Efficient point of sale software and trained employees can help keep lines moving smoothly and quickly. When a retail POS system works well, cashiers are able to quickly ring up a consumer's purchases, which can be key to keeping lines short and wait times to a minimum. In turn, this may increase sales revenue, as evidenced by a recent U.K. study.

The British have long been known for their ability to stand in line, and even the BBC acknowledges this unique skill to "queue" that Brits all seem to possess. However, even they have a breaking point. EE, a leading digital communications company in the U.K., recently surveyed 2,000 British consumers about the shopping experience, and found that most respondents would rather abandon their items than wait in line for more than a few minutes.

Some shoppers had more patience than others, as 29 percent would give up after waiting for two minutes, 59 percent said they could last at most for four minutes, and 73 percent indicated that six minutes was the maximum amount of time they'd spend in line before leaving without buying anything. EE estimated that this led to a loss of about £1 billion (about $1.7 billion) in annual sales across the U.K.