# Scanning each item why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2002, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603 "2002-12-05T02:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Raven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@The\_Raven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/21 "2002-12-05T19:56:07Z")
As a current store cashier (running two years now) where I work it used to be encouraged to do the whole quantity key+ x amount of items then scan one. But then the corporate office decided that for whatever reason we needed to get more precise with the items…so now I have to scan every one of the items even if you are getting three identical packs of Pepsi or whatever, I have to scan them all. I can however still scan one item multiple times (which is good for heavy packs of soda or whatever), and the quantity key is still good for produce. Begs the question why, but its not my idea. I prefer the quantity key since it speeds up the line. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/22 "2002-12-05T19:59:10Z")
In the local Home Depot I was waiting in line at the cashier, and saw a notice that had been addressed to the cashiers and put up in a visible location. It said that every item had to be individually scanned, because there are so many similar-looking items in their inventory that it would take too long for cashiers to determine whether two items were really identical or not. Ed ---
**Author:** ![SandWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@SandWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/23 "2002-12-06T01:59:31Z")
Oh Man! Call me paranoid, but think of this what if… After finding out that my auto insurance company was using Car Fax information to find out my actual miles… just think if your health insurance finds out what you are eating by checking out your club card! them “Well Mr. Kay, it says here you are a non-smoker, and you rarely drink, but for the past year you have purchased 15 cartons of ciggarettes and 100 cases of beer???” me “they were for a friend.” them “really!” For those of you not familiar with a club card, it’s a frequent buyer incentive card where you swipe it each time you shop to build up points for a 5% off certificate or something like that. You also get access to “buy one, get one free” in store discounts and such. scary! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/24 "2002-12-07T02:10:21Z")
What brought this to mind for me was I was buying 3 bags of M&M’s. The first one scanned the second one didn’t and the cashier then kept on trying to scan the second bag, even though it wouldn’t take. She kept trying then she typed the number in manually and it took. Why when she could have just reached over to the previous bag and scanned it as it worked. They were all the same peanut M&Ms which are all in they yellow bag. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/25 "2002-12-07T04:01:08Z")
- - - The reason to scan everything is to prevent “sweethearting”. That’s when you got ten of something and your cashier buddy puts nine in the bag, and then scans one–so you only get charged for one. If the store has the cashier scan all ten, then that prevents cashiers who get caught sweethearting from saying “I forgot he had ten”. ~ ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/26 "2002-12-07T04:05:06Z")
- - - Sweethearting is also why many stores (-US that is, I dunno about anywhere else) now have security cameras on each register. ~ ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/27 "2002-12-07T05:04:48Z")
I work in the retail software industry. The main reason for scanning everything is, as a few others have said, so that the inventory is correct. Using the quantity key or scanning the same item multiple times can result in incorrect inventory if the items were actually slightly different e.g. different flavors of chips. Barcode scanners do not deactivate the security tags. There are other devices at the checkout that do that. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603/28 "2002-12-29T04:02:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DougC \* > \*\*- - - Sweethearting is also why many stores (-US that is, I dunno about anywhere else) now have security cameras on each register. > ~ \*\* This is also part of why the individual items often must be scanned. Its not unusual to see cameras on a register station that also have a running tally of whats being rung up as it happens. That way they can see what each item is as it rings up. Its pretty easy to put in “9” instead of “10” and very difficult to see with groups of small items. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanning-each-item-why/140603.md?page=1)