'It hasn't delivered': The spectacular failure of self-checkout technology
Unstaffed tills were supposed to revolutionise shopping. Now, both retailers and customers are bagging many self-checkout kiosks.
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Silly fluff piece.
Self-check out is there by customer demand. People suck to interact with, even underpaid, underappreciated people who are being asked to stand all day and deal with shitty customers.
Shareholders were promised other savings on pure speculation, and didn't get it.
Yes, CEOs and shareholders, you get to pay for the machine, then pay someone to maintain it, and pay someone to watch it, and pay someone to help me when I can't work it.
In return, you get one more day of staying in business.
Suck it up, buttercup. Self checkout is here to stay.
I’ve seen several of these articles over the past few months. Someone is pushing hard to make self checkout seem bad. If it wasn’t for self checkout I’d absolutely hate the grocery store. Lines fucking suck. Self checkout is a more efficient line because it usually feeds many machines, rather than being 1-1. Not only that but I can do self checkout in about half the time it takes any normal cashier to check me out. I know exactly the stuff I picked up, exactly the way I want it in bags, and exactly the order I need to do things in.
But you get lines with self checkout. Longer often because customers are slower than clerks.
But statistically, there will still be a shorter average wait. If there's a slow customer on one machine, the line only slows slightly as the other five machines are still moving along as usual. And people tend to use the self-checkout when they have fewer items (generally), which means less wait per person.
Even if you have lots of slow customers, the wait will generally not be any longer. If the wait is longer than the staffed checkout, some people will move over and the line self-regulates. And even if it doesn't, there are still lots of slow/chatty checkout staff (at least where I live), so I don't think they're any faster.
Unless you go to Aldi. Those people mean business.
Last time I was at a store there wasn't even a staffed checkout. Unsure what they do if someone needs one.
In my case they end up paying several employees to put the stuff back on the shelf from the cart I left behind and probably throw out some meat/frozen products.
That may be the case, but how often before self checkout became available did you go to the store and of the 15 check out lanes there were maybe one or two open.
That's the massive difference. With self checkout there will be as many as 12 machines running simultaneously which means that everybody gets out of there so much faster
These are just my personal observations, but I hardly ever see staffed checkout without a line. I hardly ever see self checkout with a line.
you get shorter lines with self-checkout. 2 cashiers can checkout 2 people at a time, while 2 self-checkout attendants can oversee a dozen checkout stations
I have a strong dislike for self checkout. I don’t want to figure out the code for the onions I am trying to buy and weigh them out or the type of apple or carrots. It’s fine if it’s just scan items but anytime I have something without a barcode I stand in line and wait for a cashier. I feel like they are trying to get me to do the work of staff without any discount on price for doing it.
Easy, unless an employee is actively hovering over you, everything is bananas. The code is 4011.
Really? All the produce I deal with have a numerical code, or you can search by picture, or search by keyword. pretty simple. Self checkout is so much more efficient. I hate it when i have a full cart and can't justify the self-checkout line. We need phone barcode checkout like Sam's club for everything.
I always just pick up the portable self scanner and scan items as I put them in my cart. By the time I get to self checkout everything is scanned and I just pay. Pretty much every major grocery chain in my area (Netherlands) does that, it's not common where you live?
The only self scanning store I know of is Sam's club (large bulk type store). I also believe Walmart is changing to that as well (same parent company). Unions here in the US are trying to stop self-checkout wherever they can.
Different cultures, different features. Some places in Denmark have that, where you can just scan and pay with your phone and just leave. Never seen security in a supermarket and the most you have to do is show the cashier that the phone screen is green (meaning you paid).
In Romania, there are the cart & self scan checkouts, but there are also checkouts where you put your stuff in the cart, then an employee scans them like usual, then you go and pay for your stuff at a machine. Both are watched, with security.
I hate that attitude of "trying to get the customer to do the employee's work".
But, then my perception of self checkout machines is the same as speedy checkout/X# items or less checkouts. If I have a handful of items, like one large reusable grocery bag or so, I much prefer to check myself out. (Even if I have items with a code or a coupon that needs employee verification.)
If I have a large shopping trip, I'll use the checkout lanes with a cashier.
Though I do find it aggrevating when a company tries to replace all checkout lanes with self checkout (I've been on both sides of that, as a customer and as a front end supervisor, and it sucks). Self checkout should be an option for customers, and they can choose between a speedier experience "doing the work" themself, or waiting in line for a cashier.
I don’t want to figure out the code for the onions I am trying to buy and weigh them out or the type of apple or carrots. It’s fine if it’s just scan items but anytime I have something without a barcode I stand in line and wait for a cashier.
I won't change your preferences, but for me it seems more natural for buying stuff in bulk, like vegs, candies.
Yay! We do the labor but don't get a discount for doing so. I love free market economy!
I mean, I don't think staffed checkout is going anywhere either.
This article feels like shareholders complaining that they have to provide both options to customers. Boo hoo for them, haha.
If you wanted part of the savings you should've been a major shareholder...
It's not an all or nothing proposition. Self checkout has it's place and I prefer it if I've got an armload of stuff and I want to get out quick. I refused to go through a self checkout if I've got a grocery cart full of stuff. I have walked out of the store leaving a cart full of $400 worth of groceries due to them having no manned checkout stations before and I will do it again in the same situation.
Maybe you can take a peek at the checkout situation before you fill up your cart