Self-checkout has become a staple of the shopping experience, but since it was introduced to the public in 1986, some have wondered whether it’s accomplishing what it set out to do.

Earlier this year, a study found that self-checkout has become the predominant checkout format, with 53% more shoppers using it over a five-year span and a 17% increase from 2020 to 2022, according to VideoMining.

• Grocers have embraced the technology—there was a 162% bump in dollars per 100 store visitors sold from self-checkout merchandising in 2022 compared to 2020.
• And in 2022, 70% of shoppers said they didn’t have to wait in a line at all, a jump from 19% who said the same in 2017.

But as self-checkout, in its traditional form, has expanded in recent years, biometric payments such as Amazon palm-payment technology are also starting to spread.

Keep reading here.—KM

Psst! You know what’s just around the holly-jolly corner, right? (Of course you do—Black Friday and Cyber Monday.) So how are consumers thinking about spending this season, given the economic headwinds?

No need to take your best guess. Klaviyo surveyed 3k US consumers to understand how they plan to shop this year.

This consumer research report will also help e-commerce marketers take a magnifying glass to spending trends, which can highlight the most impactful marketing strategies. Find key stats and deets on:

• economic perceptions
• in-store vs. online shopping
• creating perceived value
• when holiday shopping happens

And that’s just the tip of the tree. Intrigued? Download your free copy.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) is anticipating a tamer holiday shopping season after two years of heavy spending in the wake of the pandemic.

The group’s annual holiday forecast predicts that spending will increase 3%–4% year over year between November and December, bringing the total to between $957 billion and $967 billion.

This marks a significant slowdown from 2020 and 2021, when spending increased 9.1% and 12.7%, respectively, but it is “very much in line with or frankly slightly better than pre-pandemic averages,” NRF CEO Matthew Shay told reporters during a press conference on Thursday.

Of course, this is no pre-pandemic economy. Interest rates, inflation, and gas prices remain elevated, and yet consumers are still showing “strength and resilience,” Shay said.

Keep reading here.—AV

Starbucks’s fourth quarter earnings showed continued strength in its premium beverage offerings—particularly, of course, the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Comparable global store sales rose 8% in Q4, with North American and US comparable store sales also up 8%, boosted by a 6% jump in average consumer spending and a 2% rise in transactions. Net revenue increased 11% YoY to $9.4 billion globally, and 12% to $6.9 billion in North America. The coffee giant also grew its margin to 23.2% in North America in the quarter, largely driven by a reduction in store operating expense as a result of investments in training and equipment.

• Starbucks anticipates global comparable sales to grow 5% to 7% for fiscal 2024.

CEO Laxman Narasimhan said the company’s fall product launches in late August, including the PSL (which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year), along with “apple-inspired” food and beverage products, contributed to record-breaking average weekly sales.

Keep reading here.—EC