New digital payment solutions enable retailers to offer much more service-minded, convenient, and personalised buyer experiences. This includes more efficient use of physical space, empowering staff to provide better service and completing transactions directly on the store floor.
Imagine stopping by a beauty store to pick up a skincare product. As you browse the skincare section, a staff member approaches and offers to help you choose from the available options. Drawing on your purchase history, they recommend a product that is the right fit for your skin, adding a touch of personalisation to your experience. Once you’ve made your selection, they present a smartphone or tablet where you can pay for your purchase right there, allowing you to skip the line at the cash register. As the store's loyalty program is also embedded, you earn points immediately and the staff member can view your preferences and past purchases.
The scene above is just one example of how digital payment solutions are redefining both the shopping experience and the role of the sales staff.
"Modern payment solutions like SoftPOS are transforming the way retailers utilise physical space in stores because you’re not forced to devote floor space to a fixed cash register. You can make more interesting design choices and promote certain product ranges, eventually resulting in higher profitability per square meter," says Giulio De Taddeo, Senior Vice President of Retail at Nexi Group.
The power of tailored buyer experiences
One of the challenges that tap-to-phone payment solutions help retailers solve is providing personalised service without having to recognise individual customers and remember their preferences and purchase history.
"Retailers have always competed on good selection and price, but today, service and customer experience are just as important. And you can only deliver the best experience if you know the person in front of you. That can be a big challenge in physical stores," says Giulio de Taddeo.
Retailers must keep pace with evolving customer needs, one of which is the growing demand for self-service checkout systems. The NFC (Near Field Communication) technology can transform a tablet into a powerful, user-friendly payment terminal, enabling customers to complete their purchases swiftly. Another evolving need is the shift toward software point-of-sale systems. By blending technology with human-centered experiences, software point-of-sale breaks the chain that keeps staff locked to the cash register and checkout counter, setting them free to do what they are trained to do—help customers find the best product for them. This innovative approach enhances the shopping experience, offering convenience and efficiency in one interaction.
The Danish grocery chain Coop has done just that. They have successfully introduced self-service checkout systems powered by Nets’ SoftPOS technology, to improve convenience and personalisation in their stores. This solution allows customers to independently process their purchases using intuitive, tablet-based payment terminals, eliminating the need for traditional checkout queues. During peak shopping hours, the system helps reduce wait times, ensuring a seamless and efficient shopping experience. With this innovation, Coop is enhancing customer satisfaction while streamlining operations across its stores.
“Think of our payment solutions as LEGO bricks that can be integrated with your existing systems to support your vision,” Giulio de Taddeo explains.
Intuitive checkout that saves time
When aiming to provide the optimal shopping experience, it is important to remember that customer expectations can vary greatly depending on the situation and context.
"For example, in a fashion store, you might want a tailored experience, with the staff remembering your style preferences and suggesting items that suit you. In contrast, in a supermarket, you just want to grab what you need and leave as quickly as possible," Giulio de Taddeo says.
Modern payment terminals are essential for convenient, fast checkouts. This includes tap-to-phone solutions that enable payments directly on mobile devices, as well as Android terminals that integrate the full payment and checkout software (ECR) into a single device. Both options help customers avoid long lines and reduce waiting times, while allowing merchants to optimise staffing and operational efficiency.
As a prime example of the modern grocery store, the Italian supermarket chain Dao Conad recently introduced the first cashier-free store in Verona in collaboration with Nexi Group.
With Nexi’s invisible payment solutions, customers can now enter the store, fill a basket, and leave without having to queue to pay for their groceries. Customers with a loyalty card will be charged automatically when leaving the store, while new customers can easily pay using a token that recognises their basket – also eliminating the need to even scan items.
The omnichannel revolution
Shoppers' expectation of frictionless payments and personalised experiences are also evident in the omnichannel space. The truly flexible shopping experience can only be achieved through an omnichannel approach.
Features like click-and-collect and click-and-return combine the best of both worlds. It enables shoppers to shop in a way that suits their needs—whether it's ordering a product online and picking it up in a local store or seeing a product in-store and having it delivered to their home at a convenient time.
"Today, shoppers feel connected to the brand or the merchant, not the channel. Payments need to support this expectation. Of course, there's added complexity due to stock management, making seamless integration between systems and solutions even more crucial. Merchants must manage payments from buyers regardless of the channel they’re coming from, while still meeting their expectations in terms of personalisation and recognition," Giulio de Taddeo explains.
However, hyper-personalised experiences across channels make data privacy even more important. Retailers must prioritize omnichannel strategies while addressing growing concerns about data privacy, as research by Salesforce shows that 76% of consumers are more likely to stay loyal to companies that protect their personal information. Maintaining trust through robust privacy measures is essential as personalisation and omnichannel take center stage.
3 key take-aways for retailers:
- Use technology to enhance personalisation, but don’t forget the human touch. As seen with Coop, tap-to-phone payment solutions like SoftPOS allow staff to focus on the customer and their needs at every touchpoint rather than just at a fixed checkout counter. This combines the best of both worlds: efficiency and personalisation.
- Optimise the checkout experience. Use intuitive checkout solutions as a “queue-buster” and make checkout as smooth as possible. For example, by offering varied payment options and real-time customer support, whether through unattended self-checkout or software point of sale like SoftPOS.
- Deliver an exceptional experience: create memorable experiences that resonate with customers in-store and online. Explore options for true omnichannel solutions, such as click-and-collect or click-and-return, to meet the demands of today’s retail customers. This encourages brand loyalty, increases repeat visits, and boosts sales for merchants. For shoppers, flexibility is key—whether it's product selection, payment options, or choice of channel.
With the comprehensive retail solutions from Nexi, you can meet your customers wherever they are - on the sales floor or online - enabling consultative selling and providing an experience that goes beyond transactions.
