Self-service checkouts. Websites. Apps. These systems were designed to make life easier, faster, and smoother, right? Yet here I am, standing at a Woolworths self-service checkout, trying to do the exact thing the system was meant to facilitate: pay for my shit and leave.
But no. Life’s never that simple.
Welcome to the Self-Checkout Gauntlet (of Pain)
The self-checkout was meant to be my knight in shining armour. No lines, no awkward small talk with the cashier. Just me, my few items, and a beep-beep process to freedom.
Instead, I’m hit with a relentless wave of interruptions:
- Are you a member?
- Do you want to redeem points?
- Do you want to round up for charity?
- Do you want to round up your soul and donate that, too?
- Do you want a receipt?
- Would you like fries with that?
It’s not self-service. It’s a bloody interrogation.
In a world obsessed with “frictionless” experiences, we’ve ironically created friction at the most critical point: the moment of payment. The moment I’ve already decided, yes, I want your product/service. The moment I’m willingly handing over my money.
Why are we making the simplest part of the transaction the most difficult?
The Paradox of ‘Frictionless’
Somewhere along the way, businesses started equating frictionless with asking fewer humans to help you. But here’s the truth: true frictionless design isn’t about fewer humans – it’s about fewer hurdles.
At a self-checkout, I don’t want to make six decisions before I can leave with my groceries. I’ve already made my choices in the aisles. That’s it. Let me pay. Stop trying to sell me more shit at the finish line.
And don’t get me started on the barrage of pop-ups on websites. You know the ones:
- “Subscribe to our newsletter?” (I haven’t even read your homepage yet.)
- “Chat with us live!” (No, I really don’t want to.)
- “Would you like to accept all cookies?” (Sure, why not? Take my data and my life.)
The Psychology We’re Forgetting
Marketers and designers preach the gospel of System 1 thinking – that instinctive, fast, subconscious decision-making process that helps us choose brands, click on ads, and buy things. But here’s the kicker: the same businesses that exploit System 1 to lure us in turn their backs on it when it matters most – the point of purchase.
At the self-checkout, in that moment of exchange, System 1 should reign supreme. My brain has already decided. But instead of a smooth, intuitive experience, I’m stuck wading through System 2 bullshit i.e. slow, effortful, conscious decision-making about points, receipts, and charity donations.
The result? Frustration. Irritation. And the likelihood that next time, I’ll think twice before returning.
The Bigger Problem: The Pain of Pop-Ups
Self-checkouts are just the tip of the iceberg. This issue is every-fucking-where. Take websites, for example. I can’t scroll down a homepage without being interrupted five times:
- “Join our mailing list!” (Let me breathe.)
- “Take our survey!” (Why should I care?)
- “Cookie preferences?” (Why is this my problem?)
The entire internet is a minefield of unnecessary interruptions. And every pop-up is a tiny dose of friction.
It’s death by a thousand cuts.
Here’s the thing: pop-ups, questions, and additional decisions aren’t inherently bad. But when they’re deployed indiscriminately – without consideration for context, timing, or user psychology… they sabotage the very thing they’re meant to support: a seamless experience.
The Lesson: Simplicity Isn’t Simple
Here’s the truth: the best-designed experiences feel invisible. They anticipate what the user wants, need no explanation, and remove hurdles – not bloody add them.
If you’re a marketer, a strategist, or a UX designer, ask yourself this:
- At the critical moment of exchange (the checkout, the “buy now” button), are you adding value or creating friction?
- Do your interventions serve the customer… or the business?
- Would you tolerate your own design?
Frictionless isn’t just about speed. It’s about respecting people’s time, effort, and decision-making capacity. And if you can’t manage that, your “easy” experience will feel anything but.
So, What’s the Fix?
The solution is simple – but not easy: empathy.
- Think like a customer. Would you want to make six decisions before leaving Woolworths with a loaf of bread? Would you want to click through five pop-ups before reading an article online? Probably not. Walk in their shoes…
- Design for the moment. At the checkout, the priority is speed and simplicity. Not upselling or data collection. Save those tactics for elsewhere in the journey. Don’t overwhelm peope.
- Test your systems. Watch real people use them. If they groan, sigh, or abandon the process halfway through, guess what? You’ve failed. READ THIS AGAIN. Walk in their shoes.
Final Thoughts: Let Me Pay and Leave…
We live in a world obsessed with less friction. But if you really want to create a frictionless experience, start by removing unnecessary obstacles – especially at the moments that matter most. Let people pay for their groceries. Let them browse your website. Let them interact with your brand on their terms, not yours.
Because right now, all these “frictionless” experiences are doing is creating one massive pile of friction. And the only thing they’re achieving is driving people away.
So, for the love of God, stop asking me if I want a receipt. Let me buy my shit and go.
đź’€ đź–¤
Cheers,
DANIEL JACOBS
http://www.thecreativestrategist.com.au
https://www.linkedin.com/in/denialjacobs/
Melbourne, Australia
THE CREATIVE STRATEGIST 