Consequences of Retail Checkout Crowding on Perceived Emotional Discomfort and Switching Intentions

Abstract

The waiting line is an essential element in the consumer's assessment of the overall shopping experience. Perceived idle time while waiting in the queue exaggerates the negative response to wait duration and affects the overall customer satisfaction. The store employees find it hard to muddle through peak hours and deal with the demand for a speedy process. The inefficient queuing system can lead to productivity and monetary losses from an operational outlook. This study explores the determinants of emotional discomfort encountered by customers waiting at the retail checkout. The study pursues a descriptive research design and is cross-sectional. Survey research was employed to ascertain customers' perceptions of their wait experience. The sample consisted of 385 respondents visiting the target organised outlets located in various localities in Bengaluru. Pearson correlation, multiple regression analysis, and SEM are applied to examine the data. Regardless of their age and gender, respondents experienced emotional discomfort at the retail checkout. Various situations while waiting in the queue appeared to influence the emotional discomfort significantly. This study suggests that while waiting in the queue at the retail checkout, situational factors influence emotional discomfort and subsequently persuade store switching intentions. The findings of this study are pertinent to retail outlets selling diverse merchandise and having situations requiring waiting. The study concludes that emotional discomfort is predominant during the checkout process in Indian retail outlets.