More consumers say unmanned stores safer to visit

Reduced human interaction was a key safety benefit.

Less than half of customers see stores with few to no staff as safer to visit, with self-checkouts as their top reason for choosing unmanned stores, according to a study by network video solutions, Axis Communications.

This finding suggested that physical distancing and contactless protocols are better integrated in an unmanned store.

Over 7 in 10 view self-checkouts as a key feature for unmanned stores, with also longer opening hours as top benefits from stores with zero to little staff.

About 44% of the respondents of the research also said automated entry and exit using QR codes is an important element for unmanned stores whilst 46% said reduced human interaction was also a key safety benefit.

Consumers also preferred unmanned staff for convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores. Going to physical stores in the post-pandemic era fell by 14% compared to the pre-pandemic era.

Axis Communications’ commissioned Milieu Insight to conduct a poll of 1,000 consumers in Hong Kong to see shoppers’ preferences during the post-pandemic era.