I’m not sure that would be much of a problem. Don’t most stores have sensors at all the exits to detect unbought merchandise? The self checkout lanes I’ve seen have a desensitizer pad across which you swipe the item after you scan it. I’m sure a shoplifter might try to use that without having scanned, but the machines are likely programmed to halt the process if anyone attempts that.
They could make the user interface a bit easier. I had a lot of difficulty the other day when I wanted to use my own canvas bags instead of plastic…the machine kept saying “Unexpected item in bagging area” and it was very frustrating.
Perhaps that’s also part of the reason I don’t use it often. The human registers at my grocery store are for the most part non-pimply, polite, and somewhat cute college girls.
And I think that you can use cash at the ones at Albertsons, too, but I’m not sure that bill scanners are completely reliable yet (I’ve had plenty of experiences with vending machines not accepting a particular bill). I do use the self-checkout whenever I’d be paying by card anyway, and I don’t have any complicated items (like produce that needs weighed).
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus]
I’m not sure that would be much of a problem. Don’t most stores have sensors at all the exits to detect unbought merchandise?
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I’ve never seen a Sensormatic tag on a box of brownie mix or bunch of bananas, and I hope I never live to see a world where we need them on food.
For the person who had trouble with lightweight things like seeds, (or huge things like a 50-pack of diapers) just hit the “skip bagging” button.
As to the $20k cost per checkstand, I can easily believe it. Yes, you could cobble one up for a couple thou, but… The components may be relatively “stock” but you need commercial/industrial strength parts. The computers that drive it are on 24/7. The laser is on warm standby 24/7, ready to instantly spin up at a moment’s notice. The printers are built for durability and ease of use (I used to be able to change the receipt tape on my store’s IBM terminals faster than I can change toilet paper at home) And, just like home computers, there is a constant upgrade cycle - if Store A’s checkouts have a two-line “pole” display showing your items and a separate scale where the checker has to weight the item, then key the weight into the register and Store B has 15 inch color LCD panels showing a graphical rendition of the receipt tape and the scale is built into the scanner, which store do you feel is more up-to-date and worthy of your business? Yup - the one that spent a lot more money on the checkouts.
I absolutely detest those things, and I’m a technophile. Technology that makes my life easier is wonderful. This, on the other hand, is technology that saves the store money by reducing the amount of customer service they provide and making my shopping experience less pleasant.
I’ve seen the articles about how stores “have to do it to compete with Wal-Mart.” As if Wal-Mart wasn’t hurting our job market enough already. Humph.
I love the idea of these things, but they never work well because of their sensitive scales. These things glitch up alot (especially as mentioned with small items, like seeds or sauce packets), but my main problem with them is they discourage against paper bags.
All the ones I’ve ever used lock up when you put a paper bag on the scale, forcing an employee to come over and investigate (all the plastic bags and dispenser are already on the scale when it’s tared… torn?) I don’t see why they feel the need to weigh customer-bagged purchases with this scrutiny but not those cashier-bagged, especially when they go to the trouble of filming both types of transaction. The cashier is probably more tempted to steal than customers, having to be there all day at low wage.
And I’d probably agree with you if I did large orders. I don’t think they allow those, though, the self checkouts in my area are express line lanes.
I generally buy at most 10 items (usually, much fewer) at a time. I cannot remember the last time I used a shopping cart, I can generally get away with a basket, if not just carrying my item(s) in my hands to the checkout line. So for me, the self checkout is perfect. I don’t end up stuck behind the people who seem to be buying for a visiting football team. (Though I do end up getting stuck behind people who can’t read directions or understand that they still have to scan the items)
I love them and now I go out of my way to go the the one store near me that has them, mostly because I bring my own bags when I shop that tends to confound the kids doing the bagging/checking. I detest getting five plastic bags when I’m buying three items and no matter how much I protest, the baggers will always use plastic bags even when I bring my own cloth ones. No bagger, no problem.
As was mentioned before, the only problem I have with them is the large number of people in my area who seem to be illiterate and inable to follow simple written instructions.
Nope, quite the opposite. If that store has all that money to spend on the fancy checkouts, it must be getting that money by charging more for the goods it sells than the store with the simpler, less expensive checkouts. The store worthy of of my business is the one that spends its money wisely enough to save me money.
That said, I do love self-checkouts, if only so that I don’t have to have some stupid clerk ask me if I have me “rewards” card, and do I want one, etc.
One of my neighbors refuses to shop at Fresh & Easy because they have only the self-service checkout. She says it takes away jobs.
Since there are employees in there bagging the groceries, I’m not sure how strong her argument is.
And then she gripes about having to stand in long lines at every other store she goes to. I don’t get it.