Overview

Metro Cash & Carry operates over 680 large warehouse stores across 24 countries. Each location has unique tax regulations and sales policies, making the checkout process inconsistent and inefficient. Additionally, the outdated cash register system caused long queues, user frustration, and a low comfort level for cashiers.

The objective was to design a unified, scalable, and user-friendly checkout solution that improves the cashier experience and speeds up the sales process, while accommodating regional legal requirements.

My Role

UX Designer — Led research, conceptualized design solutions, developed UI prototypes, and validated with real users.

Challenges & Constraints

• Complex regulatory differences across countries and even between stores.
• High variance in cashier experience and technical skills.
• Need to improve ergonomics for cashiers working long shifts.
• Required to support tablet, mobile, and fixed POS devices.
• Legacy systems with limited integration capabilities.

My Process

👉 Discovery & Research
Conducted contextual inquiries and on-site observations in multiple Metro stores.
Ran interviews with cashiers, store managers, and IT staff to identify pain points.
Mapped the end-to-end checkout process to understand inefficiencies.

📌 Key Findings:
Complex navigation slowed down cashiers.
Physical discomfort due to poorly positioned hardware.
Lack of real-time price and stock information frustrated customers and staff.

👉 Design & Prototyping
Developed low-fidelity wireframes for rapid feedback loops.
Created a modular UI design system to ensure scalability across devices.
Designed both touch-optimized interfaces for tablets and self-checkouts, and keyboard-focused interfaces for fixed POS systems.

📌 Key Findings:
Simplified primary workflows to require a maximum of 3 steps for regular transactions.
Introduced real-time feedback on product availability and promotions.
Added ergonomic hardware recommendations for future procurement.

👉 User Testing & Iteration
Conducted multiple usability tests with real cashiers on prototypes.
Measured task completion times, error rates, and user satisfaction.
Iterated based on feedback, focusing on reducing cognitive load and improving navigation.

Results

• Reduced average checkout time by 28%.
• Improved cashier satisfaction scores by 35% post-implementation.
• Established a scalable design system adopted by multiple Metro countries.
• Opened the path for future self-checkout solutions using the same design foundation.

Conclusion

This project reinforced the importance of deep contextual research and designing for both business scalability and real human needs. By focusing on cashier comfort and operational efficiency, the redesigned cash register solution significantly improved both employee and customer satisfaction across Metro’s international stores.

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