Stores spend $34.5bn a year on all kinds of technology, from the cables and routers behind-the-scene to in-store devices such as price checkers, self-service checkout stations and electronic kiosks for customers, says the National Retail Federation.
With older equipment needing to be replaced, spending for high-tech upgrades is expected to increase, the federation says.
Some workers might view technology such as self-checkouts threatening their job. Other devices might make their jobs easier.
Still, the number of jobs in some segments of the retail industry is diminishing, and economists believe that technology has played a prominent role.
Source: BPM Today, http://www.bpm-today.com