I kenn mi net aus mit der Neumodischen Einkauferei – S’verwirrt mich, man kann niemanden was fragen. Ollas muss man erst studieren.
(ORF, 1962)
Translated: “I’m overwhelmed with this modern way of shopping. It confuses me, there’s nobody I can confront with my questions. I have to study everything [all the products]”
In my last Blog post I discussed the topic of interaction and communication of customers and employees in the supermarket. With WHY do people still appreciate it (e.g. at the “Feinkosttheke”) to have this personal interaction? as my focal research question, I wanted to get a better grasp of my ux research goals.
As recommended by Jakob Nielsen [2] I started out by formulating hypothesis. To keep these as lean as possible I based them on my loose observations in various supermarkets and a few insights I got from informal desktop researches. Additionally, after scanning a paper that empirically analyses consumer’s perception in supermarkets [3] I got a better grasp of the key challenges I would like to objectify.
Hypothesis
- Personal communication between staff is still of high value. However there are differences based on demographic and sociographic characteristics of the customers.
- Customers prefer large retail spaces in supermarkets because they value a huge variety of product offers
- When doing home and grocery shopping customers prefer doing so in store, however alternative options (e.g. delivery or click and collect) are starting to cross consumer’s minds as well.
- The more products a customer wants to purchase in the store the less likely they are to use self checkout.
- People in a rush with only a few items are more likely to use self checkout.
- Self checkout proves more successful in an urban landscape compared to rural or suburban areas.
- Customers view time efficiency as a benefit when using self checkout.
- In case of a crowded checkout queue customers are more willing to queue up for self checkout instead.
- Customers are afraid to lack expertise when using Self Checkout
Currently I have these nine hypothesis. However, I am planing on expanding and adapting them if possible and if necessary.
References:
[1]
“69K views · 613 reactions | Selbstbedienung und Warenvielfalt – in Europa gibt es Supermärkte erst seit den 1950er Jahren. 1962 war der ‘Supermarket’ in Österreich noch etwas Neues. (Telejournal, 1962)
Aktuelle Informationen für Konsumentinnen und Konsumenten gibt es in ‘konkret’ von Montag bis Donnerstag um 18.30 Uhr auf ORF ON (on.ORF.at) & in ORF 2.
#ORFarchiv #abgestaubt #ORFfüralle #ORFON #ORF2 | ORF,” Facebook.com, 2026. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=531496385902554 (accessed Jan. 06, 2026).
[2]
W. L. in R.-B. U. Experience, “Understanding Statistical Significance,” Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/understanding-statistical-significance/
[3]
Soundarraj, Prem & Kumar, K Kiran. (2025). An Empirical Analysis of Consumer Perception towards Supermarket and Online Shopping. European Economics Letters. 15. 2908-2918.
