Self-Scanning and Self-Control: A Field Experiment on Real-Time Feedback and Shopping Behavior

Natalia Montinari (), Emma Runnemark and Erik Wengström

No 2017:15, Working Papers from Lund University, Department of Economics

Abstract: Payment and checkout at retail stores is increasingly being replaced by automated systems. One recent technological invention in this area is mobile self-scanning in which customers carry a mobile scanner while shopping. Mobile self-scanners give real-time feedback on spending. The device increases price saliency and enables customers to keep track of the total amount spent. Using a field experiment, we test if mobile self-scanning affects shopping behavior. Consumers of two grocery stores were allocated randomly to use a mobile self-scanner or not. Overall, we find that using the self-scanner has a negative but insignificant effect on total amount spent. However, the response to using the scanner is heterogeneous and for customers with low self-control, it significantly reduces both their spending and number of items bought when using the mobile scanner. Moreover, we find that consumers with low self-control are more likely to use the self-scanner than individuals with high self-control. Taken together, our results suggest that sophisticated individuals, that is, individuals who are aware of their self-control problem, use the scanner to control their spending.

Keywords: Self-scanning; Self-control; Shopping Behavior; Real-time Feedback; Field Experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D01 D12 M30 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 23 pages
Date: 2017-11-28
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-exp and nep-pay
Note: Appendix available online
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Working Paper: Self-Scanning and Self-Control: A Field Experiment on Real-Time Feedback and Shopping Behavior (2017)
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