Self-Checkout

[buster]

I only use self-checkout. You probably won't see those cashier jobs stay around for too much longer. Bricks and mortars in general are unnecessary except for necessities.

Skills sets have to be adaptable, transferable to virtual environments, even back and middle office positions, along with front office positions, will see greater automation, really easy to see it where it can (and likely will) be done.

Theft could be a potential issue, but you could fix that with maybe 2 employees overlooking things vs 8 cashiers....so it's still a benefit.

It's really amazing how what was shown in sci fi movies seem to be implemented in the modern day.

It's frustrating though how problematic many of the auto check-outs are. I think they have improved a lot though. I've always hated waiting in line. We're not the most patient people in NJ.

 

[RiceCake]

The biggest problem with self-checkout is when someone wanders up there, full cart, stares at the machine, scanning items one by one at the speed of continental drift, each time utterly perplexed to see its actually scanned it it.

But that being said I love it when theres open terminals. Its faster then a convenience store to just head to a big grocery store with it. Beep, beep, pay, gone. Love it!

 

[Bill in Utah]

They used to have them here at Wal-mart and have replaced them with more lanes and cashiers.

On the other hand most other places are going to them. Home Depot has more self check out than staffed lanes.

I personally prefer the self ones. Wife HATES them.

Happy New Year!

 

[Donald]

Stop & Shop has a device you pick up when you walk in the store and scan the items as they go into your bags in your cart. When done go to any lane and they read the device and you pay.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I won't use self checkout unless they're willing to give me a discount on my goods. The price of goods is figured into profit,payroll,etc.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I won't use self checkout unless they're willing to give me a discount on my goods.

I'll use them if it saves me time. My time is worth something afterall.

 

[BigCahuna]

yea, lets take away more jobs by having stores install self checkout isles. I always figured the prices of items sold in any store, included the expense of the checkout people. Nowadays prices are going up, profits are to,but you now have to work for free for the store, just to pay them.,,

 

[simple_gifts]

I don't know why they bother to unpack and shelve the goods @ at all. Just leave them in boxes and I'll wander thru a dingy warehouse grabbing what I need. I'd like the fruits and vegs behind the store too; I can just go out and pick what I need.

Oil change places should just have a pit, wrench and new oil, no worries I can do that too.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Imo self checkout is the equivalent of going to a restaurant and cooking your own meal.

 

[RiceCake]

I'm kinda astonished how many people want to be waded on hand-and-foot like children because they can't possibly stand the thought of scanning their items and bagging them themselves to save themselves valuable time. The amount of added effort to do this is absolutely trivial. Comparing cooking a meal and servicing a car to pushing a box over a scanner is completely ridiculous...

Maybe you guys should complain about having to remove your items from your cart when you go through a regular checkout, too. Why isn't somebody doing that for you?

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: RiceCake
...scanning items one by one at the speed of continental drift...


Excellent! Hilarious!

That said, I try to use them exclusively myself. It gets annoying when they don't work correctly, or you're at Wal Mart and need a cashier to punch in a 25 digit code so you can buy a can of whipped cream (I guess it can be used for huffing).

Some people have no business using them. These might be the siblings of those that still insist upon paying by check at stores.

 

[Jakegday]

if you wanna be standing in line, while i walk into the store, go get my item, go pay for it, and walk out of the store, all while you're still standing in that line, then by all means, more power to ya!

I have done this on numerous occasions. walk into the store. see long lines at the checkouts (usually filled with people MUCH older then me) and still see some of those same people standing there as i walk out.

i suppose i should actually be thanking you, for making my line shorter, lol. Ill GLADLY scan my own items if it gets me back to spending time with my family (or doing anything) 10 minutes sooner...

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I won't use self checkout unless they're willing to give me a discount on my goods. The price of goods is figured into profit,payroll,etc.


This is true, but I don't agree with your logic. Going through a self-checkout often saves you time (not always, but often), and your time is worth something. Although rare, I have also had items left behind by the bagger, and items rung up wrong. Scanning/bagging myself gives peace of mind that everything is scanned properly and nothing is left behind. To me at least, that is worth something as well.

 

[DBMaster]

I don't think anyone has to worry about cashiers becoming obsolete any time soon. The big Wal Mart Supercenter near my house has about 30 checkout lanes plus eight self checkouts. I have NEVER seen any more than ten of the manned lanes open and, because it is a super center, those lanes are always backed up with people with overflowing baskets of groceries. If you are only buying a few items at a time like I do they pretty much force you into the self serve lanes. (Unless, of course, standing in line at Wal Mart provides entertainment for you)

My favorite part is that you CANNOT pay by check. In the 21st century it ought to be a crime to stand there, wait until everything in your overflowing basket is scanned, and then start fishing for your checkbook in your purse. They don't even take your check. They scan the MCR ink and give it back to you. Yet, these relics from the last century still fill the stupid thing out, sign it, and write the transaction in their check register while you are standing behind them.

The suburbs are a lot more crowded than they were even twenty years ago. I would like to see specific lanes that allow checks and the rest stating "no checks." These days, paying with cash is almost as slow compared to a credit or debit card.

I guess I am as impatient as people from New Jersey! The time spent standing in line could be better spent opening a whiskey bottle!

 

[VicVinegar]

I don't like them unless I am buying a couple things.

Besides having to wait behind someone who can't figure the machine out. You always get someone behind you who starts sending items down before you are done bagging items, so you got their stuff mixing in with yours.

I'd rather wait for a real cashier, and do. Even if there is a line, and there is only one cashier. Maybe it will show the store they need more of them.

 

[RiceCake]

People actually still pay by cheque?

Yikes. I don't even pay by cash anymore. Cards rule.

 

[Dave Sherman]

The idea of a self-checkout isn't bad, I just don't have good experiences with them. The ones at Home Depot drive me up the wall. If I buy something in a spray can, somebody has to approve it since they are "controlled" substances now. Expensive items like power tools also need approval. I can't buy loose nuts and bolts from hardware, because the self-checkout doesn't have the means to look them up. The other day I went through, with a bag of machine screws, and crossed my fingers. After several attempts to scan it, it finally scanned - twice! Couldn't remove the extra item though, the attendant had to fix it. I think I'm less than 50% successful at using self-checkouts without help.


Sorry, but self-checkout is an oxymoron as far as I'm concerned.

 

[DBMaster]

^The ones at my Wal Mart are not like the ones you have.

But, this store has been around for a long time and they have NEVER had enough cashiers working. Wny bother installing all those check out lanes only to leave them closed most of the time?

I want to see ALL stores with a checkout system like Fry's uses (like the post office), single queue, multiple server. That might entice me back to the cashier.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: RiceCake
I'm kinda astonished how many people want to be waded on hand-and-foot like children because they can't possibly stand the thought of scanning their items and bagging them themselves to save themselves valuable time. The amount of added effort to do this is absolutely trivial. Comparing cooking a meal and servicing a car to pushing a box over a scanner is completely ridiculous...

Maybe you guys should complain about having to remove your items from your cart when you go through a regular checkout, too. Why isn't somebody doing that for you?


Like I said,I'll gladly scan and bag my own items if I'm offered a discount. The price you pay for groceries includes the payroll wages for the companies' employees. Every item you buy at a grocery store ends up paying the employees' hourly wages. If they can cut the number of employees,saving the company money,then it should reflect back to the customer,saving them money (lower prices,for example).

 

[Kruse]

Years ago, IBM had a commercial on TV that showed the customer pushing the entire filled shopping car through a large scanner and the entire cart was instantly added up. If and when that becomes a reality (and I have yet to see one of these anywhere), then the cashiers will be hitting the unemployment line. I'm not holding my breath just yet.
Edit: I see a few of the commercials on YouTube.