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2019 Kiosk Market Census Report reports record growth in 2018

The industry's growth in 2018 was driven largely by factors cited in last year's report — rising mobile commerce and Internet of Things technology — but the demand for self-service technology in 2018, was further heightened by historically low unemployment in the U.S., the country with the most self-serve kiosks

February 18, 2019 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The 2019 Kiosk Market Census Report has been released, documenting record growth for the interactive kiosk industry as consumers continue to embrace self-service technology and businesses rush to reap the benefits of improved customer engagement. The report provides statistical insight into the customer segments that self-serve kiosks serve and explores the technologies that kiosks are using.

The second annual Kiosk Market Census Report found global interactive kiosks — not counting vending machines, ATMs and mounted tablets — reached $9.22 billion in 2019, marking a 17.6 percent 1-year gain and surpassing the prior year's growth rate.

The 58-page report is divided into five industry segments that participated in the survey: retailers and brands that market using kiosks; kiosk hardware manufacturers; kiosk software manufacturers; kiosk value-added resellers and kiosk hardware component manufacturers.

The charts in the report are based on answers from more than 150 completed questionnaires filled out by Kiosk Marketplace readers in October and November of 2018. Kiosk Marketplace also conducted more than 30 phone interviews with readers to get feedback on the survey results. The reader participation in 2018 marked a 33 percent gain over last year's inaugural survey.

Participants were asked to provide information about their number of installations, plans for future deployments, revenue, business mix, investment in research and development, operating costs, kiosk content strategy, return on investment, sales methodology, outlook on technology, level of optimism and perceived challenges.

Technology drives growth

The industry's growth in 2018 was driven largely by factors cited in last year's report — rising mobile commerce and Internet of Things technology — but the demand for self-service technology in 2018 was further heightened by historically low unemployment in the U.S., the country with the most self-serve kiosks.

While there were some variances among the different reader groups' views about the most promising kiosk technologies, three areas — touchscreens, integration with mobile devices and remote machine management — were cited as among the most promising technologies by both user organizations and kiosk hardware and software manufacturers. These three technologies speak to the expansion of e-commerce and mobile ordering that is boosting retail commerce worldwide.

The Kiosk Marketplace Census holds the distinction of offering statistical information provided by both users and suppliers of self-serve kiosks. Where other kiosk market studies are based mostly on supplier provided information, a large amount of the information in the Kiosk Marketplace Census is user provided.

Kiosk Marketplace organized the annual census in 2017 in response to requests from readers looking for reliable data on the size and growth of the self-serve kiosk industry. Companies active in the kiosk industry — or looking to enter the industry — require reliable information on the industry's size and growth rate for their business planning.

The 58-page report is available for purchase at the Kiosk Marketplace online store. To order the report, click here.

About Elliot Maras

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Elliot Maras is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. He brings three decades covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice.