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Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

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Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#21

Post by ghaff »

rhizome wrote: post #15
Overtonwindow wrote: post #7

I refuse. The prices are usually too high to warrant scanning my own groceries.

I wonder if anybody has ever suggested offering discounts for using them. I imagine an across-the-board x% off is anathema to the business gestalt.

The problem is that then people will use self-checkout even though they know that what they're buying is going to be time consuming, awkward, and require significant manual intervention in the self-checkout lane. This is especially true in home improvement stores where things like lumber really aren't designed to work with self-checkout at all.

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#23

Post by forthefuture »

wutbrodo wrote: post #12

It seems like I'm the only person in this thread who's had pretty much nothing but good experiences with self checkout machines. And this is despite the fact that I usually do grocery trips with at least 15-20 items. I don't have a problem with human contact with a cashier, I just prefer self checkout because it pretty much never has lines. I've also not experienced the horribly buggy machines that everyone else here…

To me it's a lot like pumping your own gas. It's weird when I go back to NJ and have to sit in the car and wait for the one dude working on 6 pumps.

But if you talk to people from NJ who have never been outside of NJ it would seem obvious that someone else does it. All of the comments in this thread against self service are the exact arguments NJ people have against pumping your own gas.

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#24

Post by fosco »

notliketherest wrote: post #6

I actually like using self checkout. It's great for quick purchases, but not so much when you're buying lots of groceries. One thing I usually buy quickly is beer - but here in California, there is a State law against using the self checkout lane for alcohol purchases. This is ostensibly to avoid alcohol theft, but I have a sneaky conspiracy theory it's to make these self checkouts even less used, all to appease the…

My theory was along the lines of alcohol being prohibited because under age customers would buy there and get through without being ID'ed

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#25

Post by wutbrodo »

draw_down wrote: post #5

I hate these damn machines. Every one I've ever tried has been incredibly shitty. They're configured to prevent stealing, but that means they constantly stop normal shoppers just trying to check out and force everything to a halt until an assistant coms over. But whoops, the assistant always just stepped away for a moment, or is helping someone else, or, or... Not to mention the basic fact that, screw you guys, it's…

> Not to mention the basic fact that, screw you guys, it's YOUR job to do the checkout, not customers'.

I don't understand this statement. How is this a basic fact? It seems like you've drawn an arbitrary line for things that they're responsible based on how it used to be and are randomly claiming that it must be universal. Why isn't it a "basic fact" that your gas station is responsible for an attendant pumping your gas, or your motel is responsible for a concierge to make reservations for you? Just because these existed in the past doesn't make it a "basic fact" that it's their fundamental responsibility.

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#26

Post by rhizome »

ghaff wrote: post #21
rhizome wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if anybody has ever suggested offering discounts for using them. I imagine an across-the-board x% off is anathema to the business gestalt.

The problem is that then people will use self-checkout even though they know that what they're buying is going to be time consuming, awkward, and require significant manual intervention in the self-checkout lane. This is especially true in home improvement stores where things like lumber really aren't designed to work with self-checkout at all.

Sure, but that cost would be more than compensated by a reduction in checkers.

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#27

Post by wyldfire »

I like the self checkout, I generally feel like I had a net time savings against waiting in line. I appreciate how truly sensitive they are and I take some mild precautions to avoid getting stuck in one of the machine's pitfalls. I know some folks might scoff and call these limitations a regression but I think it's a net win for me.

Stuff to look out for:

1. shopping w/the kids (they love to "help" but don't know the precautions)

2. certain items requiring special attention (items with theft deterrents, age-controlled items, etc).

3. quickly getting item delivered from scanner to scale. Too many items will leave you limited in how you can make room on the scale.

Some stores have some customizations which show them as having different priorities. At Walmart the transaction is well-optimized for speed (CC bypasses signature for cheap transactions, CC swipe bypasses primary console prompting/confirmation, also one or two "non-bagged items" grace). Others seem to focus more on risk/theft controls.

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#28

Post by joesmo »

forthefuture wrote: post #23
wutbrodo wrote: post #12

It seems like I'm the only person in this thread who's had pretty much nothing but good experiences with self checkout machines. And this is despite the fact that I usually do grocery trips with at least 15-20 items. I don't have a problem with human contact with a cashier, I just prefer self checkout because it pretty much never has lines. I've also not experienced the horribly buggy machines that everyone else here…

To me it's a lot like pumping your own gas. It's weird when I go back to NJ and have to sit in the car and wait for the one dude working on 6 pumps. But if you talk to people from NJ who have never been outside of NJ it would seem obvious that someone else does it. All of the comments in this thread against self service are the exact arguments NJ people have against pumping your own gas.

I've never had a pump in NJ or elsewhere not work. Self-checkout machines on the other hand, don't work often. That's the difference.

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#29

Post by galago »

Shaws, a grocery store near where I live in Somerville, MA used to have self checkouts, but got rid of them. They also ended their customer loyalty card system. The paticular store where I shop has limited space, so the checkers allow more customer throughput. The old self-checkouts failed pretty often for me so I'm happy they're gone.

Re: Planet Money: Self Checkout [audio]

#30

Post by ghaff »

rhizome wrote: post #26
ghaff wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that then people will use self-checkout even though they know that what they're buying is going to be time consuming, awkward, and require significant manual intervention in the self-checkout lane. This is especially true in home improvement stores where things like lumber really aren't designed to work with self-checkout at all.

Sure, but that cost would be more than compensated by a reduction in checkers.

My point is that giving a discount for self-checkout will tend to lead to an experience that is worse for the shopper and doesn't even necessarily result in reduced costs for the store because they'll now need more self-checkout helpers.
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