The Sales Impact of Using Handheld Scanners: Evidence from the Field

Abstract

Anecdotal evidence is mixed regarding whether handheld scanners used in stores increase or decrease consumer sales. This article reports on three field studies, supported by eye-tracking technology and matched sales receipts, as well as two laboratory studies that show that handheld scanner use increases sales, notably through unplanned, healthier, and impulsive purchases. The findings highlight that these effects may be limited by factors such as not having a budget; for those without a budget, use of scanners can decrease sales. Building on embodied cognition and cognitive appraisal theories, the authors predict that scanners, as a bodily extension, influence sales through both cognitive (shelf attention, perceived control) and affective (number of products touched, shopping experience) mechanisms. The results offer implications for retailers considering whether to integrate scanners into their store environments.

Have We Got a Deal for You: Do You Want the Good News or Bad News First?

“…in different situations on reward-seeking behavior (Shaddy and Lee 2020; Wadhwa, Shiv, and Nowlis 2008; Wakefield and Inman 2003). For example, our findings are consistent with recent research (Grewal and Stephanie 2020) indicating the use of handheld scanners increases perceived control among those with shopping budgets that increases sales for unplanned, healthier, and impulsive purchases. Unknown is whether the use of scanner devices, which focus attention on offers, would differentially influence shoppers encountering GN/BN versus BN/GN frames.…”

Getting a Handle on Sales: Shopping Carts Affect Purchasing by Activating Arm Muscles

“…What types of purchases and what types of shoppers are most likely to exhibit the effect? For instance, intuitively it seems likely that handle orientation especially affects unplanned purchases (e.g., Grewal et al 2020; Streicher, Estes, and Büttner 2021), because shopping carts are used only at the point of purchase. This hypothesis is also consistent with our theorizing about variety seeking and exploratory shopping, both of which should affect unplanned purchasing more than planned purchases.…”

“…This hypothesis is also consistent with our theorizing about variety seeking and exploratory shopping, both of which should affect unplanned purchasing more than planned purchases. In contrast, consumers who shop with constraints such as a shopping list or a mental budget are presumably less susceptible to this effect (see Grewal et al 2020), as shoppers often utilize those constraints specifically to reduce their unplanned purchasing. Similarly, shoppers’ use of mobile devices, such as phones and handheld scanners (Grewal et al 2020), may also relate to this effect.…”

“…In contrast, consumers who shop with constraints such as a shopping list or a mental budget are presumably less susceptible to this effect (see Grewal et al 2020), as shoppers often utilize those constraints specifically to reduce their unplanned purchasing. Similarly, shoppers’ use of mobile devices, such as phones and handheld scanners (Grewal et al 2020), may also relate to this effect. For instance, mobile phone use generally increases purchasing by distracting shoppers and extending their shopping trips (Grewal et al 2018).…”

Artificial empathy in marketing interactions: Bridging the human-AI gap in affective and social customer experience

“…Mobile marketing became an important field due to the popularity and functionalities of smart mobile devices (Grewal et al 2016). Retail interactions have been significantly enhanced by various in-store technologies such as handheld scanners, digital price tags, and augmented reality (Grewal et al 2020b(Grewal et al , 2020c. More recently, firm-customer interactions are undergoing another transformation with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), representing the latest marketing innovation brought forth by technology.…”