June 28, 2022, 11:22 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Ikea and Kaufland have recently introduced new payment methods in their stores. Now, the drugstore chain dm is also planning a change. A new cashless payment method is currently being tested in various markets.
At around 100 locations across Germany, dm plans to introduce so-called self-checkout registers this year. This type of checkout requires fewer cashiers, as customers scan their own products. This payment method is not new; it is already found in various supermarkets, hardware stores, and similar businesses.
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Drugstore Chain dm Launches Self-Checkout in Initial Stores
According to the “Lebensmittel Zeitung,” a trial run is currently underway in nine stores. With this, dm aims to gauge how well customers accept the self-checkout registers. So far, customers of the drugstore chain have primarily used the self-checkout for smaller purchases, according to Stephan Seitz from the IT subsidiary dmTech. The self-checkout is expected to be available in about 100 stores across Germany by the end of this year.
When choosing the self-checkout registers, dm deliberately opted for a simple model. It does not include built-in scales, which are often found in supermarket self-checkouts. These control scales are used to verify that customers scan and pay for all products. However, this is not necessary in a drugstore.
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No Cash Payment Possible
The self-checkout registers are a good way to quickly pay for smaller purchases yourself and avoid potentially crowded staffed registers. However, the self-checkout registers at dm have a drawback: They do not allow cash payments. Instead, customers can only pay with a debit card, credit card, or soon with Payback Pay.
The reason for this is simple: The self-checkout registers operate without cashiers and therefore without traditional cash registers. Depositing money and giving change is not possible. However, other self-checkout registers, such as those at Ikea, Kaufland, or Obi, operate on the same principle, so users may already be accustomed to this type of payment. As long as the traditional cashier with a cashier does not disappear, users also have the choice of where to check out and pay for their purchases.