increase customer efficiency (no waiting lines) and for the company, it saves employees and adds the possibility to track customers more intensively.
The opposite development in the check-out counter-world is the ‘chitchat-cashier’ (Dutch: kletskassa). The purpose of this counter is extra personal attention. It started with a (successful) experiment at Jumbo two months ago, therefore it will be introduced in more stores. The cashier is less focused on the items and is more interested in a conversation with the customer. This is especially convenient for elderly and lonely people who would like more personal interaction (Pauw, 2019).
Those two styles of payment are serving different types of customers segments. The trend of casher-less counters is not bad at all. The trend of counter free stores leads to an appeal for extra personal interaction (Bolwijn, 2019). Grocery stores should not only focus on efficiency and customer data but as well on personal interaction. Stores should not replace ‘ordinary’ counters but add this feature as an extra option. From my perspective, the ideal stores have both types of cashiers.
References:
Ahold. (2018, 11 oktober). AH to go heeft Europese primeur met pin- en kassaloos shoppen. Geraadpleegd op 25 september 2019, van https://nieuws.ah.nl/ah-to-go-heeft-europese-primeur-met-pin–en-kassaloos-shoppen/
Bolwijn, M. (2019, 17 september). De supermarkt als buurtsoos voor wie om een praatje verlegen zit. Geraadpleegd op 25 september 2019, van https://www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opinie/de-supermarkt-als-buurtsoos-voor-wie-om-een-praatje-verlegen-zit~b910e99e/
Garun, N. (2016, 5 december). Amazon just launched a cashier-free convenience store. Geraadpleegd op 25 september 2019, van https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/5/13842592/amazon-go-new-cashier-less-convenience-store
Pauw, M. (2019, 15 juli). Kletskassa bij Jumbo voor eenzame mensen: “Als het een succes wordt, volgen er meer”. Geraadpleegd op 25 september 2019, van https://www.rtlz.nl/business/ondernemen/artikel/4781081/jumbo-albert-heijn-ouderen-hulp-kletskassa-eenzaamheid
