Rethinking the Checkout: How IKEA, TUI and Douglas Are Redefining the Payment Experience

In the final episode of season 2 of the pay it forward podcast by payabl., produced in collaboration with the c-suite podcast, host Graham Barrett is joined by Charles Aji (TUI), Solmaz Zohdi (IKEA), and Laura Treude (Douglas) to explore how leading global brands are redefining the checkout experience, and where customer satisfaction can either shine or fall apart.

The discussion uncovers how companies across travel, retail, and beauty are making payments faster, smarter, and more invisible, while balancing regulation, trust, and customer emotion. From IKEA’s data-driven empathy and Douglas’s human-led in-store journeys, to TUI’s flexible, multi-payment orchestration, each guest shares how their brand turns checkout from a transaction into a seamless extension of the customer journey.

The episode also delves into the future of AI and ambient checkout, the growing role of soft POS and omnichannel experiences, and why empathy remains at the core of payment design.

As the season wraps up, the conversation looks ahead to how technology, innovation, and customer mindset will continue to shape the way we pay — and how brands can make the final step feel effortless.