The Acceptance Factors of Self-Checkout Technology (SCT) Among Different Generations

Abstract

This study examines the factors influencing consumers’ intention to use self-checkout technology (SCT) among Gen-Z, Millennials, and Gen-X in the Malaysian retail context. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study extends the model by incorporating perceived enjoyment, technology anxiety, and technology exposure, with generational cohort examined as a moderating variable. A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to 102 respondents with prior experience using self-checkout technology. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, reliability testing, multiple regression, and moderation analysis via Hayes’ Process Macro. The findings reveal that perceived enjoyment and technology exposure positively influence intention to use self-checkout technology, while technology anxiety has a significant negative effect. Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were not found to be significant factors, suggesting that these factors are viewed as basic expectations rather than key motivators. Moderation analysis indicates that generational cohort does not significantly moderate most relationships, although marginal moderation effects were observed for perceived enjoyment and technology exposure. Overall, the results suggest that self-checkout technology adoption is driven more by experiential and familiarity-related factors than by age considerations. The study contributes to technology acceptance literature by highlighting the growing importance of hedonic and psychological factors in retail self-service technologies and provides practical insights for retailers seeking to enhance self-checkout technology adoption across different age groups.