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'Self-checkout is doomed': Major supermarkets to scrap technology in huge overhaul
Daily Express US ^ | Jan 9, 2024 | SOLEN LE NET

Posted on 01/09/2024 9:33:12 AM PST by where's_the_Outrage?

Consumers should anticipate two major alterations to their shopping experience in the coming year, an expert has warned.

A consumer specialist is forecasting a grim conclusion for two contentious supermarket policies that could reshape shoppers’ habits.

Supermarket Guru, Phil Lempert has projected retail tendencies for a quarter of a century, and his recent predictions might come as good news to some shoppers.

In a conversation with The U.S. Sun, the expert explained that security concerns and consumer preferences may be the main drivers of these changes.

“From a security standpoint, what’s happened is the retailers with self-checkout have had to add employees, whether it’s security or other employees to help people at self-checkout.

“So, you know you’re not accomplishing anything. You’re not reducing labour, you’re not getting a better shopping experience.”

(Excerpt) Read more at the-express.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Computers/Internet; Society
KEYWORDS: checkout; labor; retail; selfcheckout; selfscan; stores
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To: fwdude

“don’t trust the accuracy of programmed prices in the system”
exactly! I often pick items up that are on sale. The Clerk scans quickly while I unload/load my cart and it is difficult to verify the correct price. I take my time at self checkout double checking the listed items/price before i pay. (Don’t get behind me at check out if your goal is quick check out)


41 posted on 01/09/2024 10:10:01 AM PST by griswold3 (Truth, Beauty and Goodness. )
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Good, I hate these things. Yet one is basically forced to use them due to lack of cashiers. Every day I don’t go buy a sledgehammer and smash one is a good day.


42 posted on 01/09/2024 10:17:21 AM PST by jocon307
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To: PrincessB
One of our local groceries started single line for check out where everyone gets in one line and you go to the next available checker as some sort of safety measure during the pandemic. When the store is busy it is faster than self-check out (and a better experience). It is also a more efficient use of the checker’s time.

Yes, a single queue to multiple queues is much more efficient than individual queues.

43 posted on 01/09/2024 10:20:31 AM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I will not use self checkout except when all the human cashiers are wearing masks. I reject masking at a higher level than I reject self checkouts. If there is a human cashier without a mask on, that cashier will get preference over a masked cashier.


44 posted on 01/09/2024 10:24:31 AM PST by webheart
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To: packagingguy

LOL probably scans for bald spot and ear hair.


45 posted on 01/09/2024 10:24:45 AM PST by Yardstick
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To: fwdude

Got a gripe with Gen-X’ers in general? Compared to folks from other generations, I find Gen-X’ers to be mostly based, reasonable folk. I guess your experience differs?


46 posted on 01/09/2024 10:32:36 AM PST by EnigmaticAnomaly ("The truth doesn't damage points of view that are legitimate.")
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I disagree. I generally see one employee per 4-6 self checkout stands. I only go to self checkout regardless of how much I’m buying. I really enjoy the process.


47 posted on 01/09/2024 10:33:12 AM PST by Jonny7797
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To: unixfox

Where do you shop?

The only grocery stores I’ve ever seen that take the groceries out to the car and put them in the trunk for you are the military commissary stores. I have never seen a civilian store do this. Oh, they will if asked, but it isn’t routine practice.


48 posted on 01/09/2024 10:33:41 AM PST by exDemMom (Dr. exDemMom, infectious disease and vaccines research specialist.)
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To: EnigmaticAnomaly

I horribly misspoke. I meant Gen Z’s. >P


49 posted on 01/09/2024 10:34:48 AM PST by fwdude (.When unarmed Americans are locked up for protesting a stolen election, you know it was stolen.)
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To: unixfox
When I go to the grocery store, I want THEM to... bag my groceries...

This seems to be a regional thing.

When I lived in California and Texas, the grocery stores hired teenagers and handicapped to check out and bag my groceries.

When I visited family in New York and Florida, I had to bag my own groceries. In New York, I had to buy the bags, too.

-PJ

50 posted on 01/09/2024 10:36:09 AM PST by Political Junkie Too ( * LAAP = Left-wing Activist Agitprop Press (formerly known as the MSM))
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To: Jonny7797

Some of these things seemed like such a good idea to the autistic bean-counters. Hospital spent at least several hundred thousand dollars for robot to deliver meds from pharmacy and stuff to lab, replacing kid making min wage. Was a good idea until robot knocked over old lady breaking her hip. I wonder if settlement was more than cost of robot.


51 posted on 01/09/2024 10:37:26 AM PST by ozarker
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I use them all the time, and if there is a heavy item an employee usually comes over to scan it with his/her handheld scanner.


52 posted on 01/09/2024 10:37:34 AM PST by Shady (The Force of Liberty must prevail for the sake of our Children and Grandchildren...)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Considering the number of rude people who ignore the limit in the express lanes, I find self-check out to be faster.

If it’s a big order, or the store is not busy, which is when I always try to shop, OI like the checkout.


53 posted on 01/09/2024 10:38:14 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: PrincessB

I do like that method as well. Go to the next available cashier. Especially since I have a *gift* of picking the slowest moving line in the store. The minute I get in it, guaranteed, something goes wrong with the casher register or the customer is a problem whining about something.


54 posted on 01/09/2024 10:43:36 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I enjoy self-checkout - it’s much faster, lines (if any) are shorter and I get out the door more quickly. Leave it to the thieves and their left-wing enablers to screw that up too.


55 posted on 01/09/2024 10:46:19 AM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: Wuli
Some stores have moved from self-checkout to highly supervised (watched over) self-checkout.

They would be better off to put that guard in a cashier position. Less shoplifting and better service.

And what is with the Kroger stores who cannot seem to have enough guards for the self-checkout areas? So, they close two-thirds of the stations, and everybody waits in a line, no matter what they do.

I will wait in line for the cashier. It is often faster.

56 posted on 01/09/2024 10:48:32 AM PST by flamberge ("It is a big club, and you are not in it" - George Carlin)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

It is going to be a mix going forward, with a few stores being human only.

We had a Walmart Marketplace (just groceries) that tried to go all self checkout. It lasted maybe six months. Word is that sales dropped off over 25%. Some people just refuse to self checkout.

Locally (NM) our stores really try to push self checkout with only two or three cashiers open with about a dozen self checkouts available. We recently traveled to Texas and shopped at H.E.B. Love that store. While they do have maybe half a dozen self check outs, they had a good 8 cashiers open as well.


57 posted on 01/09/2024 10:48:55 AM PST by Crusher138 ("Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just")
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To: NorthMountain

Had someone in retail management tried to tell me that it costs the store more to fill orders for people who order online and pickup. I just rolled my eyes and said ‘Really, how much do pickup customers cost you in shoplifting losses?’


58 posted on 01/09/2024 10:50:20 AM PST by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I love self checkout, since I don’t have to deal with stupid, tattooed cashiers.


59 posted on 01/09/2024 10:50:24 AM PST by rod5591
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I would be very happy if slow people yakking on their cellphones were not allowed to self checkout


60 posted on 01/09/2024 10:51:18 AM PST by fso301
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