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

Quaderni - Working Paper DSE N° 1115

24 Pages Posted: 6 Dec 2017

See all articles by Natalia Montinari

Natalia Montinari

Università di Bologna

Emma Runnemark

Lund University (deceased)

Erik Wengström

Department of Economics, Lund University; Hanken School of Economics - Helsinki Graduate School of Economics

Date Written: November 28, 2017

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

JEL Classification: D01, D12, M30

Suggested Citation

Montinari, Natalia and Runnemark, Emma and Wengström, Erik, Self-Scanning and Self-Control: A Field Experiment on Real-Time Feedback and Shopping Behavior (November 28, 2017). Quaderni - Working Paper DSE N° 1115, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3080883 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3080883

Natalia Montinari (Contact Author)

Università di Bologna ( email )

Via Zamboni, 33
Bologna, 40126
Italy

Emma Runnemark

Lund University (deceased)

Erik Wengström

Department of Economics, Lund University ( email )

P.O. Box 7082
S-220 07 Lund
Sweden

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/site/erikwengstrom

Hanken School of Economics - Helsinki Graduate School of Economics ( email )

Helsinki
Finland

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