E-mart, the leading discount retail chain in Korea, recently underwent a complete overhaul of its self checkout(SCO) zone. Beyond enhancing operational efficiency, the primary objective was to ensure customers enjoyed a faster checkout experience.
As the checkout zone is the only area that 100% of customers passthrough in the retail store, its shopping experience is crucial for the overall shopability.
Upon implementation, approximately 45% of all transactions were processed through the self-checkout, marking a 700 base points increase YOY. As a successful outcome, it was progressively introduced to all stores within a year.
E-Mart expands self-checkout counters... Cashiers ↓ Sales ↑ Executive compensation ↑Bo-hyun Kim, 07/12/2022
E-Mart introduces unmanned checkout counter ‘self-checkout’Ji-yu Song & Tae-hyun Kim, 01/16/2018
We conducted a customer behavior analysis and interviewed cashiers and customers at E-Mart Seong-su branch to identify pain points at each touchpoint of the checkout journey. This allowed us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the root causes behind customers' inconvenience.
Throughout the journey, one of the biggest obstacles customers faced was the frequent occurrence of errors with self-checkout machines, such as inaccurate weight recognition and an unintuitive user interface.
1. Standardizing and unifying the space module design for cohesive zone experiences
2. Minimizing visual communication clutters
3. Clearer way-finding signage
1. Enhance scale function
2. Propose natural, ergonomic process from scanning to packing stage
1. More intuitive UX/UI
2. Present E-mart Identity
Numerous pain points encountered across various phases of the self-checkout process prompted our decision to develop a new user-centric self-checkout machine.
We developed four prototypes, ranging from models adaptable to current
store environments to those envisioned for future stores.
※ This is the abbreviated version of the entire user journey
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Unnatural user experiences due to procedural obstacles.
Increased fatigue caused by frequent pop-up interruptions.
Overly complex steps resulting in a tedious user journey.
Simplification of coupon usage and immediate payment steps are required.
We focused on addressing the most inconvenient aspect of the existing UX: the shopping cart purchase process.To improve this, we minimized pop-up displays and introduced an intuitive interface that clearly tracks payment progress. New features also include compound payment options and coupon usage.
Overall, UI consistently applies the EMart visual brand system throughout the process.
Taking human scale into consideration, we standardized the zone by enlarging the spaces to accommodate
both 6 and 12 self-checkout machines.
With 6 self-checkout machines
With 12 self-checkout machines
Three space concepts for the self-checkout zone was proposed. From 'Clean', 'Cozy', and 'Highlighting commercials', we tried to provide a unified zone environment.
Concept 1.
Clean and minimal
Concept 2.
Furniture-like and warm vibe with wood material
Concept 3.
Actively exposing advertisement
Through this project, I gained valuable experience in integrating physical and digital realms to create a holistic customer experience. Our team was responsible for creating the spatial concept of the self-checkout zone while also connecting the efforts of the hardware and UI teams. It was crucial to design a cohesive look and feel that reflected Emart’s identity at the right touchpoints. By carefully deciding where to apply the brand’s core colors based on different spatial concepts, we successfully developed three distinctive self-checkout zone guidelines.
Additionally, I learned the importance of collecting customer feedback and how it shapes both the form and function of a design. Addressing customer needs was critical when designing the self-checkout zone, the machine, and the UI. For the UI, in particular, I came to understand the value of simplicity and intuitiveness in ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience.
