Traditional checkouts created a huge opportunity to sell shoppers, while they were waiting to be served, those items that the retailer knew you might have forgotten, or would simply buy if they saw it on display, chewing gum, chocolate, magazines, razors, batteries, financial services, etc. The sales of these items could represent up to 20% for some retailers, while for others such as grocery, the sales might be circa 3-5% of total sales, but often higher margin with interested vendors willing to invest behind to secure additional shelf space.

The emergence of self checkout, in all its forms, as the dominant method of payment for many retailers, especially grocery, has lead to a change in how shoppers behave and act at the self-checkout. Often there is no queue, and once they arrive at the POS terminal, they are immediately into "doing work" mode, either picking up, scanning items and then paying, or with Scan & Go, docking the terminal and offering payment. With mobile Scan & Go, there is arguably no checkout, you just walk out!

Given this change in context, many retailers are experimenting with different approaches to selling impulse items. In this working group meeting, we will hear from Tony Durham, a leading expert on shopper psychology, who will share the latest research learnings on how and what shoppers in a queue / line will or will not buy, and where. We will then hear from retailers and their latest thinking on how to sell impulse items in a mainly self-checkout retail context.

This working group meeting is for retailers, CPG's and academics only.