An Evaluation of Self-Checkout Systems

Abstract

The number of self-checkout systems in stores has increased exponentially in the past 5 years becoming a common way for consumers to complete their purchases. Little research has been conducted in this pervasive area, however, other than market research studies. An online survey found that although individuals use self-checkout systems a great deal, there are a number of issues and concerns with these systems. The most cited difficulties that arise when using self-checkout systems included the barcode not scanning as well as slow customers ahead in the line. These findings including others noted throughout this paper highlight a number of opportunities for human factors professionals to make the design of self-checkout systems more user-friendly.