Convenience stores have been moving away from beer and cigarettes
and toward the Fresh & Easy concept for several years. No longer
blue collar, they have a much broader demographic appeal than they used
to. Part of their appeal to younger shoppers is the push-button form of
self service that differentiates convenience stores from supermarkets,
and younger shoppers from older ones. It's a 21st century version
of self-service. The supermarket version, in contrast, seems like the
20th century version.
The small and often-busy Wawa in my neighborhood has 12
push-to-choose devices within the confines of its small space. These
devices are used for customizing sandwiches, mixing coffee and other
drink flavors to the blend you prefer, getting cash, or paying for your
purchases. It's intriguing to see younger shoppers punch in their
sandwich order, swipe their card for cash, and blend their coffee, by
which time their sandwich is ready for another card swipe. Older
shoppers shop linearly, one thing at a time, and mostly bypass the
buttons.
To help young shoppers feel at home in their stores, supermarkets
should consider installing ordering terminals at their service delis and
bakeries. These terminals reduce but don't bypass the associate
interaction. What they seem to do is help younger shoppers clarify their
order in their own minds, communicate it to the associate, and see a
receipt that shows what they are getting.
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