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The failure of self-checkout technology

bbc.com

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Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#541

Post by philwelch »

throwaway2037 wrote: post #388
CM30 wrote: post #248

It feels like almost all the issues with self-checkout technology come from the attempts to minimise shoplifting, which don't even seem that effective at doing that. In theory, a system that let you scan products the same way checkout staff do without any weight checks or bagging area rules or other interruptions would be incredibly efficient. Especially if you could do things like scan the same product multiple time…

I have used multiple self-checkout stations in the United States that weigh items. If you add two cans instead of one into your bag, the computer terminal will inquire about it. And security: You only need a single person standing there to scary away 95% of shoplifters. I watched a YouTube video from the channel "Not Just Bikes" about grocery shopping in Amsterdam, Netherlands showed a supermarket where you carry the…

HEB has those now. They also do a weight check but they just weigh your entire cart at the end.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#542

Post by o11c »

Arrath wrote: post #507
whynotmaybe wrote: post #343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never use the "bag" function. When I've scanned the first item, I put it in the bag that's outside the scale and put the bag with the item on the scale.

I just pile my junk on the scale and bag it up after I'm done with the transaction.

This does mean you block the person behind you for much longer, but that's the store's problem not mine.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#543

Post by chris-orgmenta »

watwut wrote: post #522
chris-orgmenta wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is not freeing people to do more useful jobs. It is just making them unemployed. Only if the creation of jobs is slower than the displacement... Which I agree it is, with this tech (and our slow response in gov, universities etc.). But sometimes (sounds callous but just pondering this small part of the equation), maybe jobs need to dry up in order to compel workers to move on? And this tech will open up other op…

I like self checkouts too. I am not arguing against them. It is just that these jobs going away is not helping former employees nor freeing them up. Economy is always going through changes, I am not arguing to stop progress. > maybe jobs need to dry up in order to compel workers to move on Nah. This is just lying to ourselves to feel better. Workers do not need to be compelled and it does not help them at all. The ch…

> Nah. This is just lying to ourselves to feel better. Workers do not need to be compelled and it does not help them at all.

"maybe jobs need to dry up in order to compel workers to move on" was meant to indicate a benefit to society, not the individual. I.e., society demands that they move on, for better or worse. I don't think anyone's pretending that they're doing the individual a favour, in the short run at least.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#545

Post by taneq »

Are self checkouts really 'failing' in other parts of the world? All the major supermarkets near me have self checkouts and almost everyone uses them. Unless you have a huge trolley full of shopping it's quicker and easier just to scan a few items, wave your card at it and you're done. I'm sure they get a bit of shrinkage but by and large everyone seems to do the right thing.

Now if only they'd remove that obnoxious "WOULD ya LIKE to PRINT a RECEIPT?" at the end... :P

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#546

Post by freeone3000 »

mbork_pl wrote: post #389
freeone3000 wrote: post #376

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where do you live where there isn't 24/7 internet saturation from at least three different sources? When the internet goes out, the stores just close.

What about when the internet goes down for several weeks or months...?

This is not a thing that happens in the US, except in disaster-recovery scenarios.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#547

Post by someonehere »

Before Target moved to ten items only for self checkout I used to take my cart full of every imaginable aisle from the store and check out. However I would constantly see people not ringing up higher priced items at self checkout or just push their cart through when it’s busy and make it look like they paid.

Talking to one of the store staff they said they were losing too much at self checkout. They dropped it to ten items and forced eleven plus items to the registers. Hire a few older people at minimum wage to slowly scan your items and get you on your way. That initial month they went to ten items was around the holidays and all the new register people were sooooooo slow. It was painful. They just didn’t know what they were doing. Seemed like they were thrown to the registers to make it work.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#548

Post by emodendroket »

CM30 wrote: post #248

It feels like almost all the issues with self-checkout technology come from the attempts to minimise shoplifting, which don't even seem that effective at doing that. In theory, a system that let you scan products the same way checkout staff do without any weight checks or bagging area rules or other interruptions would be incredibly efficient. Especially if you could do things like scan the same product multiple time…

> It feels like almost all the issues with self-checkout technology come from the attempts to minimise shoplifting, which don't even seem that effective at doing that. In theory, a system that let you scan products the same way checkout staff do without any weight checks or bagging area rules or other interruptions would be incredibly efficient. Especially if you could do things like scan the same product multiple times if you were buying multiple copies of it.

A lot of them literally do work this way and just accept the risk of shrink,.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#549

Post by ajuc »

Seems to be working perfectly fine in my local Lidl. The ones in Stokrotka are much less reliable but also work ok most of the time.

Yes you need 1 person to solve issues people have (which are mostly mistakes they make) but that 1 person is amortized over all the self-checkouts so it's still worth it.

Re: The failure of self-checkout technology

#550

Post by sime2009 »

netsharc wrote: post #530
dahfizz wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Enjoy your homogenous, high trust society. We are all jealous.

Whenever I see anyone use "homogeneous" in this context I always consider them a racist... Meanwhile Netherlands elected an anti-immigration right-wing government in their last elections: https://time.com/6339173/dutch-election-results-geert-wilder...

23% did, just to be clear.
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