Huck’s Market began using contactless checkout provider Skip’s mobile checkout in May 2020. And this past June, the chain implemented self-checkout kiosks, on the ground floor using Skip’s first self-checkout kiosk. Huck’s is in the midst of installing the machines in nearly all of its 123 stores.

Self-checkout kiosks have been on Director of Marketing and Business Development Jon Bunch’s radar dating back to when big-box retailers started using them years ago, but the machines were too big. He found a solution in the every-inch-counts c-store world with Skip, which provides smaller gear but the same functionality, including fast processing and minimal work and maintenance on Huck’s end, Bunch says.

The kiosks have been extremely popular, accounting for 30% of total inside transactions at the best stores and 7% at the lowest store, a number Bunch still considers solid.

Bunch’s biggest lesson learned in the first few months is about where the units are located, he said. The chain initially placed the machines away from the checkout counter, and use was poor. When moved closer to the counter, transactions doubled.

“We’re always looking to streamline the customer’s experience,” said Bunch, who’s now working on a Huck’s digital wallet. “We just kind of take the technology as it comes, and we run with it.”