Wincor Nixdorf helps consumer electronics store launch self-checkout

PADERBORN, Germany—The Saturn store in Ingolstadt is the first consumer electronics retail store in Europe to install self-checkout systems fromWincor Nixdorf. Customers can scan and pay for purchases at one of four self-checkout stations.

Self-checkout systems are part of Wincor Nixdorf's total solution concept for automating the checkout process.

The Saturn installation runs the TPiSCAN software from Wincor Nixdorf, to which the POS application that Saturn developed in-house was adapted. Saturn has more than 120 stores in Germany and more than 175 in eight European countries, making it one of the leading consumer electronics retailers in Europe.

The introduction of the new self-checkout systems in the Ingolstadt store is an important step in strengthening the company's profile as a future-oriented specialty retailer.

"With these new self-checkout stations, we're offering our customers an attractive alternative to traditional staffed checkouts, although naturally we'll continue to offer those as well" said Wolfgang Hawlitschek, managing director at the Ingolstadt Saturn store. "We assume that our customers, many of whom are very interested in technological innovation, will be open to this new approach to checking out."

Saturn chose Wincor Nixdorf's Scan&Bag solution, which was developed especially for customers with smaller purchases. An integrated hand-scanner allows larger items to be scanned.

"Self-service solutions are a sensible addition to staffed checkouts in many types of stores, not just grocery retailing," said Joachim Pinhammer, director of retail marketing at Wincor Nixdorf. "We have developed automated checkout solutions for a variety of retail formats, including home improvement stores, mail-order companies, and now consumer electronics. Self-checkout can be adapted to the specific requirements of many different retail segments."