News

Most Americans have used self-serve this year, study shows

December 18, 2003

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- From paying at the pump, to price checkers, to pre-paid products, Americans are using self-service kiosks to simplify shopping and everyday errands.

According to a news release, the 2003 Coinstar National Currency Poll, which provides a bi-annual look at Americans and their money, revealed that 80 percent of Americans have used a self-service machine or kiosk within the past year.

According to the Coinstar survey, 36 percent of respondents said retailers that provide customers with self-service kiosks in addition to sales and customer service staff are more customer-service oriented.

While Americans cited a number of reasons for turning to self-service kiosks, the top reasons were convenience/hassle-free operation (61 percent), save time (48 percent), and they are simple and easy to use (36 percent). Other reasons for using kiosks and self-service machines included the ability to provide a transaction record, they are safe and protect personal information, they provide accurate information and make fewer errors, and they offer greater value and savings compared with direct sales or over-the-counter service.

Consumers surveyed report that they have frequented self-serve gas stations (53 percent), used self-service check-out at a grocery store or other retailer (34 percent), post-office stamp vending machine (23 percent), coins-to-cash machine at the supermarket (16 percent), check-in kiosk at the airport (10 percent), pre-paid phone or debit card kiosk (8 percent), and in-store bridal registry (8 percent) -- within the past year.