Eye-tracking process analysis of checkout and shelf replenishment in multi-store retail
Multi-store retail chain (grocery / convenience format), with standardized in-store processes across checkout and shelf replenishment.
Confidential case study — anonymized. Full details available under NDA upon request.
Cashiers and replenishment staff observed live — attention mapped second by second, friction flagged directly on video.
Every friction point isolated, timed, and ranked — from interface layout to planogram and stock-rotation discipline.
| Objective Finding | Measured Value |
|---|---|
| Share of total store process time spent on checkout | 25% (≈ 35 labor-hours/day per store) |
| Share of checkout time spent interacting with the register interface (buttons/icons) | 40% of checkout time — ≈ 14 hours/day per store |
| Share of total store process time spent on shelf replenishment | 36% (≈ 52 labor-hours/day per store) |
| Time to identify a non-food product on the shop floor for restocking | ≈ 3:14 minutes per instance |
| Distinct checkout friction points isolated via eye-tracking | 7 individually timed bottlenecks, each 8–35 seconds per occurrence |
| Recommendation | Rationale / Expected Impact |
|---|---|
| Re-arrange register icon layout, prioritizing best-selling products | Targets the 40% / ≈14 hours per day spent on interface interaction |
| Auto-suggest bulk-item packaging immediately after weighing/scanning | Removes a recurring per-transaction manual search step |
| Update icons with clear product photos and consistent naming | Cuts the 8–10-second identification delay measured per icon lookup |
| Move the loyalty/payment card prompt to just before payment confirmation | Removes an interrupt mid-way through the scanning sequence |
| Adjust the cigarette planogram to match actual sales mix | Reduces search time measured at the register for that category |
| Apply lean replenishment: trolley closer to shelf, minimum two dividers | Targets the 3:14-minute product-identification delay in non-food |
| Schedule stock checks at defined intervals; reinforce FIFO discipline | Prevents chilled over-stocking and reduces shelf-expiry risk |
The diagnostic replaced “the checkout feels slow” with instrumented, timed data on exactly where staff attention went inside the two highest-labor-hour processes in the store. By flagging each friction point directly on the video footage — rather than relying on a walkthrough or staff self-report — the analysis turned a vague sense of inefficiency into a ranked list of seven specific, fixable friction points, so management could act on what was actually slowing staff down.