“Will
that be cash or charge” is a familiar line to a lot of us. Maybe not so much for
anyone younger than Gen X, but it’s an important question that has grown far
beyond the limitations of credit cards. From traditional checkout counters to
elaborate designs, to smart carts that automatically ring up whatever you place
in the cart, to reading your palm for payment, our choice of options at the
cash wrap is limitless. Let’s take a look at what’s out there today and what
each one has to offer.
Location
is important in more places than your store’s address. It’s critical on the
sales floor, too. The front right side of your store is not the ideal place for
your cash wrap counter. That’s lakefront property, a prime location with the
potential to sell more than other areas of the floor. You also don’t want
visitors to think about spending money as soon as they enter, and before they
have had a chance to peruse the sales floor. For those reasons, the ideal
location for your cash wrap is either at the center of the sales floor, about
15-20’ inside the front door, or at the left front of your sales floor, at the
natural end of the shopping experience. In this location, the cash wrap is the
last stop in the shoppers experience.
New
York City’s The Modern Chemist classifies itself as a boutique pharmacy retail
experience, and it is. We found all sorts of things here not commonly found in similar
stores. The cash wrap here is heavily merchandised with impulse products, while
still leaving space on both sides for shoppers to place product and their
handbags, totes or backpacks.
Because
this cash wrap is product heavy we like that the back wall here is used only to
house a sign and a clock. This open space gives the eye a break from everything
else that is going on in the store.
That
being said, it’s smart to merchandise the wall behind the cash wrap with the
same care as any other product display. The purpose of this display is to keep
the shopper continually thinking about what you sell, and to encourage impulse
purchases.
This
is Extra Butter New York, a progressive boutique and indie owned lifestyle
brand that combines a passion for film, fashion, and culture. The sales floor
is pure theater with red velvet curtains, cinema seating to try on sneakers,
and a cash wrap that resembles a concession stand.
The
cash wrap is flexible, allowing the glass candy counters and back wall to features
hats and accessories, or showcase various product lines. It might be the place
to pay, but the displays make it impossible not to keep shopping.
Chazio’s Boutique Salon in Algonquin, Illinois is another example of strong merchandising
behind the cash wrap. In a creative store this area might be used to hold
frequently forgotten items or to highlight new arrivals or specific categories.
In your store, merchandise or made-up models might replace the clock as a focal
point.
cash wrap at House of Charlemagne, an eclectic and modern home decor store, in
St. Charles, Illinois, is elegant in its simplicity. It sits almost dead center
of the sales floor where it is surrounded by irresistible product that turns as
often as the sales floor changes. This cash wrap is a table at a comfortable pub
height; a fabric skirt hides the things that commonly need to be stored close
by, but out of sight. We love the sign, too. Anyone else remember customer
after customer asking to whom to write the check out? Good times.
made in NYC from new, vintage and artisan made material. The cash wrap stands
out in its simplicity. Bonus: It’s on wheels so it can be moved as the sales
floor changes.
Knitwear is an independent bookstore, podcast studio, event space and café on
NYC’s Lower East Side. There is a moving story about why a bookstore is called
P&T Knitwear – you can read all about it on P&T’s website.
There
are a few things going on in this photo that we like: 1.) You will never forget
the name of the store, 2.) The care in which the impulse items are displayed,
and 3.) The letterboard behind the counter lists upcoming in-store events.
P&T Knitwear proves that a cash wrap doesn’t have to be a bare space in
order to be effective.
pieces, artist features, and items from journeys all over the world.” The store
is narrow, making the right side lake front property non-existent. Instead of
displays, that side of the sales floor is lined with floor to ceiling mirrors
that visually double the look of the space.
This
cash wrap is a work of art that includes a mixture of textures and a place to
have a conversation about whatever you came in to buy. The majority of the counter
is at approximately 48” tall, but the dip in the center is 36”, meeting ADA
requirements and making it easier for persons with disabilities to shop
comfortably.
Moving targets
doesn’t love shopping at Apple where every associate carries an iPhone to
quickly check you out and send you on your way? Associates who carry handheld registers
make it easier for customers to pay for goods and services. This isn’t fancy
technology, it’s available right now. Options include card swipers, bar code
scanners, and even printers for shoppers who prefer a paper receipt. Companies
you may already work with, like Square and Shopify offer mobile options, as do
most POS system companies. If you are interested in exploring a mobile option,
start there.
These
mobile devices give your associates the ability to go where customers are on
the sales floor, so answering inventory questions no longer requires a trip to
the register. At Home Depot recently an associate was able to tell us where the
item we were looking for was located, how many were in stock, pricing and more.
This helps provide customer service that is quick and convenient.
Line?
What line?
took one look at the checkout lines at the World of Disney® store at Walt
Disney World and said “We’re outta here.” The lines were worse than rides at
the Magic Kingdom. But as we turned to leave we saw the sign above: mobile
checkout to the rescue.
And
it was easy: Move to one of the dedicated mobile checkout areas, open the
Disney Experience app, scan the item, choose a method of payment, bag it, and show
your QR confirmation code to a Disney Cast Member before exiting the store.
Disney even emails you a receipt. Our entire transaction took about five
minutes, with minimal wait time. Know what else? Knowing we could quickly check
out, we bought more.
“Unexpected
item in the bagging area.”
If
you hate self-checkouts, you will be happy to know that you are not alone. Everyone
else hates them, too. And why not? You’re exhausted, why should you have to do
all the work when it’s the cashiers job? Good question. Still, self-checkouts
aren’t going anywhere, but they are evolving.
We
found this latest version of the self-checkout at a Zara store, but we have
also seen them at Uniqlo and H&M. The cool thing about this checkout is how
it works: You dump all you plan to purchase in the bin and the device goes to
work, scanning each item using RFID technology. The screen displays items and
price for the shopper to confirm before proceeding to payment. The shopper
removes security tags and bags their purchase. It’s less of a workout than
traditional self-checkout, and to be honest, kind of fun.
Back
to the future
Photo: Jumbo
There
was a time when conversation was expected at the cash wrap. You can still find
it in many stores, but in others, busy lives trump small talk. To some
customers those interactions are a lifeline. Enter Jumbo, a Dutch grocer that’s
still in the relationship business.
Kletskassa
translates to “Chat Checkout” in English. It’s a place where shoppers can spend
time chatting with the cashier while buying their groceries. Jumbo introduced it
to help older people overcome loneliness; something necessary in a world that
becomes more digital and impersonal each day. Chat Checkouts can be found in
200 Jumbo stores, and some of them have even added chat corners where shoppers
can connect over a cup of coffee. We could use a little Kletskassa here, too.
Cash
wrap counters are as unique as the stores where they reside. Some are
elaborate, some easy and uncomplicated, while others are buried under a mess of
merchandise and piles of paper. In retail, the customer’s’ perception is
everything, and your cash wrap counter is more than a place for shoppers to pay
for purchases. What happens during this moment of truth often determines
whether or not the customer returns to shop with you again. It’s a place where
relationships are built and experiences are created. Make yours a pleasant
space that serves both form and function.
© KIZER & BENDER 2024 | Retail Adventures Blog
