HOT TOPIC | EuroCIS 2027

Future Checkout

Speed up checkout. Connect systems. Strengthen retail.

For many customers, the checkout is where a purchase either becomes a great experience – or doesn't. But even more importantly, checkout is one of the biggest levers for efficiency in the store: this is where staffing, space usage, and customer footfall meet head-on.

At EuroCIS 2027, international exhibitors will showcase the technologies driving this area forward in economically meaningful ways – from process automation to flexible staff scheduling.

A man pushes a shopping cart through a modern self-checkout gate, with visitors at a checkout solutions trade show booth in the background; copyright: Messe Düsseldorf / A. Wiese

What does future checkout mean?

Self-checkout and self-scanning are already well established in retail. What makes the real difference today is how well these systems are connected and intelligently managed. Future checkout describes the interplay of self-service solutions, AI-powered product recognition, and data analytics that no longer operate in isolation but work together as one continuous system: POS data, inventory management, staff scheduling, and customer data all interlock. Individual checkout silos become a connected platform that continuously adapts to customer footfall, stock levels, and staff availability.

Checkout is evolving into an intelligent, connected platform that combines efficiency, flexibility, and innovation.

Portrait of a smiling man with short dark gray hair and a gray beard, wearing a dark blazer and light blue shirt, against a plain light background.

Why do forward-looking checkout processes matter?

Traditional checkout processes and cash registers tie up a significant share of a store's staff and floor space. Retailers who don't invest here risk inefficient operations, while staff shortages only add to the pressure. Self-checkout and self-service systems relieve employees and enable more flexible deployment – for example, toward customer consultation and cross-selling.

According to a survey, retailers name three priorities above all:

60% of respondents are relying on AI support at checkout

56% of respondents are expanding self-service solutions

48% of respondents are relying on mobile devices with POS functionality

Sources: "Checkout-Trends 2026" study, Self-Checkout: Market survey 2025, EHI Retail Institute

According to EHI, the number of retail stores in Germany with stationary or mobile self-checkout systems has more than doubled within two years – a clear sign that retail is repositioning itself right now. At the same time, the technology itself is maturing: while early self-checkout systems were standalone solutions, current systems allow for tighter integration with AI, inventory management, and staff scheduling. This opens up new economic potential, from lower error rates to better capacity management and reduced process costs.

Benefits of forward-looking checkout systems for retailers

More efficient staff deployment in-store, freeing up time for value-adding tasks
More flexible response to staff shortages and peak times through self-checkout concepts
Optimized processes through AI-powered systems that automatically flag anomalies

Mobile POS functionality moves checkout onto the sales floor and relieves stationary registers
Higher customer satisfaction through smooth checkout experiences strengthens customer loyalty
Better decision-making through the connection of POS, inventory, and customer data

What role does checkout play in customer satisfaction?

For customers, an optimal checkout experience means the freedom to choose between different checkout options, short wait times, and a seamless process across all touchpoints. This includes omnichannel and fulfillment services just as much as personalized offers at the point of sale. The moment of purchase becomes a decisive building block of a positive customer journey – one that customers reward with satisfaction, repeat visits, and brand advocacy.

Solutions for future-proofing checkout

Whether self-service, AI-powered automation, or personalization – EuroCIS 2027 shows which technologies speed up checkout processes, cut costs, and relieve staff where it matters most.

A shopping cart icon, white on a pink background

Make the checkout
more flexible

Self-scanning solutions and mobile POS functionality move the payment process onto the sales floor – easing queues and enabling more flexible staff deployment in-store.

Automate
the checkout

Autonomous store concepts and smart vending solutions enable fully unstaffed checkout, opening the door to standalone and hybrid retail formats.

Seamless checkout
with AI

Computer vision technologies automatically recognize products, replacing manual scanning. Machine vision also strengthens loss prevention by catching scan errors and attempted fraud.

Digitize processes

Digital signage and POS kiosks add interactive touchpoints at checkout. Digital receipts replace paper slips and open a new communication channel with customers.

Personalization at the POS

CRM solutions, in-store analytics, and loyalty data turn checkout into a place for individual, data-driven offers – strengthening customer loyalty well beyond the purchase itself.

Connect systems

POS data, inventory management, and staff scheduling interlock, creating a connected platform that also serves as a data foundation for sound business decisions.

A EuroCIS exhibitor demonstrates automatic fruit and vegetable recognition to a visitor at a self-checkout register; copyright: Messe Düsseldorf / A. Wiese

Experience future checkout at EuroCIS 2027

Discover technologies, providers, and real-world use cases

EuroCIS brings together technology providers, retail companies, start-ups, and decision-makers from the international retail technology industry. For trade visitors, the Future Checkout hot topic offers the chance to explore solutions not just in theory, but in direct market comparison.

Gain
a market overview

Compare providers, tools, and solution approaches around future checkout in one place.

Exlore
real-world applications

See live technology demos and learn more about seamless checkout concepts.

Make
valuable connections

Meet technology providers, industry experts, and retail decision-makers in person in Düsseldorf.

Show what's shaping retail tomorrow!

Become an exhibitor now ❯

Further expert insights on
Checkout

How are retailers shaping the checkout of the future? What role do self-service solutions, AI, and personalization play? Find in-depth insights into new technologies, current trends, real-world examples, and expert perspectives from the retail technology industry in EuroShop.mag.

More on retail technologies in EuroShop.mag

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Smart stores put to the test

FAQs on the future of checkout

What role do self-service solutions play in the customer journey? What benefits do AI-powered checkout concepts offer retailers and customers alike? Find answers to key questions on the checkout of the future here.

How does a smooth checkout experience contribute to a consistent shopping experience across all touchpoints?

Today's customers expect online and brick-and-mortar retail to blend seamlessly – whether that means finishing an online purchase in-store or picking up a click-and-collect order without waiting at the register. Future checkout solutions such as CRM systems, in-store analytics, and loyalty management ensure that customer data and preferences are available across channels, creating a consistent shopping experience. This end-to-end approach is a core building block of customer centricity: instead of experiencing isolated touchpoints, customers see checkout as the smooth conclusion of their individual customer journey.

What role does AI play in modern checkout technologies?

Artificial intelligence optimizes checkout on several levels: it supports automated product recognition, detects fraud patterns at self-checkout registers, and enables personalized offers based on purchase behavior and customer data. AI also plays an important role in error detection – for example, when items haven't been scanned correctly or weight discrepancies occur – without requiring staff to manually check every transaction.

AI-based forecasting also helps predict customer footfall and manage checkout capacity and staffing accordingly. According to the EHI study "Checkout Trends 2026," 60 percent of retail companies currently see the greatest need for action in AI support at checkout – a sharp rise from 33 percent the year before.

How is computer vision transforming the checkout of the future?

Computer vision makes it possible to automatically recognize products without staff or customers having to manually scan each item. Cameras and sensors in the store identify items as soon as they're picked up from the shelf or as customers leave the sales floor, so payment happens in the background. This makes computer vision a key technology for seamless checkout and autonomous store concepts, eliminating the traditional scanning step altogether and making the shopping experience as smooth as possible.

What are the benefits of digital receipts?

Digital receipts replace the traditional paper slip with a digital record delivered by email, app, or QR code. For retailers, this means lower material costs and less maintenance for receipt printers. Customers benefit from a clear, digitally archived purchase history that's easier to use for warranty or return processes than a paper receipt.

Who are modern checkout solutions relevant for?

Future checkout technologies are relevant for any retail company looking to reduce wait times and deploy staff more efficiently – from grocery retail, already a frontrunner in self-checkout systems, to drugstores and home improvement stores.

The topic is especially relevant for store and branch managers, as well as IT and digitalization leads looking to future-proof their company's checkout landscape.

Which future checkout solutions can visitors discover at EuroCIS 2027?

EuroCIS showcases the full range of modern checkout technologies – from stationary self-checkout registers and mobile self-scanning solutions tu fully unstaffed autonomous store concepts and smart vending. Add to that computer vision technologies for automated product recognition.

The offering is rounded out by digital signage and POS kiosk systems for digital receipts, as well as CRM and loyalty solutions for personalized offers at the point of sale.

Why is a visit to EuroCIS 2027 worthwhile for checkout projects?

EuroCIS brings together leading providers of self-checkout, self-scanning, and computer vision solutions in one place. Visitors get a comprehensive market overview and can compare different checkout concepts directly.

Presentations, use cases, and practical reports on the stages also provide concrete insights into how other retail companies have already successfully modernized their checkout processes. The offering is rounded out by networking opportunities with providers, users, and industry experts – a chance to find new partners for your own projects.

When and where does EuroCIS 2027 take place?

EuroCIS 2027 takes place from February 16 to 18, 2027, at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center (Stockumer Kirchstrasse 61, 40474 Düsseldorf). Visitor hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

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