The privacy problem – and how self-service can help solve it

Some products are more uncomfortable to purchase than others. And while online shopping has made it easier to make sensitive purchases privately, there are still plenty of occasions when these products need to be bought in-store. In these situations, self-service can offer shoppers something beyond speed and convenience: a greater sense of privacy.

But how important is privacy when choosing a checkout method – and what can retailers learn from it?

The strive for basket privacy

Some products are naturally perceived as more sensitive or personal to purchase than others. The reasons can vary greatly, from cultural and social stigma to health conditions and simply not wanting another person to know what is in the shopping basket.

A recent study explores whether self-checkout gives shoppers a greater sense of privacy when purchasing products they may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable buying from a cashier. Researchers analysed supermarket purchasing behaviour around the introduction of self-checkout, with some interesting results.

The findings showed that shoppers were more likely to purchase certain potentially sensitive or stigmatized products at self-checkout than at a traditional cashier-operated register. The difference was particularly noticeable for products such as condoms and pregnancy tests.

This suggests that removing the interaction with a cashier can influence not only how customers choose to pay, but potentially how comfortable they feel making certain purchases in the first place.

The price to pay for privacy

How much are shoppers willing to sacrifice – whether in time or convenience – for additional privacy?

According to the study, shoppers appeared willing to accept a small additional time cost in exchange for the privacy offered by self-checkout. In other words, choosing the quickest available checkout option may not always be the customer's highest priority. For certain purchases, avoiding a potentially uncomfortable social interaction can be worth spending a little extra time.

Of course, using self-service does not necessarily mean a longer checkout journey. Depending on basket size and the type of self-service solution available, the opposite may be true. Faster checkout is one of the main benefits commonly associated with solutions such as self-scanning, where much of the scanning process takes place during the shopping journey and customers can often proceed quickly through payment.

The interesting takeaway is therefore not that customers are willing to wait for self-service, but that speed is not the only value they see in it. Privacy can be another factor influencing which checkout option a shopper chooses.

Taking privacy one step further with self-scanning

Self-scanning can offer an additional layer of privacy compared with self-checkout. Since shoppers scan and pack their items as they move through the store, products do not necessarily need to be unpacked and handled again at the checkout. By the time the shopper reaches the payment area, most of the shopping journey is already complete.

For someone purchasing a sensitive or personal item, this can make a meaningful difference. Rather than placing the product on a checkout counter or scanning it in front of other customers, it can remain packed away while the shopper completes the final steps of the transaction. In this sense, self-scanning combines shopping independence with a more discreet purchasing journey.

Are these insights applicable worldwide?

The study analysed supermarket purchasing data from the Washington, D.C. area, which naturally raises the question of whether the same behaviour can be expected in other markets.

Perceptions of what constitutes an embarrassing or sensitive purchase can differ between countries, cultures, demographics, and even individuals. A product that causes discomfort for one shopper may be completely ordinary to another. This means the findings should not automatically be assumed to apply equally across every retail market.

Nevertheless, the underlying idea is relevant: customers may value having greater control over who is involved in their purchasing journey.

Retailers can explore whether similar patterns exist within their own stores and markets. For example, purchasing behaviour across staffed and self-service checkouts could provide insight into whether certain product categories are disproportionately purchased through self-service. Customer surveys and other forms of feedback could add further context around why shoppers choose one checkout option over another.

Takeaways for retailers: privacy and self-service

The study provides an interesting reminder that the reasons customers choose self-service can be more complex than they initially appear.

Self-service motivation: More complex than we might think

Self-service solutions are often discussed in terms of speed, convenience, shorter queues, and operational efficiency. All of these can be important, but they do not necessarily tell the whole story.

For some customers and some purchases, privacy and reduced social discomfort may be part of the value proposition as well. Self-service gives shoppers greater control over their journey and can reduce the number of interactions required between selecting an item and leaving the store.

Retailers can support this sense of independence through the design of the self-service area itself. Checkout stations can be positioned with sufficient space between customers, screens can be designed to avoid unnecessarily displaying sensitive information, and the overall flow can give shoppers a reasonable degree of personal space without compromising store security or staff availability.

Privacy, in other words, is not only about removing the cashier. It can also be influenced by the physical environment, the technology, and the amount of control customers feel they have over the transaction.

Privacy: A unique selling point for self-service?

Should retailers start advertising self-service as the private way to shop? Probably not.

There is an inherent balance between privacy and loss prevention. Self-checkout and self-scanning environments still require security measures, including random checks and interventions triggered by particular events. Customers therefore cannot be guaranteed a completely interaction-free experience, as a staff member may occasionally need to verify items in the basket.

Making privacy an explicit promise could consequently create expectations that retailers cannot always fulfil. It could also conflict with the need to communicate that self-service remains a monitored and controlled checkout environment.

Instead, retailers could focus on a broader and more sustainable benefit: shopping independence.

Giving customers the choice to scan, manage, and complete their own shopping journey naturally provides a greater degree of privacy without making privacy itself the central selling point. For shoppers purchasing something they would rather keep to themselves, that seemingly small benefit could make a meaningful difference.

Ultimately, the study highlights something that can easily be overlooked when discussing self-service: customers do not all choose it for the same reason. One shopper may want to avoid a queue, another may enjoy having control over the scanning process, and another may simply prefer not to hand their purchases to a cashier.

Understanding these different motivations can help retailers create self-service experiences that deliver value beyond efficiency – giving customers greater choice and control over how they shop.