The impact of self-service technologies on consumer-retailer relationships: navigating trust, contribution, and the role of consumers as partial employees

• Self-service technologies redefine consumer roles as partial employees in retail. • Perceived fairness and trust shape psychological contracts of consumers. • Lack of fairness may trigger psychological contract breaches. • Retailers must balance automation with human interaction for diverse consumers. This paper explores the ways in which self-service technologies (SSTs) impact the relationship between consumers and retailers, drawing on the concepts of partial employee roles and psychological contract theory. It is based on interviews with 75 consumers in one of the major retailers in Switzerland. The findings identify perceived contribution/inducement ratio and trust as central in maintaining the relationship between retailers and consumers. Conversely, an insufficient contribution/inducement ratio and lack of trust threaten this relationship. Retailers must navigate the evolving role of consumers in co-production and ensure they feel empowered while tailoring SSTs to different levels of expectations. Consumers’ perceptions of control over SST interactions further mediate their engagement: tech-savvy consumers thrive in autonomous contexts, whereas others might experience stress and disengagement without sufficient support. The study highlights the complex interplay between consumer empowerment and relational dynamics in co-production environments, offering both theoretical and managerial insights into the design and implementation of SSTs.