Finnish perceptions of grocery store self-checkouts
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Journal Title
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Volume Title
School of Business |
Master's thesis
Authors
Date
2024
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
International Design Business Management
Language
en
Pages
63 + 9
Series
Abstract
During the technological shift of grocery retail, arguably the most prominently adopted solution among Finnish grocery shoppers has been the self-checkout (SCO). While SCOs have entered grocery stores in masses, it continues to receive criticism in media for its argued role in replacing staff and increasing shoplifting. Especially the plans to create completely self-served stores have been challenged with unions underlining the lacking maturity of the customer base. This criticism functioned as a driver for this study: it was to be determined what the readiness of the customers and the technology is for a more complete shift towards self-served stores in Finland. The previous broader study (Rinta-Kahila, 2013) analysing the adoption and use of SCOs in Finnish grocery stores was conducted right during the introduction time of the solutions in Finland. Therefore, it was timely to gain understanding on the current customer perceptions of the SCOs. In earlier academic research (e.g., Weijters, 2007; Rinta-Kahila, 2013; Campos, 2021), it was determined that ease of use, usefulness, reliability, and enjoyment were aspects present in successful SCOs. These were also the elements that were chosen as the focus of the study: the interviewees were asked to contrast their experiences related to these factors. Additionally, there were six designated secondary areas that provided a broader overview on previously studied topics related to SCOs and grocery retail. For the study, 20 to 29-year-old capital region-based customers of the Finnish grocery store market leader S Group were chosen as the audience. There were 14 explorative interviews in total conducted. The findings of the study suggested that ease of use, usefulness, and reliability were all factors that customers appreciated about their experiences in smaller S Group stores. Enjoyment as a factor had changed in nature: the satisfaction was now generated through skipped lines and streamlined store visits. Importantly, interviewees made several comparisons to their experiences in other stores, highlighting some user experience hindrances with S Group solutions. It was concluded that customers primarily use SCOs for the speed and efficiency they provide, not only in S Group stores but generally. The usability of the solutions was notable, but companies should develop their upcoming solutions even more closely with their users to eliminate redundant friction and create sustainable relationships. In the future, situational factors affecting SCO adoption, such as the number of products and mood of the customer, should be researched further.Description
Thesis advisor
Eloranta, VilleGanoo, Apurva
Keywords
self-checkout, grocery retail, retail technology, self-service