Cutting checkout wait times with mobility solutions

Long checkout lines are a leading cause of customer dissatisfaction, damaging both a store’s reputation and revenue. Consider these statistics: 47% of French shoppers won’t wait more than 3–4 minutes in line; 8 in 10 avoid stores with long queues altogether; and 76% admit to abandoning purchases due to excessive wait times.

The impact of long wait times goes beyond annoyance: they cause frustration, wasted time, feelings of being undervalued, and even lost sales. For retailers, the stakes are high—satisfying customers and building loyalty. But how can wait times be reduced? What mobility solutions can help, and what benefits do they offer businesses?

The role of mobility in the shopping experience

Customers value their time and want to avoid long queues. Mobility solutions meet this demand by enhancing satisfaction, saving time, and offering greater autonomy and flexibility.

These tools empower shoppers to manage their purchases at their own pace, without constraints or delays. This modernization enriches the shopping experience, integrating smartphones into the in-store journey to foster engagement and autonomy. For example, a mobile app with integrated mapping can help customers quickly locate products or aisles. Shoppers can also connect with sales associates, reserve items for trial or purchase, and more.

Mobility also supports a seamless sales experience from start to finish. Mobile tools allow sales associates to stay connected with customers, from identifying needs to offering advice during checkout. This personalized attention strengthens the customer’s relationship with the store.

The benefits of mobility for retailers

The sporting goods retail industry is undergoing a major transformation, with increasingly connected consumers seeking seamless and personalized shopping experiences. Mobility solutions have become essential tools to meet these expectations and deliver an optimal shopping journey, particularly when it comes to reducing checkout wait times.

Enhancing customer experience and loyalty

Mobile payment and scan-and-go solutions save customers time and eliminate the frustration of waiting in line. Simplified checkout processes create a faster, more enjoyable shopping experience. Additionally, mobility solutions provide customers with greater independence and flexibility. Shoppers can scan products for detailed information, check real-time stock availability, and even complete purchases without traditional checkout counters. This adaptability aligns with the needs of modern consumers, delivering a tailored shopping journey.

Mobility solutions also strengthen customer relationships by enabling retailers to collect valuable data on shopping habits. Analyzing this data helps businesses better understand customer needs, anticipate trends, and refine marketing strategies. This, in turn, fosters long-term loyalty through personalized recommendations, exclusive promotions, and early access to new products.

Optimizing operations and boosting productivity

Beyond enhancing customer experience, mobility solutions bring significant operational benefits for sporting goods retailers:

• Reducing operational costs

Reducing the number of transactions handled at traditional checkout counters significantly lowers costs associated with cashier staffing and the necessary infrastructure, such as fixed payment terminals. Retailers can thus streamline their operational expenses, reallocating resources to invest in other strategic areas. These savings can be directed toward improving customer experience, upgrading store technology, or enhancing staff training to meet evolving business needs.

• Improved stock management

Mobility solutions equipped with real-time stock tracking capabilities allow retailers to optimize supplier orders, minimizing the risk of stockouts and the financial losses they cause. This enhanced visibility into inventory not only helps prevent product shortages but also reduces overstocking, which can lead to wasted resources. Additionally, real-time data enables businesses to anticipate trends and customer needs, ensuring the right products are available at the right time to improve customer satisfaction and drive sales.

• Increasing employee productivity

By automating repetitive tasks like processing payments at fixed registers, mobility solutions empower employees to focus on higher-value responsibilities. This includes personalized customer interactions, such as offering tailored advice or assisting with product selection, as well as strategic activities like merchandising or organizing store events. This shift in responsibilities not only enhances the in-store shopping experience for customers but also improves staff morale by assigning more engaging and impactful roles. Ultimately, this better distribution of tasks leads to increased employee motivation, higher engagement, and improved overall team efficiency.

Driving sales and strengthening brand image

Mobility solutions not only improve customer experiences and streamline operations—they also drive sales and enhance brand perception. By saving time at checkout, customers are more likely to make impulse purchases, increasing their basket size. Streamlined checkout processes encourage spontaneous shopping, boosting revenue.

Adopting mobility solutions also sets retailers apart from competitors, projecting a modern and innovative image. Retailers show their commitment to cutting-edge, personalized shopping experiences, attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. Positive shopping experiences lead to favorable reviews and recommendations, strengthening brand reputation and driving sustainable growth.

Tools to reduce checkout wait times

From scanning arches and tunnels to biometrics, NFC, and RFID, there is no shortage of technologies being tested by retailers in their quest to find the ideal solution. But what about mobility solutions specifically designed for sporting goods stores? Let’s take a closer look at the mobile tools that can be integrated into your store to effectively reduce checkout wait times.

Mobile payment

Known as tap-on-phone, mobile point of sale (mPOS), or nomadic payment, mobile payment allows merchants to process transactions directly via a smartphone or tablet. Using a mobile payment app that transforms the device into a payment terminal, customers can quickly pay using contactless cards, smartphones, or QR codes. Transactions take seconds, anywhere in the store, eliminating the need for fixed checkout terminals and providing a faster, smoother shopping experience.

Mobility in equipment rentals

For services like bike or ski rentals, mobile solutions streamline equipment reservation, pickup, account creation, and returns. Features such as pre-booking enable customers to reserve gear and create profiles in advance, reducing wait times upon arrival. A scanned QR code can also retrieve customer orders quickly, minimizing service time at the counter.

Mobile apps

Mobile apps are invaluable in reducing checkout times. In retail, the trend is toward scan-and-go, enabling customers to scan product barcodes while shopping and pay using their smartphones at dedicated kiosks. This shifts traditional cashier tasks to customers, empowering them to save time.

Sales associate tools

Equipping in-store staff with mobile devices like tablets, connected to inventory management and payment systems, enhances efficiency. Tasks such as mobile checkout, real-time stock management, and automated transaction processing reduce errors and delays. Ultimately, these tools create a seamless and personalized shopping experience, eliminating the frustrations of long checkout lines.

Mobility solutions are game-changers for sporting goods retailers looking to boost sales, enhance their brand, and redefine the customer experience. Investing in these tools helps businesses stand out, foster loyalty by reducing checkout frustrations, and optimize in-store efficiency. By embracing mobility, retailers can position themselves as leaders in delivering innovative, customer-first shopping experiences.