Checkout Rules! The Customer Experience Starts (and ends) at the Point of Sale

Friction is the Enemy 

Retailers know customers have little tolerance for friction at the point of sale. TRG Strategic Enterprise Account Executive Ami Stephens put it bluntly: “Retailers always tell us: we can’t afford checkout downtime. It’s mission critical.” 

According to Stephens, balancing frictionless checkout with other important variables like loss prevention is often one of the first things retail leaders bring up at big gatherings like the yearly NRF show. 

“At NRF, checkout and self-service are always hot topics,” she said. “It’s always about making it as easy as possible for the customer without adding shrink.” 

This hire-wire act — speed versus control — is at the core of how retailers think about their front-end technology. 

For example, “registers” alone no longer cut it in a modern checkout environment. Today’s ideal environment blends traditional lanes with self-checkout stations, kiosks and mobile point-of-sale devices carried by associates. Increasingly, retailers are also leveraging RFID Readers, AI-enabled cameras and other monitoring tools to keep the process smooth. 

But the real litmus test? Customer experience. Every new tool — from legacy kiosks to next-gen devices are ultimately judged on one metric: does it work for the customer when it matters? 

“It’s not just about the hardware,” added Adam Jatich, TRG Director of Retail and Hospitality Solutions. “There are always new ways of interacting with the customer. The challenge is making sure these new technologies integrate with everything else, from payments to inventory systems and beyond.” 

Stephens agrees, pointing out that customer experience is the ultimate lens through which any new checkout technology or future investment is judged. 

“It doesn’t matter if it’s an old school kiosk or a handheld device or some other brand-new technology,” she said. “The same fundamental rules of retail apply. If a system malfunctions or slows down, you’re in danger of losing your customer. 

Partnerships and Points of Sale 

Because checkout is such a visible and critical part of the in-store experience, it’s often where retailers choose to begin their modernization journey. Upgrades like kiosks, mobile payment options or self-checkout are usually the first step toward rethinking how the front end of the store works. 

In fact, a successful checkout project can often serve as the proof point that larger change is possible. What starts with a single project often grows into broader initiatives — from asset tracking for inventory visibility and loss prevention to payments modernization. 

“We’ve worked on many projects that started simply — like kiosks,” Jatich explains. “Our goal is always to do good work and build trust for when customers take on other projects down the line.” 

The pattern reflects a bigger truth: in today’s retail landscape, there’s really no such thing as a “one-off” project. Modernization at the checkout almost always leads to new questions and new opportunities across the store. 

“As you get to know them better, you find most retailers aren’t looking for just another vendor to manage,” added Jatich. “What they really want is a partner who can solve problems and grow with them.” 

“Smart retailers generally aren’t looking for box pushers,” added Stephens. “They’re looking for partners who can bring services and really implement at scale.” 

Looking Ahead  

Even as they get ready for the 2025 Holiday season, retailers and their technology partners are already eyeing 2026 — and prepping for the kickoff at the NRF show in January. 

It’s a massive show, with all sorts of subplots and side quests. But cut through the noise and one thing remains clear: 

Checkout still rules; and retailers will still be asking the same hard questions: 

• How do we move faster — without compromising control and retail security? 

• How do we crush downtime and shrink? 

• How do we integrate the next wave of tech — without breaking what works? 

Many things are changing in retail. But some things stay the same. 

Customers still expect a frictionless experience. Retailers still demand reliability. And technology leaders who can deliver both will still be the ones setting the tone for the future. 

As Jatich put it, “The POS is often where the conversation starts — but it’s never where it ends.” 

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