SOTI: Consumer demand for retail digital transformation

91% of consumers have used in-store technology in retail, and 69% have used self-service checkout. 69% also said there are often not enough staff to help with issues at these self-service machines.

40% of people have used a tablet to order an item in-store, only to find out the item was out of stock when they checked out.

One in four consumers globally have considered shopping at a different retailer to get a better in-store technology experience.

When asked about their shopping preferences:

74% of people want to know where their order is at all times.

62% of people buy from brands that deliver the fastest.

43% of people prefer shopping online rather than in-store.

41% said they would look elsewhere if delivery took more than two days.

39% enjoy the speed and convenience that in-store devices make possible.

35% of consumers are concerned about financial and identity fraud.

AI and consumer experience

Stuck with self-service: Retail has yet to optimize technology beyond the checkout line

In-store devices are no longer a novelty. Only 9% of consumers have never used any technology designed to improve their shopping experience. Among younger demographics, that number drops to 5%.

What in-store equipment have you used in the past year?

69% of people have used self-service checkout

36% of people have used POS devices

34% have used a handheld scanner

Mismanagement, maintenance, and manual intervention: where technology falls short

The least satisfied devices were in-store tablets used to fill orders. Only one-third said they improved the shopping experience, while one-fifth felt they had a negative impact.

Therefore, it is important to find out why tablets have failed to resonate with consumers.

40% of consumers said they ordered an item using an in-store device, but when they went to check out, the system showed that the item was out of stock.

39% of consumers buy goods in stores, but retail staff must use in-store equipment to place orders online.

Not enough staff to resolve equipment issues (such as scanning problems).

34% of stores have poor Wi-Fi/network/mobile phone signals, which affects in-store applications.