Technology | POS / Back Office
Transaction Technology
Transformed As c-stores focus on creating a frictionless experience, they’re integrating contactless payment, self-checkout kiosks and autonomous checkout technology. Anne Baye Ericksen • Contributing Editor
Prior to the debut of debit cards in 1996, customers primarily proffered cash for their convenience store purchases, or maybe a personal check. Since then, there’s been a steady migration toward card-only payments. More than 40% of Americans exclusively use an alternative form of payment other than cash for all their purchases, per recent research from the Pew Research Center. This transition has spurred on several technology updates in the retail channel. For example, the magnetic strip on debit cards has been replaced with EMV chips; and tap-enabled smart cards, contactless apps and scannable QR codes are becoming more prominent. What’s next in this evolution? Point-of-sale (POS) innovation currently being deployed is less about payment technology — although that continues to play a role — and more about the checkout experience. “When you are buying two or three items, imagine how frustrating it is to be stuck in line behind six people. The convenience store is no longer convenient,” said Art 112
CSTORE DECISIONS •
November 2022
cstoredecisions.com
