Self-service and interactive checkout experiences are fast becoming the default way customers interact with stores.

The trend is seeing increasing investment in self-service solutions that meet rising shopper expectations for speed and convenience, reduce queues – especially in self-checkout lanes – and install kiosks where shoppers can order across channels while in-store.

“If consumers consider a touchpoint slow or clunky, they assume the brand is outdated,” explains Daniel Hu, MD at MicroTouch, which has more than 50 million touchscreen installations in 80 countries. “So, retailers are investing in platforms that compress service time, reduce queues, and deliver a smooth, modern-day customer experience.”

For both retail and hospitality businesses, this means self-service has become a strategic lever, Hu says. “It can lower transaction costs, free up staff for higher-value roles, and directly shape whether a customer stays in-store or leaves for a digital-first alternative.”

Business Research Insights recently published data to underline that shift. It predicts the global retail self-service kiosk market will grow from around US$860 million this year to more than $2.2 billion by 2035. The Asia-Pacific region is likely to account for about 30 per cent of that value.

Why reliable hardware has become even more essential

As self-service volumes climb, consumers’ tolerance for poor interactive experiences drops sharply, making minimising downtime and degradation crucial for retailers.

“Commercial-grade hardware is moving from a ‘nice to have’ to essential infrastructure in Apac and global marketplaces,” says Hu.

MicroTouch specialises in interactive displays, touchscreens, open-frame displays, POS systems, and self-service solutions for retailers, restaurants, and banks, among others. 

For retailers, Hu says durability, touch accuracy, brightness, and long-term lifecycle support have become key purchase criteria. 

“Industrial and commercial-grade monitors are typically built for 50,000–70,000 hours of operation and can run 24/7 without major performance loss, whereas consumer-grade panels often will not cut it. They struggle under sustained heavy use and are more prone to burn-in, brightness drop-off, and touch drift.”

Hu says retailers are moving beyond standalone hardware purchases and looking for complete solutions that combine performance, design and flexibility. For example, the company’s Mach POS solution is designed for modern retail and hospitality environments, with integrated tap-to-pay functionality, commercial durability, anti-glare and optical bonding technology, and an optional customer-facing display.

This translates into a simple rule for technology implementation: If hardware cannot guarantee uptime and has an unpredictable lifecycle, a self-service project may prove fragile and costly.

Using technology to engage with customers

For years, many retailers and restaurants deployed technology to reduce labour or speed checkout. Now, says Hu, technology has become essential for brands to build attention, navigation, and loyalty in physical stores.

“Interactive displays, digital signage, and integrated payment solutions are now key tools for shaping the customer journey from arrival to post-purchase.”

Research cited by Digital Signage Today on interactive and retail-specific digital signage shows that touch-enabled screens can increase customer interaction and dwell time, as well as drive in-store navigation. 

Retailers are using touch-enabled displays to discover and compare products, to virtually ‘try on’ clothing, and to access personalised loyalty offers or promotions. At the same time, this is reducing staff dependency, it is increasing conversion and repeat visits.

As more and more consumers adopt digital payment options and embrace AI-enabled, contactless kiosks, demand for next-generation interactive hardware and touchscreens is growing.

“Potentially, every interaction with a customer can be turned into a potential engagement moment rather than a purely transactional step,” says Hu.

Putting it together for the future store

Hu has a straightforward message for retailers: Self-service and interactive experiences are growing because customers expect speed, convenience and control; reliable hardware is a non-negotiable enabler of uptime and brand consistency; and technology is a lever for turning a transaction into a journey.

“By investing in robust, long-lifecycle displays and integrated payment touchpoints, retailers can simultaneously ease customer interactions, cut costs, and improve customer relationships – all without making the store feel like a machine, or overwhelming customers with technology.

“But success depends upon adopting robust, reliable, fit-for-purpose hardware,” Hu concludes. “Remember that your brand reputation might rise and fall on the ease of accessibility and interaction with your hardware and its underlying software.”

• Visit MicroTouch online here, or stop by the company’s display at NRF Asia-Pacific in Singapore in June to test some of the solutions first-hand at Booth 1716. MicroTouch will showcase more modern, smarter total retail solutions at NRF.