From modern furnishings to shop-in-shop solutions through to a broader product range, when renovating a shop retailer have to take numerous aspects into consideration. EDEKA-Markt Oertwig in Henstedt-Ulzburg shows how retrofitting can be managed sustainably. Shop owner, Karsten Oertwig, didn't just restructure the shop space when renovating his store, but instead also adapted all of the checkout processes to meet the requirements of his customers. And did so successfully: In 2021 his store was awarded the reta award in the "Best Instore Solution" category.
Prolonged shift changes, differences in the cash register balance and customers who complain about receiving the wrong amount of change – Karsten Oertwig knows the problems associated with the day-to-day running of a supermarket all too well. Because if a lot is going on, this can quickly lead to errors happening at the Point of Sale (POS). The businessman therefore decided that he would not just almost double the space in the shop from 1,000 to 1,900 square metres and restructure it, but also retrofit the cash register system and automate the handling of cash with his planned shop renovation. His efforts paid off: EDEKA Oertwig now delights its customers with modern fittings, a large selection of high-quality products and innovative checkout options.
The customers set the tone
The customers' wishes were the real focus for Karsten Oertwig when planning his shop renovation. So, he conducted surveys with visitors to his store and enquired about their wishes in relation to the product range, fittings and furnishings and checkout. This way the shop’s renovation would be tailored to the needs of his customers. He even took into consideration the outcomes of his conversations at the Point of Sale (POS) and decided to automate cash processing at the cash desk and in the back office. To ensure an uncomplicated and convenient self-checkout process he combined the ITAB ScanMate Cash Desk with the GLORY CI-10 cash recycling system. The Glory CI-100 back-office solution also facilitated a closed loop cash management cycle and guaranteed a high level of security.
Cash automation doesn't just help out at the POS
EDEKA Oertwig reopened in April 2020 after a six-month renovation period. The technical changes were not just financially profitable but also increased employee and customer satisfaction levels:
- Staff have more time to spend on interacting with the customers as they no longer have to deal with change during the payment process.
- The risk of handing out incorrect change to customers is eliminated and time is saved at the end of shift and day as balancing the cash register can be done with the click of a button, transparently and seamlessly.
- However, the customers choose to transact at the checkout - self-scanning or a manned till, the modern GLORY systems fit into the shop design perfectly.
- Money in the cash recycler is already checked when it is inserted at the cash register and any counterfeit money is rejected. Thanks to the integrated security processes, only authorised persons have access to the cash that is stored in the system.
Customers were particularly impressed with the ability to make cashback withdrawals when paying. It is not just EDEKA Oertwig that is delighted with this service. A KANTAR survey on German payment behaviours, which was commissioned by Glory in 2020, shows that cashback is a service growing in popularity across the country. According to the survey, the proportion of cashback users has increased dramatically in the past year, from 32 per cent to 56 per cent. Even the Coronavirus pandemic has contributed towards this trend – 14 per cent of those surveyed indicated that during the pandemic they increasingly withdrew money from their account at the cash desk.
EDEKA Oertwig – An innovation in the country
By renovating his shop Karsten Oertwig wasn't just able to fulfil the wishes of his numerous regular customers but has also impressed them with the new cash desk solutions. His shop is now a highlight in the small community in Hamburg, which impresses with modern technology and friendly staff. In 2021 EDEKA Oertwig together with its technology partner, Glory, received the reta award. Thanks to the introduction of its automated cash processing system the store has become an innovative pioneer in retail.
