This was an ancillary finding from IHL's Self-Checkout Study, which researched consumers and their impulse purchases at staffed and self-checkout devices. 

According to the study, self-checkout systems have a dramatic impact on the purchase of impulse items at checkout.  Impulse purchases among women drop 32.1 percent and men 16.7 percent when self-checkout is used instead of a staffed checkout.  The primary cause of the drop, according to the study, comes from the fact that self-checkout devices are not as merchandised as staffed lanes in most retailers.  Additionally, there is usually a shorter line at each unit, removing the captive audience with the tempting impulse items in front of them.

In the market study, 2007 North American Self-Checkout Systems, IHL examines the consumer acceptance of self-checkout technologies, what consumers like and dislike about the systems, and what impact they have on their shopping behavior.  A summary of the results is available at www.ihlservices.com.

Some additional key findings of the study include the following:

• In 2006, consumers spent over $137 billion on self-checkout transactions at retailers, up 24 percent from the previous year.

• Consumers in the South are the most positive about self-checkout with 75 percent having a positive view about the technology.

• A positive view of self-checkout technology is formed over a rather short period of time.  Of those who have used self-checkout at least six times, 86 percent have a positive view of the technology.

• Sixteen percent of the sample said they would be more likely to use self-checkout if they could pick the voice of a person to guide them through it.  Most popular
  
  
• 21 percent selected Tom Brokaw or Walter Cronkite;

• 13 percent preferred that movie trailer guy (Don LaFontaine) - "In a world where apples cost $.99 a pound...";
  
  12 percent selected Darth Vader.