From discount enthusiasts to efficiency seekers – meet the different types of self-scanning users
Do you wonder who actually uses self-scanning? Plenty of people do! As the benefits of self-scanning have become more prominent during the last couple of years, more shoppers are willing to try this type of solution. Learn about the various personality types here!
In the ever-changing landscape of modern retail, self-scanning has emerged as a convenient and efficient way for customers to do their shopping. However, at first glance, individuals might dismiss the idea of self-scanning, thinking it's not for them.
But what does a person who uses the self-scanning option look like, then? Is the willingness to self-scan connected to a specific purchasing behaviour, or are there any personality traits that affects this habit?
Turns out, people who self-scan are very different. Not only do they have various personality traits, but they also have different demographic attributes. The motivations behind are also quite diverse, as the benefits of self-scanning are many, so naturally various types of shoppers value different things.
But if we were to generalise, and sometimes it is okay to do that, we can look at the type of shoppers that appear at the store, and see how their purchasing behaviour aligns with self-scanning. Moreover, by getting an idea of several factors such as the purchase frequency, the average shopping basket and budget, we can get an idea of which benefits of self-scanning that are the most appealing.
So for all of those who wonders “Who actually use self-scanning?”, here are some examples:
The student
The student is someone in their 20’s who just moved away from their hometown to get an education - what an exciting time! Despite the scarce economic resources and the occasional case of homesickness, this is a thrilling new chapter in their lives. What better time to explore the benefits of self-scanning? As the younger generations tend to be tech-savvy and have quick ability to learn, the self-scanning alternative will quickly become a favourite.
Anyone who has been a student knows that there are plenty of money to save when making smart purchases at the grocery store. Discounts and other offers are a great way for the student to stay on budget – there are other things to spend money on too! With self-scanning, the student makes sure to never miss an offer – and to get personalized deals as well. Furthermore, the self-scanning solution offers a great real-time overview of the amount to pay – a solid way for the student to avoid any unpleasant surprises at the checkout.
A consequence of living by themselves for the first time, the student’s cooking skills are fairly limited – and with that, the recipes are not that advanced. Fortunately, their favourite grocery store has some amazing recipes on their website – and an integration with the self-scanning option in the store, making it possible to create shopping lists at home that are accessible in the store.
As with all high-quality self-scanning solutions, new features are added and improved over the years. And when the student finally graduates and takes their first steps into adulthood, the habit of self-scanning will follow along.
Main advantages for The Student:
Making sure to stay on budget
Having access to recipes and inspiration
Integrated shopping list
The one on-the-go
Everyone has that one friend that always seems to be on their way to somewhere else – whether it be a work meeting, a birthday party, or a 5-day rock festival in the woods. These types of individuals tend to have a packed schedule, and have thereby perfected most of their daily routines for maximal timesaving purposes: brushing the teeth in the shower, tying the shoelaces in the elevator, answering office emails during the commute. But what about their shopping habits? Are there ways to save time – while still making sure to get the desired items?
Well of course there is! As soon as this person discovered self-scanning, they immediately saw the possibility to save both time and money – without any additional effort. The on-the-go shopper takes great pleasure in swiftly navigating the store and scanning the items quickly, without any interference or additional assistance needed.
Regardless of store, the on-the-go shopper is well-versed in the art of self-scanning, and can handle both dedicated self-scanning device and smartphone with ease – as long as the process is simple and quick, this shopper is happy.
Nothing brings the on-the-go shopper greater happiness than the possibility to avoid the queues. The sheer joy of experiencing a queue-free shopping trip is genuine, and if you look closely you might see a smile of happiness before the on-the-go shopper is rushing off to their next event.
Main advantages for The On-the-go shopper:
The possibility to avoid the queue
Full control during the entire shopping journey
The Family
“Honey, did you get the ketchup? We ran out yesterday. And by the way, could you grab a box of cereal too?”. The family doing their weekly grocery shopping is gaining attention at the store, for various reasons:
The large amount of yoghurt, eggs and other items that have been collected in the shopping cart.
The military-like discipline where every family member is out on a mission to retrieve designated items.
The way the self-scanning device is quickly scanning each item before a family member is putting it in the shopping bags, sorted by product category, fragility, and optimal temperature.
Self-scanning offers plenty of advantages for families – regardless of size or level of consumption. By being able to remove time-consuming or stressful elements during the shopping journey, the weekly shopping can be done quicker and with greater ease. Discounts, shopping lists, recipes and membership points can all be viewed in the self-scanning unit: using a smartphone or dedicated device does not matter.
As the end of the shopping trip is getting closer, the self-scanning alternative offers another benefit: there is no need to un-pack the groceries on the conveyor belt. Moreover, instead of standing in the never-ending line while the kids are getting hangry (“Mom, I want to eat NOW”), the parents can head straight for the parking lot after a quick payment process. Tantrums, among both kids and grown-ups, have been avoided this time as well.
Main advantages for The Family:
Integrated shopping list
The possibility to scan and pack during the shopping trip
No queues
The weekly shopper
A weekly shopper is not necessarily a shopping enthusiast, but recognizes there is a time and place for everything, and treats the weekly shopping as an essential routine. The preparations can be as enjoyable as the shopping trip itself: The contents of the fridge are reviewed, recipes are gathered and a shopping list is created. For the weekly shopper, planning is key.
When the self-scanning alternative was introduced to the weekly shopper, something unusual happened – a new habit was formed. Not only could the shopping list be created digitally beforehand and accessed in store, but the in-store packing of items allowed the weekly shopper to better plan their shopping journey, without the risk of having to re-pack everything after the conveyor belt.
And maybe unwilling to admit it, the self-scanning also offers the perk of not having to interact with anyone else during this time. The headphones can stay on, with a great podcast or audio book, during the whole shopping trip. This is where shopping meets meditation.
The weekly shopper makes sure to utilise all features that the self-scanning solution has to offer – and tries new features as they are added. As long as the functions make the shopping experience better, they are being utilised. Reward points, personalized offers, list of ingredients – the weekly shopper make sure to stay in control of their shopping journey, from the planning stage to leaving the store.
Main advantages for The Weekly Shopper:
Full control, from planning to exit
Integrated shopping list
Avoiding the queue
The daily shopper
The daily shopper is a regular at their local supermarket, and is usually recognized by two things:
The limited number of items in the shopping cart
The way they are almost chummy with the staff
Dropping by the store on almost a daily basis, this individual is quite spontaneous and does not like to plan that far ahead – at least not when it comes to groceries. By getting only the essentials each time, the daily shopper can make sure to purchase the things that they desire for the moment – and to get fresh products each day.
But just because the purchases are relatively spontaneous, it does not mean that the daily shopper is negligent to discounts and offerings. Nor does it mean they are unaware of their membership status. By using self-scanning, the daily shopper has a solid overview of what the store has to offer, and gets the best deals of the day. Furthermore, thanks to the integration between the store’s CRM system and the self-scanning software, the membership status and the rewards that follows are always in the daily shoppers’ mind.
Another benefit of the self-scanning option is that it allows for more casual conversation – with the staff and other shoppers. The daily shopper is a firm advocate for self-scanning, and is not afraid to help any struggling shoppers in need of some self-scanning help. A nice chat is always appreciated, and the daily shopper’s recurring visits are a welcome sight for staff members and store-loyal shoppers.
Main advantages for The Daily Shopper:
Never missing discounts or offerings
Full shopping control
Avoiding time-consuming elements
The senior
Who says you cannot teach an old dog new tricks? Perhaps not the first one to try self-scanning when it first appeared at the store, the senior shopper is now an adamant user. Thanks to the intuitive and clear interface, the self-scanning turned out to be much easier than expected- whew!
For the senior shopper, the goal is not to finish the shopping trip as fast as possible, it is to make sure that everything on the shopping list has been checked off the list, and to stay on budget. Shopping at one’s owns pace can actually be quite nice, there is really no need to rush.
Thanks to the self-scanning option, it is now possible to get more information about the ingredients – some of these packages have text that has become difficult to read. Luckily, the ingredient list can also be viewed at the screen when scanning an item, so the senior shopper can make sure to stay informed.
Not everything in life is convenient, and the senior shopper knows this well. But they also know that it can be foolish to not take advantage of new and improved features – especially if they offer a significant increase in convenience. For the senior shopper, this is the possibility to skip un-packing and re-packing at the conveyor belt, as this tends to worsen the back issues. Carrying too much is not an option at this age, and it is better to save the energy for other things. These modern solutions are quite handy.
Main advantages for The Senior Shopper:
Avoiding heavy lifts and other unpleasant elements
The possibility to scan and pack during the shopping trip
Making sure to stay on budget
Learn more about self-scanning:
