UK shoppers spend over a year waiting in store queues

Queuing - although waiting in line is something Brits are famous for, up to 41 percent of UK shoppers will reconsider a purchase if the queuing time is too long and 86 percent will avoid visiting a particular store altogether if they believe the queue by the till is too large, according to new research published by Intel and Box Technologies.

The report, entitled ‘How Long Does It Take To Lose Your Customer,’ reveals the average Briton spends one year, two weeks plus one day waiting in store queues. However, the majority of UK consumers state that a queue of nine minutes wait time is long enough to have them reconsider their purchase, and that queues of 7 people or more can lead them to abandoing their purchases. 38 percent of consumers admitted to preciously have left a purchase as the result of a too long queue.

Average Brit spends one year, two weeks and one day waiting in store queues

Eight out of ten UK shoppers believe that swift queues are a key component of good customer service, but over 76 percent still think that stores are not doing enough to reduce long queues during busy trading periods. In particular, fashion and apparel stores were rated as having the longest queue lengths, with the average shopping trip including 20.2 minutes of queuing time.

The report also found that slow-moving queues in store may affect a shoppers brand loyalty; 74 percent of UK shoppers questioned said they would shop in a competitor's store if they believed the queue time to be more efficient. 70 percent added that they would be less inclined to revisit a store if they had previously experienced long queuing times.

Despite the implementation of new technologies, such as ‘self-service’ tills and fast track self-scanning devices, many UK retailers still struggle with large queue times during busy trading periods. However, the report found that innovations which include making payments more mobile and displacing the traditional till counter can help cut down on queue time.

New techniques, such as receving customer payment on tablets, has been found to not only diffuse the build up frustration of other shoppers waiting in line, but also helps the sales associate open up a cross-selling and up-selling dialogue with the consumer, whilst providing a more personalised shopping experience.

"Retailer can't afford to ignore the cost" of too long queues

“Today’s shopper increasingly expects service to be instantaneous and, as a predominant cause of abandoned purchases, retailers can’t afford to ignore the cost - both to revenues and the impact on brand loyalty - of lengthy queues in-store,” commented Raj Parmar, head of mobile solutions at Box Technologies. “Armed with mobile POS devices, store staff are empowered to speed up the process, by taking the full functionality of a till to where the customer wants to shop and pay.”

“Customer service is an essential part of the shopping experience,” added Rod O’Shea, EMEA regional director of embedded sales at Intel. “We believe technology can help enrich that experience in the ever changing retail landscape. Mobile POS devices are a great way to queue bust and will fit the savvy customer’s evolving expectations in store.”

UK shoppers polled for the research were also asked to highlight other ways high street retailers could improve their customer's shopping experience during peak trading periods. 24 percent said that retailers should offer extra loyalty points for shoppers waiting in longer queues, whilst 21 percent felt that they should be rewarded with additional in-store promotions, such as a free cup of coffee to enjoy until the queue picks up would vastly improve experiences in store.

One in ten shoppers believe that a fast track till queue for VIP customers would also improve customer experience and service during busy trading periods.