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The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

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Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#11

Post by nkozyra »

isoprophlex wrote: post #9

I'm not sure if the money my supermarket saves by getting rid of humans (and the humans' incomes) translates to cheaper groceries for me. I'd believe it if there were somehow a fine for using a human checkout. But there isn't. So every once in a while four bell pepper somehow scan as three. Accidents happen, full plausible deniability.

> I'd believe it if there were somehow a fine for using a human checkout. But there isn't.

Because there are easier, less abrasive ways of disincentivizing this behavior, namely by making fewer human checkouts available.

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#12

Post by hirundo »

I wanted to checkout at a Home Depot but there were no employees to be seen and only self-checkout lanes open. I had some items I wanted help with and in frustration asked the customer next to me, "does anybody work here?"

He said "I guess we do."

I won't be the guy who causes shrinkage but it seems reasonable for the seller to pay something for the buyers' labor as cashier.

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#13

Post by amayne »

hirundo wrote: post #12

I wanted to checkout at a Home Depot but there were no employees to be seen and only self-checkout lanes open. I had some items I wanted help with and in frustration asked the customer next to me, "does anybody work here?" He said "I guess we do." I won't be the guy who causes shrinkage but it seems reasonable for the seller to pay something for the buyers' labor as cashier.

I believe it's called lower prices – at least in theory.

(My apologies for coming across as pedantic.) Physical stores use them to remain competitive in pricing. The lower price is your incentive for doing it yourself (again in theory.)

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#14

Post by jachee »

nkozyra wrote: post #11
isoprophlex wrote: post #9

I'm not sure if the money my supermarket saves by getting rid of humans (and the humans' incomes) translates to cheaper groceries for me. I'd believe it if there were somehow a fine for using a human checkout. But there isn't. So every once in a while four bell pepper somehow scan as three. Accidents happen, full plausible deniability.

> I'd believe it if there were somehow a fine for using a human checkout. But there isn't. Because there are easier, less abrasive ways of disincentivizing this behavior, namely by making fewer human checkouts available.

There's a 24-hour Kroger near where I used to live that would routinely shut down the last human cashier around 10PM, which was about an hour too early.

This resulted in a nightly backup at the two self-check lines they'd leave open, sometimes taking 20+ minutes to check out.

Even as someone who prefers to self-checkout: It was a mess.

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#15

Post by firebones »

2bitencryption wrote: post #2

I did once abuse the self-checkout myself, but I felt justified: The tag on the shelf said the crackers were buy-one-get-one-free. But when I rang them both up, it charged for both. Instead of calling an attendant, I just voided one of them but walked out with it. I'm basically a criminal mastermind.

In most of the groceries stores around me, discount logic is applied after the the total is completed. So voiding after you completed scanning and were ready to pay would have been legit, but maybe not so much if you didn't wait until payment time.

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#16

Post by coldtea »

MisterTea wrote: post #7
dgzl wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Imagine if they posted video of you on their FB For crackers? I think people would be more upset with the store than the shopper.

The people will likely rally around the poor shopper being oppressed by the soulless corporate entity.

And they would be right...

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#17

Post by jedberg »

I must be a rube, because I've never stolen from one of those things. When it makes a mistake I call the attendant to correct it. Mainly because I support the idea of automation and want it to work well. Maybe it's just the reliability engineer in me that wants to call out the bugs and have them fixed. Or maybe it's the former security engineer in me who got paid to find the flaws in these systems and my ethics demand I don't exploit them for personal gain.

Honestly though I hope they don't go away just because everyone abuses them. I really like the self checkout machines and being in control of how long the transaction takes instead of up to the whims of which cashier I've chosen (although if the markets would just do a little research on queuing theory and make us all like up in one single line for the human cashiers, that wouldn't be a problem).

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#18

Post by jjeaff »

zintrilisqo wrote: post #3
2bitencryption wrote: post #2

I did once abuse the self-checkout myself, but I felt justified: The tag on the shelf said the crackers were buy-one-get-one-free. But when I rang them both up, it charged for both. Instead of calling an attendant, I just voided one of them but walked out with it. I'm basically a criminal mastermind.

It's not worth it. Imagine if they posted video of you on their FB. Many wouldn't believe your justification. You should have just voided both of them and left them there.

I've never had a store refuse to honor the posted price when it rang up incorrectly. I doubt they would bat an eye when you explained and showed them their signage.

Additionally, most states impose strict penalties for products that are incorrectly advertised. Whether it is intentional or not.

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#19

Post by Shivetya »

isoprophlex wrote: post #9

I'm not sure if the money my supermarket saves by getting rid of humans (and the humans' incomes) translates to cheaper groceries for me. I'd believe it if there were somehow a fine for using a human checkout. But there isn't. So every once in a while four bell pepper somehow scan as three. Accidents happen, full plausible deniability.

I am all for these setups because I can check out faster in many cases and I can bag it as I want it bagged. saving money or not its the convenience which sold me

Re: The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery (2018)

#20

Post by dilap »

jedberg wrote: post #17

I must be a rube, because I've never stolen from one of those things. When it makes a mistake I call the attendant to correct it. Mainly because I support the idea of automation and want it to work well. Maybe it's just the reliability engineer in me that wants to call out the bugs and have them fixed. Or maybe it's the former security engineer in me who got paid to find the flaws in these systems and my ethics deman…

Not a rube, just honest. I'm really surprised and disappointed this is common.
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