Self-Service Key to Holiday Shopping Headaches

Self-service options, including gift card kiosks, product locaters and self-return devices, offer convenience and time savings for holiday shoppers

As stores prepare for the holiday rush, shoppers are bracing for the headaches and hassles of long lines, crowded aisles and harried store associates. The solution, according to a recent survey, includes the convenience of self-service. The majority of U.S. consumers, 64 percent, believe the holiday shopping experience would be faster and less frustrating if more retail stores offered self-service to shorten wait times. …

When asked to identify the self-service options that could help alleviate holiday shopping frustrations, product locator kiosks topped the list at 68 percent. Not far behind was self-service return of gifts or purchases (66 percent), followed by self-service gift card kiosks (63 percent), Internet purchasing (59 percent) and self-service checkout (57 percent). …

Gift cards top holiday shopping lists
Gift cards are popular during the holiday season, providing flexibility to both the gift giver and receiver. Last year, according to a survey conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation, gift card expenditures in 2006 reached over $24 billion. In fact, two-thirds of consumers will purchase at least one gift card during the holiday season. Of those purchasers, consumers on average will buy more than seven gift cards per year. ..

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