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

Article


Sharma, P., Ueno, A. and Kingshott, R. 2021. Self-service technology in supermarkets - Do frontline staff still matter? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 59, pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102356
TypeArticle
TitleSelf-service technology in supermarkets - Do frontline staff still matter?
AuthorsSharma, P., Ueno, A. and Kingshott, R.
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.

KeywordsCheckout methods; Self-service technology; Store loyalty; Store quality; Supermarkets
PublisherElsevier
JournalJournal of Retailing and Consumer Services
ISSN0969-6989
Electronic1873-1384
Publication dates
Online26 Oct 2020
PrintMar 2021
Publication process dates
Deposited29 Oct 2020
Accepted20 Oct 2020
Submitted23 May 2020
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
License
File Access Level
Open
Copyright Statement

© 2020. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102356
Web of Science identifierWOS:000608972200017
LanguageEnglish
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