Drawing the Line: How Much Value is Sitting Unrealized inside Your Retail Store?

Delivering value within services and the customer experience forms an integral part of in-store retail operations. For medium to large retail chains, maximizing the value of their resources to do this, whether its stock, personnel, or space, remains a key challenge preventing them from pivoting in a more customer-centric operational direction. 

It’s not that retail stores lack the intention to evolve. It’s rather the legacy systems on which they’ve operated for decades that weigh down and stagger their ability to change – legacy systems that are fast becoming profit sinks as the retail landscape keeps transforming. It’s not just value lost that stores should be paying attention to (whether that’s abandoned purchases due to long checkout lines or staff attrition), but value sitting unrealized within the physical space of retail stores. 

The most significant example of unrealized in-store value is the enduring legacy of counters. Think checkout counters, inquiry counters, and returns counters. Any physical counters that need to be monitored and staffed at all times by in-store employees or associates. 

Compared to the compounding costs of staffing and operating fixed, static staff counters that take up an exorbitant amount of floor space, just how much value are you getting back in return? Sure, some might argue that counters are a necessity to provide essential customer services, like checkout, packing, and other services. 

But are these fixed, manual services tied to fixed counters really what your customers are after when they visit your store? We’d say no, given that studies have shown that 25% of customers say they’d wait no more than two minutes in an in-store line.

This brings us back to our original question: how much value are you really getting from the space, time, and cost you’re putting into managing fixed counters?

And, more importantly, how much value is sitting unrealized within the spaces these counters are occupying in your stores? What else could you be doing with all of that space?

It’s time to draw the line on unrealized in-store value 

Traditional counters are holding retailers back. Fixed-service locations force customers into lines, drain valuable staff resources, and limit the flexibility needed to create a modern in-store experience. As labor shortages persist and customer expectations rise, it’s clear that the old way of operating no longer works. Retailers need solutions—like self-service kiosks—to replace outdated counter models and unlock greater efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Consider the challenges counters create:

• Lock services into fixed spots, forcing customers to wait and waste time

• Lead to long lines that frustrate shoppers and reduce profits

• Create barriers for customers seeking fast, seamless service

• Trap retail staff in repetitive, low-value tasks, hurting morale

• Leave 63% of retailers operating with too few frontline employees as of early 2023 (Forrester)

• Require constant staffing, causing employees to “location hop” when stores are short-staffed

• Drive longer wait times and declining customer loyalty

• Make it impossible to balance cost efficiency with delivering excellent customer experiences

It’s time for retailers to rethink how—and where—services are delivered in-store.

Maximizing the Inherent Value of Your Store Space and Resources

Retailers are hitting a ceiling on in-store efficiency — and traditional counters are often the culprit.

While removing physical counters might seem like the obvious answer, the real solution goes much deeper. It’s about breaking free from the outdated mindset that customer services must be tied to a fixed location.

This is the operational paradigm shift modern retail needs.

Why It’s Time to Rethink Counters in Retail

Traditional counters:

• Tie services to fixed points in your store, creating bottlenecks and long lines

• Force staff into repetitive, low-value tasks

• Consume valuable floor space that could be repurposed for higher-margin activities

The reality is that counters are no longer necessary to deliver the fast, seamless experiences your customers expect.

The Power of Self-Service Kiosks

There’s a better, more efficient way to provide essential in-store services — without wall-to-wall counters or tying up staff.

Self-service kiosks offer:

• Location flexibility: Deploy kiosks anywhere in the store for convenient customer access

• Speed and convenience: Eliminate waiting in line for services

• Operational efficiency: Free up employees for higher-value tasks

• Floor space optimization: Repurpose counter space for more profitable activities

Modern kiosks put every essential retail service at customers’ fingertips, including:

• Self-checkout and cashless payments

• Scanning and product lookups

• Packing assistance

• Returns and drop-offs

• Product discovery and recommendations

• Gifting and loyalty program sign-ups

These kiosks act as flexible “digital counters” — mobile, efficient, and fully autonomous.

The Benefits for Customers, Staff, and Your Store

By removing counters and deploying self-service solutions:

• Customers gain freedom to access services on their own terms, without waiting in line.

• Staff can focus on higher-value interactions that drive loyalty and sales, rather than repetitive tasks.

• Stores can unlock the potential of valuable floor space, maximizing ROI and creating new revenue streams.

What Could You Do with That Counter Space?

Once you eliminate the physical and mental barriers of counters, the possibilities are practically endless. One of the biggest opportunities lies in micro-fulfillment services.

Imagine using freed-up space for:

• Agile, same-day shipping and collection directly from your store

• BOPUS (Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store) operations — preferred by nearly 60% of shoppers

• Reducing shipping costs and simplifying your supply chain

• Offering speedy delivery options customers are willing to pay for — with 65% of U.S. shoppers willing to pay more for faster shipping

Stores that offer the same agile fulfillment capabilities as leading e-commerce brands will stay competitive and relevant in today’s retail landscape.

Unlock New Revenue Streams with Self-Service

Beyond fulfillment, self-service kiosks create powerful upsell opportunities:

• Let customers order and pay directly from kiosks or mobile devices

• Enable seamless upgrades to same-day, next-day, or two-day delivery

• Capture impulse purchases while customers are already engaging in-store

By embracing self-service and flexible fulfillment, retailers can turn floor space into a revenue engine — and transform the in-store experience.

It’s time to draw the line

Retail stores that can offer agile shipping, which includes space for storing, picking, and packing, can increase sales revenue and meet customer expectations for speedy shipping options. 

All of this is possible with the help of self-service kiosks, taking the pressure off your staff and freeing up time and space to devote to value-added services that enhance in-store earnings. A self-service platform like Aila lets you roll out in-store self-service capabilities at scale, leveraging flexible hardware, computer vision, software integration, and managed services. 

Together, Aila’s capabilities deliver a superior customer experience consistently and without interruption and free up valuable in-store time and space to develop competitive, value-added services and experiences.