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Self-service technology in supermarkets – Do frontline staff still matter?

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  • Sharma, Piyush
  • Ueno, Akiko
  • Kingshott, Russel

Abstract

This paper uses the concept of psychological distance under construal level theory to explore the differences in the customers’ evaluations of overall store quality, satisfaction and loyalty, based on their experiences with the traditional staff-checkout method and the relatively new self-checkout machines. Two empirical studies, a field survey with retail shoppers in UK (N1 = 313) and an online survey with members of a consumer panel in Australia (N2 = 474), show that the perceived quality of staff-checkout has a stronger positive impact on the overall store quality, satisfaction and loyalty, than the quality of self-checkout. Similarly, satisfaction with staff-checkout has a stronger positive effect on store satisfaction and loyalty, than the satisfaction with self-checkout. Finally, loyalty to staff-checkout also has a stronger positive influence on store loyalty, than the loyalty towards self-checkout. These results show that despite growing use of self-service technology, frontline staff continue to be important for overall store evaluations.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharma, Piyush & Ueno, Akiko & Kingshott, Russel, 2021. "Self-service technology in supermarkets – Do frontline staff still matter?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:59:y:2021:i:c:s0969698920313643
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102356
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    2. Gouthier, Matthias & Nennstiel, Carina & Kern, Nora & Groß, Sebastian, 2022. "Easygoing Shopping – Customer Acceptance of the 'Just Walk Out' Technology in the German Retail Market," Marketing Review St.Gallen, Universität St.Gallen, Institut für Marketing und Customer Insight, vol. 39(5), pages 36-45.
    3. Murzidah Ahmad Murad & Nur Fara Aina Mohd Fitri & Atikah Saadah Selamat & Hafini Suhana Ithnin, 2024. "The Impact of Self-Checkout Technology Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction in Retail Sector," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(10), pages 2718-2728, October.
    4. Zhao, Jingyou & Hu, Enhua & Han, Mingyan & Jiang, Keshen & Shan, Hongmei, 2023. "That honey, my arsenic: The influence of advanced technologies on service employees’ organizational deviance," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
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    6. Dogerlioglu-Demir, Kivilcim & Ng, Andy H. & Koçaş, Cenk, 2023. "Gracefully yours: Would snap judgments of one's subtle graceful movements lead to inferences about their emotional intelligence?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    7. Szabó-Szentgróti Eszter & Rámháp Szabolcs & Kézai Petra Kinga, 2023. "Systematic Review of Cashierless Stores (Just Walk Out Stores) Revolutionizing The Retail," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 18(s1), pages 427-448, December.

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