I only use the self-checkout lane if a quick scan reveals no hot cashiers present...
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Self-Checkout
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If I'm not mistaken, IBM's concept was based on RFID. I suppose it's still too cost prohibitive to include an RFID chip in every single item on the shelf, including fresh produce. So that whole concept may be a long way away.
Another option would be to have a little scanner inside every shopping cart. The buyer scans each item as they're placing it in the shopping cart, so that by the time they reach the door, everything is already scanned, and the scanner could also accept credit card payment. Granted, you're relying on the honesty of the buyer that he/she will scan everything that she puts in the cart, but it's no different than "forgetting" to scan something at the self-checkout lane. If nobody's watching, how will they know? But there are still the problematic items such as produce that are sold by weight or qty.
Another option would be to have a little scanner inside every shopping cart. The buyer scans each item as they're placing it in the shopping cart, so that by the time they reach the door, everything is already scanned, and the scanner could also accept credit card payment. Granted, you're relying on the honesty of the buyer that he/she will scan everything that she puts in the cart, but it's no different than "forgetting" to scan something at the self-checkout lane. If nobody's watching, how will they know? But there are still the problematic items such as produce that are sold by weight or qty.
Kestas
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It's one of the few opportunities I get to rid myself of excess change.
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Originally Posted By: RiceCake
Why isn't somebody doing that for you?
HEB gladly does this for you. They take them to your car and load them.
Why isn't somebody doing that for you?
HEB gladly does this for you. They take them to your car and load them.
Supposedly walmart was going to demand RFID tags in or on every item by 2005 so one could push that cart through and pay. Didn't pan out.
Stores aren't doing "no checks" lines because they don't want to offend 2% of their shoppers. Same reason they don't shuffle food stamps crowds into a different line. I remember one store trying a "no candy" checkout line but it didn't pan out.
Locally tobacco products aren't self serve, so most stores have an always open checkout or two around the "cigg fort".
Stores aren't doing "no checks" lines because they don't want to offend 2% of their shoppers. Same reason they don't shuffle food stamps crowds into a different line. I remember one store trying a "no candy" checkout line but it didn't pan out.
Locally tobacco products aren't self serve, so most stores have an always open checkout or two around the "cigg fort".
For a short time, a few years ago, Albertson's had holsters installed on its carts for a bar code scan gun. It was something you applied to do so that you could enter the store, grab a gun, and scan everything while you put it in your cart. The gun would then communicate its stored information to the checkout.
Not quite as nifty as what you are talking about - I remember those commercials and articles in Popular Science - but a step. I guess it didn't gain much traction because they were in and out over the course of about a year and have been gone a long time.
I was thinking that the RFID tags, with Wal Mart pushing its suppliers heavily for them, would allow the scenario that IBM prognosticated but have yet to see that happen, either. Too bad.
Not quite as nifty as what you are talking about - I remember those commercials and articles in Popular Science - but a step. I guess it didn't gain much traction because they were in and out over the course of about a year and have been gone a long time.
I was thinking that the RFID tags, with Wal Mart pushing its suppliers heavily for them, would allow the scenario that IBM prognosticated but have yet to see that happen, either. Too bad.
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Originally Posted By: stevejones
I only use the self-checkout lane if a quick scan reveals no hot cashiers present...
Right on!
I only use the self-checkout lane if a quick scan reveals no hot cashiers present...
Right on!
They don't save much time because they have them asking 20 questions, and they need a "shut up" button.
Originally Posted By: stevejones
I only use the self-checkout lane if a quick scan reveals no hot cashiers present...
This man has thrown in a game-changer in this discussion...never thought of that one, lol.
I only use the self-checkout lane if a quick scan reveals no hot cashiers present...
This man has thrown in a game-changer in this discussion...never thought of that one, lol.
The machines are usually obnoxiously loud and annoying. I only use them if I have a couple items and the lines are long at the traditional registers.
Originally Posted By: 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.
Some professional cashiers move at a similar rate.
I prefer self checkout, since I'm quite quick thanks to years of doing till myself.
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.
Some professional cashiers move at a similar rate.
Originally Posted By: RiceCake
People actually still pay by cheque?
I think that's a little more common in the States than up here. That being said, move to a small town for a while. You'll see they accept cheques, particularly from locals, for just about everything, including gas, groceries, and restaurant bills. That was particularly important since the small towns here took their sweet time getting ATMs and debit terminals.
People actually still pay by cheque?
I think that's a little more common in the States than up here. That being said, move to a small town for a while. You'll see they accept cheques, particularly from locals, for just about everything, including gas, groceries, and restaurant bills. That was particularly important since the small towns here took their sweet time getting ATMs and debit terminals.
I prefer the self checkout lanes.
Many cashiers are perplexed by the use of re-useable grocery bags.
At the self check, I press the own bags button on the screen and pop in the bags on the scale area.
If my bread is crushed, it's my own fault.
I can scan and get the stuff weighed in the bagging area quite nearly as fast as the paid checkers. (Except for Aldi...they aren't bagging so my stuff just goes zip zip zip....and back into the cart with my quarter in it)
The only real problem is the person in front of me. I hate the people that have to view the entire package for the barcode and then still not put it in the right place to be scanned. Then they fail to put it on the scale/bagging area so the register never prompts them for the next item.
Albertsons did away with them. Tom Thumb (Safeway) never had them. I don't recall Target having them either. That leaves Kroger and WalMart. The person overseeing the self checks at Kroger is MUCH better than the WalMart associate. I can get through Kroger quite quickly.
Many cashiers are perplexed by the use of re-useable grocery bags.
At the self check, I press the own bags button on the screen and pop in the bags on the scale area.
If my bread is crushed, it's my own fault.
I can scan and get the stuff weighed in the bagging area quite nearly as fast as the paid checkers. (Except for Aldi...they aren't bagging so my stuff just goes zip zip zip....and back into the cart with my quarter in it)
The only real problem is the person in front of me. I hate the people that have to view the entire package for the barcode and then still not put it in the right place to be scanned. Then they fail to put it on the scale/bagging area so the register never prompts them for the next item.
Albertsons did away with them. Tom Thumb (Safeway) never had them. I don't recall Target having them either. That leaves Kroger and WalMart. The person overseeing the self checks at Kroger is MUCH better than the WalMart associate. I can get through Kroger quite quickly.
Sorry I just don't like self checkouts, especially when buying autoparts. something always goes wrong with them and I'm never in a hurry.
Originally Posted By: RiceCake
Originally Posted By: stevejones
I only use the self-checkout lane if a quick scan reveals no hot cashiers present...
This man has thrown in a game-changer in this discussion...never thought of that one, lol.
I scan the cashiers on the way in, remember the checkout lane number and go to that one.
Done it for about 20 years.
Originally Posted By: stevejones
I only use the self-checkout lane if a quick scan reveals no hot cashiers present...
This man has thrown in a game-changer in this discussion...never thought of that one, lol.
I scan the cashiers on the way in, remember the checkout lane number and go to that one.
Done it for about 20 years.
I spend from $180 to $220 a week at the grocery store. When I am through, I go to the cashier and he/she unloads my cart, scans the items, and sends them on down to the bagger. I pay with a debit or credit card. No way am I doing all this work for no pay.
When I go to Lowe's or Home Depot, I avoid the self checkout stations like the plague. I'd rather see a local person getting paid instead of some company in a foreign country getting paid for manufacturing all the devices required for me to do some cashier's work.
When I go to Lowe's or Home Depot, I avoid the self checkout stations like the plague. I'd rather see a local person getting paid instead of some company in a foreign country getting paid for manufacturing all the devices required for me to do some cashier's work.
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.
And then charge you a "convenience fee" for offering self checkout? The self checkout machines cost more than the cashier stands, I would think, and the $1 in payroll and insurance for the 5 minutes that employee spent checking you out isn't much of a discount. Also, retail stores operate on very thin profit margins, at about 1% for grocery stores, IIRC, so there is not much room for such convenience discounts. Also, the lack of a discount probably helps offset increased shoplifting exposures.
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.
And then charge you a "convenience fee" for offering self checkout? The self checkout machines cost more than the cashier stands, I would think, and the $1 in payroll and insurance for the 5 minutes that employee spent checking you out isn't much of a discount. Also, retail stores operate on very thin profit margins, at about 1% for grocery stores, IIRC, so there is not much room for such convenience discounts. Also, the lack of a discount probably helps offset increased shoplifting exposures.
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Self-checkout works fine for small easy purchases unless there is some moron in front of you trying to buy alcohol.
Self checkout is the only one I'll use.
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
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).
You think the price tag does not already reflect the labor savings already accrued from having self-checkout for others?
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).
You think the price tag does not already reflect the labor savings already accrued from having self-checkout for others?
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