Rotating checkouts: how VARUS is testing the future of retail
09.10.2025
Viktor Stakhiev, Deputy Director of the IT Department
Ukrainian retail is going through a real technological revolution. There’s a shortage of staff, customers expect faster service, and costs must be optimized. All of this pushes retail chains to look for new solutions. One of the most promising directions is the hybridization of checkout zones — combining traditional cashier service with self-checkout capabilities.
In this context, VARUS has begun testing rotating checkouts — a technology that allows one checkout station to flexibly operate in two modes, depending on the situation. It’s an attempt to find the golden balance between human labor and automation — especially relevant for smaller stores.
How Rotating Checkouts Work: The Technology of Transformation
A rotating checkout is both a regular and a self-checkout terminal in one. The main feature is a special rotating mechanism: when a cashier is working, the screen faces them; when the checkout switches to self-service mode, the monitor rotates toward the customer.
This flexibility maximizes the efficiency of each checkout station. Many customers? The cashier works and serves everyone quickly. Fewer people, or the cashier is on break? Customers can check out themselves at the same terminal.
Essentially, this is a new generation of checkout zones. Instead of rigidly separating “cashier checkouts” and “self-checkouts,” stores now get smart stations that adapt to both customer and store needs.
From Experiment to Practice: First Steps in Implementation
Right now, rotating checkouts at VARUS are in the testing phase. The first one is installed at the supermarket on 117 Haharina Ave. in Dnipro — where the team is collecting the first performance data. Soon, another will be added in the same store, as one terminal isn’t enough for full analysis.
Our assumption is that rotating checkouts will work best in smaller stores with just a few registers. But we are also testing how the technology performs in larger supermarkets with 6–15 checkouts.
Economics matter too. A rotating checkout costs half as much as a standard self-service kiosk, which allows significant savings when opening new stores. However, for existing stores, it’s more of an additional service point rather than a direct cost-saving measure.
Customers Vote “Yes”: 90% of Transactions in Self-Service Mode
The test results exceeded expectations — 90% of transactions at the rotating checkout were completed by customers themselves. Surveys showed that shoppers not only approved of the format but even asked staff to keep the checkout in self-service mode all the time.
Customers like having an additional payment point more than a traditional cashier. This proves we’re moving in the right direction.
The market also confirms the trend: competitors have started installing similar systems, signaling that self-service will continue expanding in Ukrainian retail.
Store staff are especially happy. Managers and cashiers appreciate how the technology eases their workload when staff are short-handed. Many customers? The cashier steps in. Few customers? The checkout runs itself, and the cashier can handle other tasks.
Technical Challenges and Security Solutions
Of course, there were compromises. The main one — the decision to remove product weighing at the checkout. This was necessary for the rotation mechanism to function smoothly. Instead, employees were given tablets that receive real-time signals from the checkout for quick transaction monitoring.
Our security philosophy is simple: trust customers rather than micromanage them. Weighing is generally meant to help shoppers who make mistakes or forget items, not to control them. In the future, we plan to add a security system that allows guards to monitor what customers scan in real time.
Preparation for the launch took three months, with in-office testing beforehand. All technical issues were resolved early, so the rollout went smoothly. Cashiers trained for two days to learn the new software, which turned out to be simpler and faster than the previous one.
Development Plans
Among planned improvements is developing a full monitoring app for tablets, so staff can see all scans in real time. We’re also considering reintroducing product weighing, but that’s not a current priority.
The key goal remains the same — to keep trusting customers and implementing innovations that make shopping simpler. Rotating checkouts aren’t just about saving on equipment — they’re a step toward the future of retail, where technology adapts to people, not the other way around.