Talk:Retail/Archives/2020

"Amazon effect" listed at Redirects for discussion

An editor has asked for a discussion to address the redirect Amazon effect. Please participate in the redirect discussion if you wish to do so. _signed, Rosguill ^talk 18:43, 14 January 2020 (UTC)

Should cover physical/logistic layout in obvious way

I can't seem to find much on Wikipedia describing the structure of a store. Came here looking specifically for something about express lanes. But if there is anything about how stores are physically organized (checkout stations, stock areas, etc.) it is not easy to find from the headings. May deserve it's own article or something, but it seems like the basics of physical organization - how you would describe a store to somebody who had never seen one are missing. I don't have the references/know the history enough to write it.

The history of organization could be interesting too. From the general store, with most goods behind the counter. To multiple clerks with those tram things to send money to/from central cashier. To clerks nowadays with headsets, and automated cashiers. 172.58.46.153 (talk) 18:26, 31 May 2019 (UTC)

172.58.46.153 Express lanes are found primarily in large supermarkets and grocery stores and occasionally banks. However, these represent just a small proportion of all retail store types (of which many are named in the article). A general article, such as Retail, cannot realistically discuss the layout and queue management systems used in every type of store (that exists now and has existed in the past).

Express lanes are a particular type of queue (waiting line) used in stores with high volumes of traffic during peak periods (and that do not or cannot use any type of appointment/reservation system or other method to manage peak demand). Supermarkets tend to put their best and most efficient cashiers onto the express lane. Time-poor consumers (parents with young children, lunch-time shoppers, etc) place especial value on the speed of service offered by express lanes.

Many stores are phasing out express lanes in favour of self-serve checkouts. Given the relatively low labour costs associated with self-service checkouts, stores have been able to provide a greater number of check-outs for patrons, thereby reducing average wait times significantly and improving customer satisfaction with check-out service levels.

As far as I am aware, there is no published body of research that investigates express lanes in particular. This is not to say that there has never been any research on the subject, but I suspect that retail stores may have carried out their own internal research and not published the findings. (I have first-hand knowledge of such research in the banking sector, all carried out in-house, without reporting their findings in the public domain).

The subject of express lanes is not really a store design/ layout issue since express lanes look like standard waiting lanes, with the exception that there may be an overhead sign designating it and outlining the terms of express service (e.g. fewer than a predetermined number of items).

However, if you turn to field of “queue management” or “management of waiting lines” there are several of papers that touch on the subject of express lanes. Most of these treat it as a consideration in customer service/ service quality. See, for example:

“Waiting as a determinant of store image and customer satisfaction: a literature review,” (2012) https://journals.co.za/content/famecs/40/1/EJC129530 or https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jfecs/article/view/83621 [full article downloadable]

“Serving methods and dining environment currently used in successful high school child nutrition programs in Georgia” (2007) https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=16531&context=rtd [downloadable]

Simulation Success Stories, (1997) http://pc-freak.net/blog/files/NCR_ATM_terminals/www.thecorememory.com/SSSBPR.pdf [Downloadable]

Managing perceptions of waiting times in service queues (1996) https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/09564239610149957 [abstract only – full article by subscription via EmeraldInsight- access via local community library or university library]

Benefit Segmentation Using Service Quality Dimensions: An Investigation in Retail Banking (1994) https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/02652329410052946 [abstract only – full article by subscription via EmeraldInsight- access via local community library or university library]

Incidentally, express lanes (also known as “hot lanes”) are also used as a traffic management system on freeways. If you are genuinely interested in this topic, you might consider reading some of the research in this area for insights that could be translated to retail environments. There is considerably more research on express lanes in traffic management than in retail. Please note that the preceding papers only ‘’touch on’’ express lanes as part of a broader research agenda, and much of it is very dated. Given the paucity of research in this area, it is unlikely that there would be sufficient published material to support a separate Wikipedia article. Moreover, given that this type of check-out is being phased out, it is not a topic that is likely to arouse the interest of future generations of researchers. 175.32.56.121 (talk) 02:13, 1 June 2019 (UTC)

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