Impulsive Shoppers Are Given Less Opportunity to Act on Impulse

The checkout area, while taking up little space compared to therest of the store, currently has a big impact. A study conducted by EHI Retail Institute found that confectionary-heavy checkout zones produce more than 7% of total store sales (up 0.7% since 2010)though they make up only 1% of the store’s space. But as retailers move towards more convenient shopper solutions, like preordering, the power of the checkout comes into question.

Think of the upcoming addition to the Starbucks app. Soon coffee connoisseurs will be able to

order their beverages and pay by phone all while en route to the store, allowing them to skip the line and go straight to pick-up. Walmart shoppers can now get their groceries without ever having to set foot in the actual store. While very cool, these customer benefits could be costly for some retailers. If customers are skipping the checkout line, they’re also skipping the snacks and goodies that feed on impulsivity near the cash register. What does this mean for the future of the checkout?

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