Which retail innovation, launched in 1916, first allowed customers to select their own products rather than having clerks retrieve items from behind a counter?

The way we shop today seems intuitive, but the retail experience has evolved dramatically over time. One of the most significant innovations in retail history fundamentally changed how customers interact with products. Before this invention, store clerks would gather items for customers from behind counters. This revolutionary concept empowered shoppers to select their own merchandise and transformed the global shopping experience forever.

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Piggly Wiggly self-service grocery store
Woolworth's department store counters
Sears catalog shopping system
A&P economy grocery model