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Survey finds shoppers look to self-service for holiday shopping relief
November 15, 2007
ATLANTA — As stores prepare for the holiday rush, shoppers are bracing for the headaches and hassles of long lines, crowded aisles and harried store associates. The solution, according to a recent survey, includes the convenience of self-service. The majority of U.S. consumers, 64 percent, believe the holiday shopping experience would be faster and less frustrating if more retail stores offered self-service to shorten wait times.
Conducted for NCR Corp. by Opinion Research Corp., the survey asked consumers to evaluate their frustrations with holiday shopping and rate how self-service could bring more cheer.
"We're witnessing a transition in how consumers want to be served, and it involves gaining more personal control of the shopping experience," said Mike Webster, vice president and general manager, NCR Self-Service Solutions. "During peak shopping periods like the holiday season, consumers are adamant that the best customer service includes self-service."
When asked to identify the self-service options that could help alleviate holiday shopping frustrations, product locator kiosks topped the list at 68 percent. Not far behind was self-service return of gifts or purchases (66 percent), followed by self-service gift card kiosks (63 percent), Internet purchasing (59 percent) and self-service checkout (57 percent).
When asked what frustrates them the most during the holiday season, the majority of consumers (52 percent) cited long checkout lines. Other top frustrations include the time it takes to locate items (14 percent), poor staff service (10 percent) and inadequately stocked shelves (9 percent).
Mass merchandising stores are home to the most frustrating shopping experiences during the holidays (38 percent), followed by clothing stores (20 percent), toy stores (15 percent), grocery stores (14 percent) and specialty shops (6 percent).
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