Retail plays a crucial role in the Brazilian economy, but at the same time, it faces a central dilemma for the sector's revenue: after all, how to reduce queues and optimize the shopping experience for customers?

Regarding the importance of retail for the country's economic environment, the SBVC (Brazilian Society of Retail and Consumption) pointed out that the sector grew by 5.3% in 2023.

In total, retail reached R$ 2.75 trillion, corresponding to more than 25% of Brazil's GDP.

However, in a scenario where consumers increasingly seek convenience in their daily lives, finding alternatives to reduce queues is an indispensable competitive advantage for retail companies.

After all, when the waiting time is excessive, customers feel frustrated and often abandon their purchases.

In other words: long queues directly impact the shopping experience and the retailer's brand perception.

According to a survey by the Federation of Shopkeepers' Chambers of São Paulo, many consumers abandon their shopping carts when faced with long queues.

This behavior naturally reduces sales and harms the store's image.

The good news is that the market now offers disruptive technologies that can support retailers in optimizing customer service.

In this article, you will learn how a fast and efficient checkout operation is crucial to increasing customer satisfaction and making the purchasing process smoother.

I have also selected some innovation trends that strategically and agilely address the challenge of reducing queues in retail.

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Why reducing queues is critical for retail?

We know that contemporary retail is undergoing constant transformations while needing to meet the demands of increasingly demanding consumers regarding their shopping experiences.

In the survey by the Federation of Shopkeepers' Chambers of São Paulo, for example, it was found that almost 80% of consumers consider abandoning a purchase due to long queues.

Additionally, 90% of retailers report that queues at checkout counters hinder sales.

In other words: we are talking about a direct impact on store revenue.

This scenario can be even more aggravated during peak commercial periods, such as year-end holidays, Black Friday, and weekends.

Moreover, dissatisfaction with waiting times can affect the store's image and even customer loyalty.

According to international research, over 80% of consumers stop buying from a brand after a single negative experience.

Thus, finding solutions to the challenge of reducing queues in retail is a critical factor in ensuring a satisfactory shopping experience.

Below, we analyze the trends that are transforming the market and supporting companies in this regard.

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How to reduce queues in retail with technology: key trends

Fortunately, the market now offers intelligent and strategic solutions that can help retailers provide faster service.

This makes it possible to find ways that not only help reduce queues in retail but also contribute to a potential increase in sales.

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Check out three decisive innovation trends for these demands:

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1. Self-checkouts and their relevance in today's market

Self-checkout systems, or self-checkouts, are a current trend in retail technology.

As we know, through self-service platforms, customers can scan and pay for their items themselves, reducing the need for human intervention in purchases.

This gives customers more freedom and autonomy in their shopping experiences, which can enhance the reputation of stores and companies in the sector.

Consequently, self-checkouts significantly contribute to reducing queues in retail, and it's no coincidence that this trend has been growing in Brazil.

According to recent research, the use of self-checkouts has grown by 11% worldwide.

With this innovation, stores can dedicate more resources to personalized service, another factor that contributes to improving the customer experience.

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2. Mobile payments and contactless systems

Mobility solutions for payments—including contactless tools and systems—have been expanding since the pandemic period.

This is because these technologies enable faster and more secure transactions without the need for physical cash.

These solutions eliminate the waiting time that would be required to handle cash or even insert cards into terminals.

Thus, it is also possible to reduce queues in retail and enhance the fluidity of service at checkout counters.

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3. Remote supervisor: effective queue reduction in retail

Remote supervision has proven to be a major revolution in the oversight of checkout operations. You know those validations that require the physical presence of a supervisor, such as canceling a registered item? With the Inwave Darwin Platform, retailers can use the Remote Supervisor feature, which speeds up these validations, reducing the time from 3-4 minutes to about 25 seconds. Faster operations lead to reduced queues in retail and greater customer satisfaction.

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With the Remote Supervisor solution, it is possible to:

  • Validate checkout operations quickly, reducing queues and service time;
  • Reduce operational costs by centralizing up to 80 POS systems;
  • Generate real-time data for operational management of checkouts;
  • Conduct audits in real-time or for investigation, ensuring process compliance and reducing losses;
  • Provide more pleasant shopping experiences for customers.

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These are some of the features of the Darwin Platform, an innovative and comprehensive solution from Inwave that can be customized for different retail operations.

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Cases andresults observed with the implementation of darwin in retail

‍With so many disruptive features, the Darwin Platform is alreadyrevolutionizing the Brazilian business environment and delivering concreteresults for retail chains in the country.

One example comes from Rede Market, which currently operates13 stores in Rio de Janeiro and has reduced—thanks to Darwin—the time forcheckout validations.

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Previously, the process took around 2 to 5 minutes—now it takes between 10 and 40 seconds.

This is because, with Darwin, it is possible to detect frequent issues such as registration errors and delays in service, as well as how much money was lost due to these occurrences.

In other words: through the Inwave Darwin Platform, Rede Market not only reduces time but also monitors POS operations in real-time.

Another success story is Coocerqui, a supermarket cooperative in Cerquilho, São Paulo, which adopted the Darwin Platform for monitoring and managing its operational processes.

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As a result, the cooperative reduced checkout errors by upto 80%, also bringing more agility and cost reduction at the POS.

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Inwave's Role as a Retail Partner in Digital Transformation

All of this is possible because Inwave is a partner of Brazilian retail.

Our technological solutions drive digital transformation and optimize service operations across the country.

In addition to Darwin, Inwave provides advanced tools that integrate different stages of the shopping journey, from service to payment, reducing the total purchase time.

These solutions are designed to help retail face various challenges, including reducing queues, operational failures, and offering more satisfying shopping experiences for customers.

This way, retailers can adapt to retail transformations and meet consumer needs, where customers seek, more than ever, speed, quality, and efficiency.

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Conclusion

As we have seen, reducing queues is an indispensable step in checkout management.

This journey involves investments in trends such as self-checkouts, contactless payments, and remote supervision of operations, which help reduce waiting times for service.

In addition to speeding up shopping journeys, innovation directly contributes to customer loyalty, operational cost reduction, and strategic intelligence for checkout management.

In this context, solutions like Darwin from Inwave are revolutionizing Brazilian retail and showing that reducing queues is not only possible but also an essential step for success.

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