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The failure of self-checkout technology

bbc.com

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Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#181

Post by g-b-r »

currymj wrote: post #162
snakeyjake wrote: post #146

>employees who get taken away from their other duties to help customers deal with the confusing and error prone kiosks. I have seen these customers. I do not understand. What are they doing at the self-checkout that is confusing? I have used dozens of different implementations and they are all simplicity incarnate. So I just lump them all in with the folks who don't know that cars need oil changes, take more than 45…

if you accidentally scan something twice, frequently the machine requires an employee to delete the entry for you.

I've actually never seen one where you can delete stuff yourself

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#182

Post by g-b-r »

workfromspace wrote: post #152

Obviously this sounds like such a US problem. Self checkout in the UK and Europe (Estonia and Barcelona) IME works perfectly: - No thefts - Many people with card payments - Working self checkout machines Also, recently I have been thinking how come the US is pioneering so many tech but fail to implement any, such as: - Payments: No SWIFT/IBAN, still lots of cash usage, no e-invoices (ie for utility bills), still usin…

You're generalizing a bit too much saying "Europe"

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#183

Post by g-b-r »

WarOnPrivacy wrote: post #143
happytoexplain wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is, but we don't get to declare a solution a success just because the thing that killed it was environmental. It must work in the target environment, and it seems that, unfortunately, US society has failed the theft test in most places. I live in a somewhat diverse but mostly upper-middle-class suburban area, and even here theft shot up with the machines. They couldn't sustain it. The weight thing is often enabled…

> The weight thing is often enabled because of theft. I guess the scales might also be there to help confused customers. A little bit. But I believe it was really about theft. The scales also made the experience terrible. The last Walmart in the area with scales got rid of them. Their SCO is much improved. I can't speak to Walmart's bottom line but I do appreciate being treated better. FWIW, this whole region has ton…

There are some with good and very reliable scales and some where they never work, though

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#184

Post by justsomehnguy »

Gigachad wrote: post #176
janalsncm wrote: post #171

I avoid self checkout if possible. If I’m paying for the groceries, why should I also do the work of scanning and bagging everything? I’ll let someone else handle it for me. And don’t try to pass it off as a “convenience” for the customer. It was never about that. I would call it “automating” a job away but that would be too generous. No, it’s just asking the customer to do a job for free and selling it as more conve…

Honestly this feels a lot like pumping your own petrol, having someone operate the elevator for you, or going in to a physical bank. Eventually no one will care and it frees up people to do more useful jobs.

I'm not a fan of the corp using self-checkout to increase their profits through cutting the headcount, but I always prefer shop workers to do the actual inventory and other floor tasks than sitting at the cash register.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#185

Post by justsomehnguy »

workfromspace wrote: post #152

Obviously this sounds like such a US problem. Self checkout in the UK and Europe (Estonia and Barcelona) IME works perfectly: - No thefts - Many people with card payments - Working self checkout machines Also, recently I have been thinking how come the US is pioneering so many tech but fail to implement any, such as: - Payments: No SWIFT/IBAN, still lots of cash usage, no e-invoices (ie for utility bills), still usin…

> Also, recently I have been thinking how come the US is pioneering so many tech but fail to implement any

> Estonia

>>

    Population
    • 2024 estimate
        1,373,101[2]
    • 2021 census
        1,331,824[3]
You can do most of projects in Estonia in a week or two, just because their popcount is low.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#186

Post by byyll »

workfromspace wrote: post #152

Obviously this sounds like such a US problem. Self checkout in the UK and Europe (Estonia and Barcelona) IME works perfectly: - No thefts - Many people with card payments - Working self checkout machines Also, recently I have been thinking how come the US is pioneering so many tech but fail to implement any, such as: - Payments: No SWIFT/IBAN, still lots of cash usage, no e-invoices (ie for utility bills), still usin…

UK is part of Europe.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#187

Post by hackan »

Gigachad wrote: post #174
a1o wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's Uniqlo and it works because clothes have no metal or body of water or something else that could interfere with the RFID.

The items are also all high enough margin to cover the extra tag cost. Isn’t going to work for supermarkets.

Yup, tagging and all the related costs are only reasonable for high-margin/relative high value products, not food

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#188

Post by crazygringo »

janalsncm wrote: post #171

I avoid self checkout if possible. If I’m paying for the groceries, why should I also do the work of scanning and bagging everything? I’ll let someone else handle it for me. And don’t try to pass it off as a “convenience” for the customer. It was never about that. I would call it “automating” a job away but that would be too generous. No, it’s just asking the customer to do a job for free and selling it as more conve…

For me it's because there's zero line rather than a five minute wait or worse.

I'll do the work so I can save the time. It's a godsend that way.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#189

Post by govg »

Gigachad wrote: post #173
hackan wrote: post #92

I love self-checkout, honestly. Machines need to improve, but still. There's a store here where u simply DROP all items in the self-checkout basket, and it automatically computes everything! I suspect it uses NFC or similar, but it works, and its wonderful, simply drop everything in! And wait, there's more: did I say drop everything in? I meant, the bag you are using to hold everything? just put it in that basket, in…

It seems that in general, the US lags behind in retail technology. In Australia, close to all supermarkets are majority if not entirely self checkout. Even a lot of retail brands like hardware stores and clothing stores are self checkout. The ones like Uniqlo where you just drop the items in and it instantly scans them all are incredibly nice to use.

Data point of just 1, but even in a small college town in the Midwest US, 50% or more counters at the grocery stores I've visited have been self checkout. Some places are almost entirely self checkout, to the point where if you need assistance it's hard to find an actual person employed by the store.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#190

Post by manmal »

matthewdgreen wrote: post #155
manmal wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you suggesting to put trillions of copper, silicon, and aluminum parts on disposable items like bananas, so people have a slightly better shopping experience?

I am not suggesting it. It was widely presented as inevitable once the costs dropped enough. Retail inventory management and checkout is expensive.

Apologies for the strawman then. I just hope humanity can pass on that one, for once.
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