Grocery Self-Scan Aisles

[Schmidty]

I was checking out today in a self-scan aisle at the grocery store, and realized how much quicker and less irritating it was. Then I realized the fact that it also puts people out of work.

I'm conflicted - So much so, that I can't vote on it. What do you all think?

[JPhillips]

It was great until I had a child. Now I always go through the regular checkout because I can't scan/pay/sack without the girl getting pissed at lack of attention.

[cuervo72]

I tried this when the Food Lion switched to Bloom, and it yelled at me when I didn't put things in a certain place to weigh them (do I really need to weigh my 12 pack of soda?), it yelled at me when I put things in the bag, and then it just gave up and told me to wait for an attendant.

So I'll just go to one of the regular conveyers with a check-out person, thanks (actually, I usually have a bunch of stuff and need the conveyor anyway). I'm never in that much of a hurry, and really, only in a few cases was there ever much of a line in the first place.

[DaddyTorgo]

i voted yes, but it's a conditional yes. it's GREAT when you only have one or two things and you can bag them yourself and avoid the checkout aisles with 3-4 people all with $100+ checkouts.

if i'm going in to buy a loaf of bread and some PB on a break from work I don't want to have to wait while some soccer-mom does her entire week's grocery shopping and then can't find her credit card and figure out how to work the little credit-card swiping thing.

and that's another rant. seriously...i see so many people that can't figure out how to work those things, and they're literally EVERYWHERE. what were you...living under a rock until today?

[KevinNU7]

They are great if they have 12 items or less restictions

[Easy Mac]

The only people being put out of work from them are teens, so its not that big of a deal. Its just so much easier, and I can scan far quicker than some slack ass having to scan things, then half-bag half-chat with the bag boy who is just standing there.

[bosshogg23]

I almost always go through self checkout. Id rather go to self checkout twice in 2 days than regular scan with double the items once.

[Raiders Army]

They're okay. Great if used properly and extremely frustrating if some lady has 100 items and doesn't know how to scan grapes, apples, onions, or any other weighable. I had one item about a month ago at Walmart and this lady had no control over her kids, had no reason to move quickly (since her kids were eating stuff before she scanned it), and was generally a pain in the ass. I agree that they need to have restrictions...the problem is that a lot of people don't enforce them.

[Raiders Army]

Oh yeah, sometimes it's quicker when there's someone who knows how to scan stuff rather than the guy who doesn't or has wrinkled dollar bills he's trying to feed into the machine.

[Lorena]

I never thought of it as people losing their jobs but you're right Schmidty, so I voted no. Besides, there's a few times those things are dirty and don't scan very well.

[ISiddiqui]

i voted yes, but it's a conditional yes. it's GREAT when you only have one or two things and you can bag them yourself and avoid the checkout aisles with 3-4 people all with $100+ checkouts.

Same here. It's horrible if you have a 12 pack of soda or more than 15 items because of having to keep all the food on the scale. For one or two things, it's awesome.

[cthomer5000]

I live in an area of incredibly high population density, so there are always lines at the types of places that have these things. It is significanly faster for me to self check-out, so i do. Yes from me.

[Rizon]

The line for these at our local stores are longer than those of the cashiers. If you only have a couple of things and there are no lines they are great, the other 90% of the time they are useless.

[Esquared1]

Even though I'm in sales, I really hate people. So speaking with some tool about his cold ranks really low on when I buy a 12 pack of Dt. Mt. Dew.

[Mr. Wednesday]

At the Meijer in Mishawaka, it's almost always faster to go through the U-Scans. The lines aren't long, you're supposed to have 12 items or less, and the staffing of the regular checkouts is such that there are usually one or two people at each of them with full carts.

[korme]

Self scans have their advantages.

[molson]

The self-scan things actually intimidate me. Every time I try to use the one at Walmart I screw something up and have to helped. Very humbling.

[Young Drachma]

I only use them if I have a few things and can get out of their faster. Otherwise, I'll go to the main aisle so they bag my stuff for me. When I lived in Boston, it was always faster if I had one thing to go to the self-service aisle. That's the reason I like it.

[Chief Rum]

Technology has put millions, probably billions out of work, in the history of man. Don't worry about them. They will find other jobs. Or natural selection will kick in (and it is irresistably going forward anyway, regardless of the rate or type of progress we experience).

[Danny]

Most people can't even figure out how to pay with a credit card without help, so I wouldnt worry too much about this putting people out of work. I work as a checker at a grocery store while going to school, its right next to the campus, has flexible hours and the pay isnt terrible. A lot of hard working, very kind and intelligent people make a career out of working there though.

[Abe Sargent]

I don;t like how people lways expect me to go to them, so I voted no because I don't want to be evangelized.

[stevew]

What they really need is an express line where the cashier absolutely IS FORBIDDEN TO MAKE CONVERSATION WITH THE PURCHASER. It is not an express line when they discuss inane details with the people who are trying to buy, costing me valuable time waiting behind them. On top of that, they need to have a sign that says "HAVE YOUR FUCKING MONEY OR CREDIT CARD READY, ASSHOLE!!!!!" Grandma needs to get a grip, it's okay if you get back 49 cents worth of change, no need to search for that elusive penny you just know is in your fuckin purse.

[Danny]

haha stevew, you wouldnt last a day. Today I had someone who had me take off/put back on an item she wasnt sure about at least 5 times, then I got her checked out, she changed her mind again and waited in line again. Believe it or not, in my 6 months there I have never yelled at, fought with or been rude to a single customer. Its been tough though!

And I try to keep conversation to a minimum, I say what I need to say and get the next customer in line. Well, unless it's a cute girl, but can't blame me for that, right?

[14ers]

Same here. It's horrible if you have a 12 pack of soda or more than 15 items because of having to keep all the food on the scale. For one or two things, it's awesome.This is wrong at most places.

You do not need to keep all your items on the scale after being scanned. After an item is scaned and the weight is checked you can then put your items back in your cart and continue scanning new items. Once the computer is ready to scan the next item you no longer need to keep the items you have already scanned on the scale.

I use the Self-Scan aisles with an entire shopping cart full of items. I fill my little bags full of goods and then remove them to my cart and continue scanning.

[stevew]

haha stevew, you wouldnt last a day. Today I had someone who had me take off/put back on an item she wasnt sure about at least 5 times, then I got her checked out, she changed her mind again and waited in line again. Believe it or not, in my 6 months there I have never yelled at, fought with or been rude to a single customer. Its been tough though!

And I try to keep conversation to a minimum, I say what I need to say and get the next customer in line. Well, unless it's a cute girl, but can't blame me for that, right?

Dude, one of my jobs I work as a midnight cashier 4 days a week at a gas station. At this point, I fucking hate people, I just can't put up the fascade any longer.

[Danny]

I don't blame you, Im going to be looking for another job myself pretty soon (though quite possibly in addition to this one, though I'd prefer to just be rid of this one altogether). I want more job experience releated to my future career for my own good and to help my graduate school application.

[JeeberD]

They are great if they have 12 items or less restictions

Bingo. I hate the people who bring whole cart loads of groceries to the self checkout...

[Radii]

Then I realized the fact that it also puts people out of work.


I'm with everyone else on the convienance aspect of this, and on the general usage, but I thought this was interesting. In this context then I absolutely don't have a problem with it.

The company I work for has a device that automates the check-in process at doctor's offices. There is a definite potential to put people out of work. But what we're finding out is that isn't actually happening... the tasks that the device automates save the doctors a ton of money in charges that otherwise never would be realized, and there is more than enough work to do at the office that the people who don't spend all day checking in patients still have other tasks to do.

I'd like to think its similar here. You still need an employee to monitor the checkout area, one that was probably on a register before, and there is no reason necessarily to fire people because you need 1 or 2 less human run registers open, there are other things to do in a store, keep it cleaner, offer better customer service, keep the stockroom neater/more efficient.

I've also worked for a company where the entire selling point of our product was that it would allow healthcare companies to carry 1/2 the staff in a couple of low skill areas, and I had no problem with that, so I'm just an asshole I suppose ;)

[QuikSand]

On the self-serve checkouts -- I love the concept as well, but in practice I have had way too many tedious and time-consuming experiences to make them appealing to me... at least so far.


On the notion that we "owe it to the employees" to burden ourselves with less convenient or cost-effective options, just to help them out. Nonsense. If your job is better performed by a machine, it will be eventually... fleeting notions of consumer welfare only serve to promote inefficiencies and drive up our prices. There's nothing immoral about behaving as a sensible consumer in this case.

[stevew]

Don't ever try to scan Kool Aid in a self scan aisle. It doesnt have enough weight to register, and causes a constant error message.

[JeeberD]

That's when you hit the "Skip bagging" button. At least Walmart has that right...

[Mustang]

Love em personally, just a learning curve to know what makes your life easier and what will cause delays.

Buying a loaf of bread and lunch meat.. great.

buying an R rated movie.. eh.. easier to go through the checkout since someone has to come over and confirm that you are 17...

Don't stand there with your kids with a cart of 200 things and have them help you out unless you want to stand there for 30 minutes.

[CU Tiger]

I am conflicted also.
But not about puting people out of work...just not that big of a concern I guess.

#1 I love them, all the good reasons mentioned

#2 I feel almost like I am being ripped off. Kinda like the self serve drink thing at fast food restaurants, damn can I clock in for a few minutes while I ring myslef up/ fill my coke.... I mean that is part of what you pay for right?

[JeffW]

I never thought of it as people losing their jobs but you're right Schmidty, so I voted no.

Don't be shortsighted. People are losing jobs because self-scan is more efficient. Part of the savings will be passed on to the consumer(you).

[Schmidty]

Don't be shortsighted.

Don't be rude.

People losing jobs sucks, regardless of whether helps the consumer. Yes, yes, the economy and businesses expanding and future jobs. Blah blah blah. That doesn't mean crap for the person being put out of a job right now.

[JonInMiddleGA]

That doesn't mean crap for the person being put out of a job right now.

Then they should have made themselves more valuable as an employee, whether in their current profession or some other line of work.

[SportsDino]

At the store I work I almost always U-scan junk while at break (cannot resist cheap snacks, gah!). Its convenient and generally helps a lot of people get out faster, which will hopefully make them shop at the location more. More money won't make more jobs, but it might help the few that have them keep them a bit longer.

Many times under short staffing (which is almost always) if you don't have the U-scans you make long lines of people waiting for small junk and getting ticked off. Rather have the U-scan.

Also, employees are probably better off where they can make the most impact on the customer experience. Cashiers are important for taking out the big carts full of junk (I do it at my area and it takes forever, a well practiced cashier is better than a nerd in the electronics department without a conveyor, desk, decent scanner, etc). I personally work as an electronics helpy person (guy who gets your video games out of the case, finds DVDs you can't, says 'I dunno' to obscure questions about 'thingeys that hook into the gizmo that does the electronical stuff', and rings up all your junk at the itty bitty desk we have)... I think for the average customer more assistants would probably have a fairly good impact. Consider that in terms of time spent, checking out is probably the least amount of time you spend, and looking for/selecting particular merchandise is often the longest part.

Having someone with at least some knowledge to help you decide, or point you there, or go grab something you can't get into because you need a ladder or key... that can take some minutes out of your time in the store, and some of the frustration. And being in my area I've pretty much said hello, took the customer directly to the thing they were looking for, told them all the options we had, rung them up, and carried out their giant televisions and what not to their car pretty much within ten minutes. People like getting out quick and with what they want.

Another position that I'd like to see more of is stocking merchandise. If spaces start getting empty on the shelves it wastes huge amounts of my time trying to find the box in the back where it is hidden (cause customer must have the exact item that is missing on the shelf while it is surrounded by perfectly good substitutes because of the two effects of 'sales' and 'if its sold out everyone else must think its a good product and if its stuffed on the shelves it must be too poor for anyone to buy'). Huge time killer, and its much easier to do it in the later shift when the store is mostly empty of customers instead of during rush times in the day (we end up doing it because its the only time we have a bunch of labor on the floor to do it, sucks).

Best position to have, a manager at some level to make merchandise selection decisions that knows what they are doing. Even a basic understanding of market trends would be nice. We constantly have huge supplies of things that rarely sell and shortages on things that would be a virtual gold mine if we just carried more stock. Boost our capacity in a few areas on products that have some of our highest margins and we'd probably make a bundle. Shelf space is a commodity in the store that is heavilly wasted, and one good human behind the computerized mess could be worth hundreds of dollars a day in just our store.

So that is three positions I think are undersupplied and more important than cashiers:

-Stocking people
-Customer service reps on the floor with knowledge of a particular department
-Intelligent people in positions like inventory selection that could boost profits

U-scan won't really have a negative impact on those positions, it might even encourage hiring more with some of the money saved from cashiers (sadly the companies tend to just pocket the bonus dollars it seems).

[ISiddiqui]

This is wrong at most places.

You do not need to keep all your items on the scale after being scanned. After an item is scaned and the weight is checked you can then put your items back in your cart and continue scanning new items. Once the computer is ready to scan the next item you no longer need to keep the items you have already scanned on the scale.

I use the Self-Scan aisles with an entire shopping cart full of items. I fill my little bags full of goods and then remove them to my cart and continue scanning.

Not at the Kroger I go to. You take something off that scale and it yells at you to put that thing back before it'll do anything else.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Not at the Kroger I go to. You take something off that scale and it yells at you to put that thing back before it'll do anything else.

Same here.

[CraigSca]

Don't be rude.

People losing jobs sucks, regardless of whether helps the consumer. Yes, yes, the economy and businesses expanding and future jobs. Blah blah blah. That doesn't mean crap for the person being put out of a job right now.

Agreed, any time a person loses a job it's a sad thing, but we also have to remember that the maker's of the scanning products are creating new jobs.

There will always be a need for employees in the grocery store, this is not removing all of their daily activities.

[CamEdwards]

I confess, I'm really surprised at the number of people who don't like the self-checkout because it may put someone out of work. Let's face it, checking and bagging groceries doesn't exactly require an advanced degree. Even if grocery stores DO cut the number of baggers because of the self-checkout, there are other opportunities in the service field.

[QuikSand]

I confess, I'm really surprised at the number of people who don't like the self-checkout because it may put someone out of work.

I think this is a case of the question greatly influencing the responses.

When asked if we care about putting some poor slob out of work, plenty of us will mull it over, contemplate what seems like a reasonable answer to the question, and then shape our answers to look more like that than what we *really* feel.

However, when we are not accountable for our actions to someone, and can act anonymously, we do what we really want. And even for many of the "I wouldn't want to see that guy lose his job" our actions will betray that supposed preference. We buy the cheap thing... we use the self-checkout... we go to the dollar store... whatever it is, we vote with our feet and usually do what serves us most, rather than what serves some arguable greater good.

[Lorena]

They're easy to use, sure. But what about the person who loses their job, can't find another one and has to go on government assistance? It totally sucks to lose a job and unfortunately for a few people that work at these types of stores, they're not skilled enough to go into the workforce and have to rely on some of these jobs.

I'm just sayin'.

[Lorena]

However, when we are not accountable for our actions to someone, and can act anonymously, we do what we really want. And even for many of the "I wouldn't want to see that guy lose his job" our actions will betray that supposed preference. We buy the cheap thing... we use the self-checkout... we go to the dollar store... whatever it is, we vote with our feet and usually do what serves us most, rather than what serves some arguable greater good.

Some people don't have the luxury to buy the more expensive items and have to rely on the cheaper stores. Why spend $5.00 on something when you can get the exact same item at the dollar store? $4.00 might not be a lot to some people, but those living paycheck to paycheck, it something they need to do.

[Logan]

I feel almost like I am being ripped off. Kinda like the self serve drink thing at fast food restaurants, damn can I clock in for a few minutes while I ring myslef up/ fill my coke.... I mean that is part of what you pay for right?

Dude, you're missing the benefit: FREE REFILLS!

[ISiddiqui]

Some people don't have the luxury to buy the more expensive items and have to rely on the cheaper stores. Why spend $5.00 on something when you can get the exact same item at the dollar store? $4.00 might not be a lot to some people, but those living paycheck to paycheck, it something they need to do.

Exactly... they would rather have the better savings and they prove it by voting with their feet. They don't care if it costs someone else their job. They want the savings, pure and simple. In the abstract people may say, oh it'll cost people their jobs, but when push comes to shove, they'll go the cheap stuff.

[bryce]

if i'm going in to buy a loaf of bread and some PB on a break from work I don't want to have to wait while some soccer-mom does her entire week's grocery shopping and then can't find her credit card and figure out how to work the little credit-card swiping thing.

and that's another rant. seriously...i see so many people that can't figure out how to work those things, and they're literally EVERYWHERE. what were you...living under a rock until today?

That's bad, yes, but what about the people who STILL WRITE FREAKING CHECKS???!!! I was baffled by one of these morons the other day - I literally stood there behind her, mouth open, just in utter amazement that someone still brought a checkbook to the grocery store... I only hope she (or her husband) worked for a bank or a printing company, and she was only trying to help their cause...

[-apoc-]

Considering the turnover rate of baggers and cashiers at a grocery store they arent costing anyone their jobs. They just might not hire as many new people in the next batch of hirings but no one is going to lose their cashier job and have to go on welfare because of these.

[QuikSand]

Some people don't have the luxury to buy the more expensive items and have to rely on the cheaper stores. Why spend $5.00 on something when you can get the exact same item at the dollar store? $4.00 might not be a lot to some people, but those living paycheck to paycheck, it something they need to do.

You are missing my point. I am an unabashed dollar store shopper myself, and I have no problem with it, for lots of different things.

My point is that there are lots of people who, as you suggest, just go out and buy what's cheapest, because that is what makes sense. But if they are asked directly if they would be willing to pay more for those items if it might mean that someone would keep his job because of it... they consider the values-laden question being asked, and they respond less than truthfully. Meanwhile, they continue to buy the items cheaply, regardless of the consequence for the fellow whose job is supposedly in the balance.

I don't seek to disparage people's behavior. Just to help explain how many people in this thread are seemingly rallying to the cause of the employees supposedly put out of work by the self-checkout advance. I think the very framing of the question tends to skew its own responses.

[Schmidty]

Just an innocent poll and an innocent comment, and we get all of this.

[CU Tiger]

That's bad, yes, but what about the people who STILL WRITE FREAKING CHECKS???!!! I was baffled by one of these morons the other day - I literally stood there behind her, mouth open, just in utter amazement that someone still brought a checkbook to the grocery store... I only hope she (or her husband) worked for a bank or a printing company, and she was only trying to help their cause...

There is still a reason to use checks...actually 2.
#1 they are very easy to print online and when purchases are written in the comment section it is a legal representation in case of an audit.

#2 and less impactful (though in all honesty the reason I pay with checks for everything...I am tight like this I guess) I make interest on my checking account. The interest paid is based off average daily balance. Now we go grocery shopping 1 time/ month and spend $500-$600...That amount of money sitting in my account on average 4 days longer will raise my dividend (albeit slightly) and over the course of a year, I generally get a free tank of ags, or some other minimal return...

[14ers]

#3. You have no money in your checking account. Debit cards will not work if you have no money in your account, but you can still write a check.

[JeffW]

Don't be rude.

People losing jobs sucks, regardless of whether helps the consumer. Yes, yes, the economy and businesses expanding and future jobs. Blah blah blah. That doesn't mean crap for the person being put out of a job right now.

I wasn't being rude.

If you had the choice between paying $15 for an item or $20 for an item and letting someone keep their job, are you going to pay the $20? How about $30? Every time you stop the progress of automation so that workers can keep their jobs, you drive up prices higher and higher above what they should be and impoverish all of society.

[Danny]

Writing a check doesn't have to take longer. Some customers actually fill out the majority of their check as the items are being scanned and just fill in the ammount when I am done. Of course that is maybe 2% of the people who write checks.

I think the self scan is a fine idea. As I said, at least 70% (and thats being generous) cant even figure out how to pay, so Im sure there will still be plenty of need for employees.

[primelord]

Every time you stop the progress of automation so that workers can keep their jobs, you drive up prices higher and higher above what they should be and impoverish all of society.

I don't think I would put it as dramatically as "impoverishing all of society", but I agree with this in general and as usual think Quik actually already made my point as best as it can be made. If you actually had a guy standing up front that would be fired on the spot if I went to the self check out line instead of the normal line, then I would likely go through the normal line. Barring that, if the self check out line is more conveinent for me then that is where I am headed.

[stevew]

#3. You have no money in your checking account. Debit cards will not work if you have no money in your account, but you can still write a check.

Although a lot of places are moving towards "electronic checks" now, meaning that you may write the check, but it comes straight out of your account like a debit. Basically it's nearly impossible to "float" a check like it used to be.

[QuikSand]

#2 and less impactful (though in all honesty the reason I pay with checks for everything...I am tight like this I guess) I make interest on my checking account. The interest paid is based off average daily balance. Now we go grocery shopping 1 time/ month and spend $500-$600...That amount of money sitting in my account on average 4 days longer will raise my dividend (albeit slightly) and over the course of a year, I generally get a free tank of ags, or some other minimal return...

Okay, let's work through this one, just for kicks. We'll start with some reasonable estimates of the variable involved, and we'll even be charitable and assume that your grocer is behind the times and does not process checks immediately...

- Let's say you are in front of me in line at the supermarket, holding up the line to write your check rather than pay in a more expedient fashion, and your bill is going to be $500 (I find that amount to be a stretch, but I'll even grant it to you here).

- Let's say that your check would process in three days.

-Let's say that your checking account returns a robust 3.65% interest rate.



So... you are spending this amount of effort to get 0.03% interest on that money. We can work that out pretty easisly, that means you are gaining $0.15 by this transaction. Not $15.00... not even $1.50... but 15 lousy cents. And remember, this is on those *huge* grocery bills for $500 that you claim to have... but when you say you pay by check for everything, that means I'm also behind you when you write out a check to buy your $12 worth of tampons, or your $21 shoes from Payless, in which cases your savings round down to some fraction of a penny.

So, if you do ineed hold up the line like this for every trip all year to the grocer for these mammoth purchases, you aren't saving yourself a tank of gas. You are saving yourself about a dollar eighty cents. For the whole year of inconveniencing yourself, and me, and everyone behind us all. Bully for you.


I am all for avoiding stupid charges and gaming financial systems when I can. But I still hate you, and I hope you better understand why now.

[Alan T]

I am not sure what everyone is talking about when they are saying things like weighing koolaid and such.

My local grocery store usually has 2-3 normal lines with cashiers, and 2 express lines. The express lines are always empty and I very rarely go and buy more than 5-8 things at a time. (Maybe once a month). So usually I just swing through the express line, I wave the item (gatorade or juice or water or whatever) in front of the machine, it reads the bar code and I put it in the bag. I then hit the button put in my card and sign the pad.

In and out of the lane in about 45 seconds or so, and it encourages me to shop there. If not for things like that, I very most likely would be just stopping at the local corner market to pick up drinks and such instead even if its a bit more expensive.

[korme]

I am not sure what everyone is talking about when they are saying things like weighing koolaid and such.

My local grocery store usually has 2-3 normal lines with cashiers, and 2 express lines. The express lines are always empty and I very rarely go and buy more than 5-8 things at a time. (Maybe once a month). So usually I just swing through the express line, I wave the item (gatorade or juice or water or whatever) in front of the machine, it reads the bar code and I put it in the bag. I then hit the button put in my card and sign the pad.

In and out of the lane in about 45 seconds or so, and it encourages me to shop there. If not for things like that, I very most likely would be just stopping at the local corner market to pick up drinks and such instead even if its a bit more expensive.

In a commercial chain like Meijer you have to put your items in a bag that is sitting on a scale. This prevents you from, say, scanning 1 bag of pizza rolls and dropping 3 in the grocery bag.

[CU Tiger]

Okay, let's work through this one,


A few points to consider..

#1 I live 30 minutes from a grocery store, I go 1 time/month...I have 2 kids and a few dogs, $500 is generously low. Our family budget allows for $600/month and we have been known to exceed that.

#2 I actually make 5% on my checking account, but you are right it is still not a lot. I right on average $3500/month in checks. And my bank is a local credit union. Even if the funds are "verified" they will not process any checks until they are physically in their hands.

#3 Being the anal retentive type I am, before I leave the house the check is dated made out to the retailer and signed, only the amount is filled out in line

#4 If I wasnt using a check I would be using cash, which would take the average cashier 5 times longer to count than process my check.

#5 I never hold anyone up. My shopping is done (again 1 time per month) while kids are having sleepovers with friends or family, and me and wife leave the house no later than 5AM to go to the store.

[QuikSand]

And when I say "I still hate you" I really mean the guy (or more likely, the little old lady) who is actually holding me up, not necessarily you in specific.

Cheers, and happy shopping.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And when I say "I still hate you" I really mean the guy (or more likely, the little old lady) who is actually holding me up, not necessarily you in specific. Cheers, and happy shopping.

Cool.

Just don't take it personally when those of us who do still write checks from time to time have a hard time not laughing when we hear about someone who gets their checking account cleaned out by a thief.

[QuikSand]

#2 and less impactful (though in all honesty the reason I pay with checks for everything...I am tight like this I guess) I make interest on my checking account. The interest paid is based off average daily balance. Now we go grocery shopping 1 time/ month and spend $500-$600...That amount of money sitting in my account on average 4 days longer will raise my dividend (albeit slightly) and over the course of a year, I generally get a free tank of ags, or some other minimal return...

So...after being delayed yet again by a leisurely check-writing old lady at the store the other night... I got to thinking about about this again...

If you really are this meticulous about your finances... what about getting one of those ubiquitious cash-back credit cards, get at least 1% cash back on the whole purchase, set it up for autopay from your checking account, and ride your interest-bearing checking account for 15 days or so while paying zero interest to the credit card company?

[Suburban Rhythm]

It was great until I had a child. Now I always go through the regular checkout because I can't scan/pay/sack without the girl getting pissed at lack of attention.

Word for word what I was going to write...:eek:

[Crapshoot]

You are missing my point. I am an unabashed dollar store shopper myself, and I have no problem with it, for lots of different things.

My point is that there are lots of people who, as you suggest, just go out and buy what's cheapest, because that is what makes sense. But if they are asked directly if they would be willing to pay more for those items if it might mean that someone would keep his job because of it... they consider the values-laden question being asked, and they respond less than truthfully. Meanwhile, they continue to buy the items cheaply, regardless of the consequence for the fellow whose job is supposedly in the balance.

I don't seek to disparage people's behavior. Just to help explain how many people in this thread are seemingly rallying to the cause of the employees supposedly put out of work by the self-checkout advance. I think the very framing of the question tends to skew its own responses.

Quoted for truth. When it comes to some things (like most books), I'll go to my local bookstore (or my formerly local bookstore) and pay a couple of dollars extra - I appreciate having them around, and am willing to pay for the additional convenience. Conversly, if its a $15 difference, I might walk down to the Barnes and Noble. In practice, I venture there are quite a few people like me (and far more extreme) - "Fair Trade" coffee and "Hybrids" live of this logic. :D

[Fidatelo]

This self-checkout stuff is just popping up where I live, and I think it is dumb as shit. How is it faster for me, some Joe off the street, to ring up and weigh my items, then it would be for someone who does it for a living?

Where is the speed increase here?

Is it because ideally the lines are restricted to 12 items or less? If that's the case, wouldn't having an additional "12 items or less" regular register, with a professional clerk/bagger, be even better

And does it really cost jobs? The ones that are cropping up here seem to have employees monitoring them in case people need help (or presumably are trying to steal). So now instead of paying someone near-minimum wage to interact with your customer and perform a service for them, you are paying someone near-minimum wage to stand in one spot and do nothing, only coming to interact with a customer at the point when said customer has become visibly frustrated with their experience at your store and is potentially hostile?

How is this good?

[Desnudo]

It goes faster because there's 4-8 extra check-out slots.

[Butter]

It's good because the people who know what they're doing can process a transaction in 30 seconds while otherwise they'd have to stand in the express line and wait.

[Passacaglia]

This self-checkout stuff is just popping up where I live, and I think it is dumb as shit. How is it faster for me, some Joe off the street, to ring up and weigh my items, then it would be for someone who does it for a living?

Where is the speed increase here?

Is it because ideally the lines are restricted to 12 items or less? If that's the case, wouldn't having an additional "12 items or less" regular register, with a professional clerk/bagger, be even better

And does it really cost jobs? The ones that are cropping up here seem to have employees monitoring them in case people need help (or presumably are trying to steal). So now instead of paying someone near-minimum wage to interact with your customer and perform a service for them, you are paying someone near-minimum wage to stand in one spot and do nothing, only coming to interact with a customer at the point when said customer has become visibly frustrated with their experience at your store and is potentially hostile?

How is this good?

For me, these things started popping up just after I quit my college job in a grocery store, so I was all about the fact that I can do a better job scanning and bagging my groceries than one of my former colleagues. I guess my advice is to try it -- I bet you'll notice the difference.

[Klinglerware]

Don't be shortsighted. People are losing jobs because self-scan is more efficient. Part of the savings will be passed on to the consumer(you).

I don't really care about the jobs angle. But, I remain unconvinced that savings will actually be passed on to me--so until I see data that proves otherwise, I will continue to avoid the self-checkout, a system where the retailer asks me to do one of their jobs by having me complete a task that is already built in to the cost of my groceries.

I am aware of the benefits of using the self-checkout (including economic--someone pointed out to me that I potentially lose money in productivity by waiting on line). I'm aware of the convenience. I don't begruge anyone who uses it. But, my decision is based on personal preference and principle. That is all.

[lordscarlet]

In my experience at least 30-40% of grocery cashiers (I'm being generous here) are incredibly slow and inept.

[Ryan S]

I do whatever is convenient for me in grocery stores. I really do not care about the impact on the staff.

[cuervo72]

I kind of like having one person checking the stuff, another bagging, and me taking care of my electronic transaction all at the same time. But then I usually buy a bunch of stuff. I guess I can deal with self-scan if I have say, 3-4 items.

[st.cronin]

I always use them. They have made the grocery store experience 1/10 as painful as it used to be.

[Ksyrup]

I love them. My 7 year old insists on doing everything, from scanning to bagging to paying, so I just sit there and watch to make sure she doesn't accidentally charge $10K to my bill or something.

[Rizon]

The ones that are cropping up here seem to have employees monitoring them in case people need help

We have those people too. The thing is they are never around when something goes wrong, which it always does for somebody every ... single ... time ... I go. The chick is usually standing around talking to someone and/or dicking around, since her job has to be the most boring in the world. It just makes the lines for self-checkout longer. The only time me and my wife use self-checkout is about 8 or 9 at night when the store is slow, otherwise it literally takes twice as long as going to a cashier.

[Fidatelo]

We have those people too. The thing is they are never around when something goes wrong, which it always does for somebody every ... single ... time ... I go. The chick is usually standing around talking to someone and/or dicking around, since her job has to be the most boring in the world. It just makes the lines for self-checkout longer. The only time me and my wife use self-checkout is about 8 or 9 at night when the store is slow, otherwise it literally takes twice as long as going to a cashier.

This has been my experience as well. I've used them maybe 4-5 times; a couple times at a grocery store, a couple times at Home Depot. Each time there has been some sort of issue, either with my own purchase or with that of the one person ahead of me. And each time it takes forever to resolve.

Perhaps this is what it was like for people the first few years ATM's existed? Old ladies struggling to figure out what to do, machine's getting jammed, etc? I don't know, maybe this stuff will work itself out, but I'm skeptical right now.

On the other hand, start sticking RFID's on everything and I'm suddenly all for it. Now THAT would be fast.

[Suburban Rhythm]

professional clerk/bagger

WOW! I never thought I'd see that written out--professional bagger.
And to think, those years I thought I was wasting in HS, I could have been laying the ground work for a career in bagging.

Although...not to brag, but cart pushing was my forte.

[Fidatelo]

WOW! I never thought I'd see that written out--professional bagger.
And to think, those years I thought I was wasting in HS, I could have been laying the ground work for a career in bagging.

Although...not to brag, but cart pushing was my forte.

You realise that some people do make a career out of working at the grocery store right? I believe the unionized ones (like Safeway up here) actually pay a half-decent wage.

[joyosects]

There will be a lot more of these things if Congress raises minimum wage. Only a couple of these places pay a decent wage.

I like them, but simply because I worked in a grocery store for a while and can get stuff done faster than the cashiers in the regular aisles.

[ISiddiqui]

Being against self-checkout is like being against self-service gas. I like doing it myself if I can (if I have more than 5 items or so, I'll go to the regular checkout, because the Kroger I go to requires you to keep the bags on the sensor until you checkout... I assume that's how they keep you under 15 items easier than some guy counting everything in your cart.

[lordscarlet]

You realise that some people do make a career out of working at the grocery store right? I believe the unionized ones (like Safeway up here) actually pay a half-decent wage.

My mother has worked at one for somewhere around 35 years.

[Desnudo]

You can make $18/hour at grocery stores in Seattle

[lordscarlet]

You can certainly make more than $18/hr. There are more jobs at a grocery store than bagger, stockboy and cashier.