Home > Gwinnett.talk > Archives > 2008 > June > 02 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIs self-checkout a convenience or nuisance?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Handout
Jim Grattan
“Please, wait for assistance.”
Anyone using the self-checkout systems in large retail stores knows those words are coming. And though spoken in pleasant, well-modulated tones, they are irritating.
The user is subjected to a constant stream of directives from an all-knowing computer that carefully orchestrates every action and motion, yet most of us can’t get through a checkout without failure.
“Put the item in a bag.”
You do it, and the computer still complains. Of course, the computer, being an idiot savant, is completely flummoxed when your item is a case of soft drinks or a 40-pound bag of dog food.
Eventually an assistant sees that the user has come to a standstill and magically presses a few keys permitting the process to continue without any explanation whatsoever, leaving the user in a state of exasperation.
The ostensible premise of self-checkout is that the consumer is placed in control of the process of checking out - no bored clerks, no unnecessary delays, etc. But that appears to be a convenient fiction.
In the first place, the difficulties of designing and implementing customer-friendly self-checkout systems should not be minimized. These systems must be easy-to-use, accurate and comprehensive. All merchandise must be clearly marked, and there must be consistency between shelf pricing and the prices stored in the stations.
The initial demands placed on designers and the ongoing demands placed on retailers should make retailers very cautious in using these systems. Perhaps that is the case. At one time, it seemed like self-checkout stations in larger retail establishments would become commonplace, but that has not occurred.
It does appear that the prime motivation for retailers using these systems is labor savings, while customers must absorb the inadequacies and frustrations of these systems.
That is perhaps more obvious in home improvement stores where the merchandise is far more difficult to be accommodated by computer check-out. Portable scanning devices are absolutely necessary to scan large items; however, those devices are not made available to customers.
Also, the look-up capability for non-marked items, such as bolts, or items located outside the store, such as timbers or straw, is generally inadequate or difficult to use.
Yet, these stores are reluctant to open manned registers, insisting that their self-checkout stations are adequate.
Have retailers using self-checkout systems imposed a flawed or inadequate technology on consumers? Shouldn’t customers expect checking out to be a trouble-free, smooth, even pleasant, experience?
Why should customers be forced to learn the various idiosyncrasies that the systems of different retailers present and put up with the delays solvable only by an attendant.
Are retailers saving labor costs by imposing a nuisance on their customers?
What are your experiences with self-checkout systems? Do you find them convenient? Or, do you find them frustrating?
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Comments
By JJ
June 2, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this
I, myself, hate the damn things. I will not use them at all. I don’t care if I have to wait for 10 people to go through the line before me, I still won’t go to a self-checkout.
I much prefer human interaction. I enjoy talking to people……
By John
June 2, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
I love, love, love self checkout…yeah it’s a little more difficult at the home improvement stores, but it’s great at Kroger..after a few times using it you are an expert..I know all of the lookup codes and how to ring up my own produce, and if you use a debit or credit card it’s even easier. I’ve only had a couple of times when the attendant was awol, but usually he or she is right there if I have some issue or need my ID checked. And the great thing is only a few folks use them so I never have to wait.
By Mike K.
June 2, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this
I love to use the self-checkouts. Like John said, the attendant is usually there to check IDs or reset the scanner. I have more problems with people who can’t count their items or dumb people who can’t figure out how to use it.
By Me
June 2, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
I refuse to use self checkout. I was told at the big orange place I would have to use it. Told them I didn’t have to do anything. Told them A)It puts people out of work, B)I’m there to buy something not to work C)Everything in their damn store is made in China anyhow….Laid down the stuff I had and walked out.
By Chris
June 2, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this
Two rules about self checkout 1. If you have never used this type of system before DO NOT decide to do so during a heavy shopping period.
I have to say IKEA’s self checkout lines suffer horribly from these two issues.
By c. smith
June 3, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this
Jim. Son.
Lordy Mercy.
You get paid to write about this?
Hook me up!!!
By Bruce Wilcox
June 3, 2008 3:11 AM | Link to this
I hope he doesn’t get paid either, for if does, the AJC owes many money.
As far as the check outs, for a few items they’re great. If you have a full shopping cart, they’re terrible and defeats the whole purpose of the system.
By One Man's View
June 3, 2008 4:09 AM | Link to this
No money, dude. Send in your commentary on your topics, so we can have something with which to compare.
By Enlightned One
June 3, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this
This is just what the Dacula City Council needs. Self check out.
By Bruce Wilcox
June 3, 2008 8:59 PM | Link to this
What would you suggest, a hard hitting column on plastic or paper?
By Crystal
June 4, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
I don’t like the concept of “come shop and spend your money, oh and then work here for free”. If I want a job checking out items at the store, I’ll go get one and get paid for it.
Notice how there are one or two clerk lanes open and the self check outs are ALL OPEN.
By Fred
June 5, 2008 7:26 AM | Link to this
I normally don’t use the self checkout..not because it puts someone out of a job but simply because it doesn’t save me any money. Now if the stores gave me a discount for using them then I would be more inclined to go the self checkout way.
By RaggedClaws
June 5, 2008 7:32 AM | Link to this
The store should pony up a 5% discount for using them considering that they truly are a nuisance and the fact they are saving $$$$ on them in lieu of live bodies.
I hate the things, no matter how good you are, and as stated in the article, you invariably have to wait on the attendant who is always busy helping someone else.
By Jazz
June 5, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
It seems to be an inherently flawed strategy to expect your customers to be trained to the level of an employee. Some customers will go along, but in the long run, most will not. I never use self check, as it does not save me any time. Every single one is like participating in a science experiment to figure out. Hire decent staff, train them, pay them enough to keep them, keep your customers happy with actual service.
By One Man's View
June 5, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this
From one perspective, commenting on any current situation, idea, event, etc is not particularly relevant. One line of thinking being that what will be, will be, with very few of us having any power to change things. I’ve recently commented on obesity, the political process, college education, and now self-checkout. I happen to see all of those matters in terms beyond the personal. In some ways, they all reflect the ability of some to control and shape the status quo, which in a democracy is of significance. [Please don’t comment on republic vs. democracy, etc. Just recall that it is “We the People who do ordain these United States,” not reps or states or others.]
Decisions for implementing self-checkout are made in private with public consequences. Obviously, many see through the hype and realize that the inadequacies of these systems are absorbed by consumers. It is consumers that in essence bear the costs of the labor savings of retailers. It’s hard to see how that is a simplistic topic. It goes right to the core of who shapes our society. It all adds up.
By MK
June 5, 2008 9:28 PM | Link to this
After dealing with customers all day at work, I like being able to go in, do my shopping, and not deal with anyone.
By D
June 6, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this
I don’t know about all stores, but I can vouch that at Home Depot, the SCO systems DO NOT put people out of work. I used to be a front end manager at one and because of the INCREASE in sales after they were installed, I was actually able to get 2 new cashiers within a month. What happened is that people who normally would get frustrated with having to wait in line behind people with large orders just to buy a pack of light bulbs or whatever no longer sat them on the end caps and walked out. They selfchecked and the sales increased therefore allowing us to hire more people. Now, is SCO a perfect solution. No, of course not and it never will be. Now as far as being told that you must use SCO, there were times right after the store opened at 6am that that may have been the only register open, but no one said you had to use it. The cashier was always willing to use the self check out terminal so it was just the cashier using a different model register for you. I left HD 3 years ago now, but in my experience it still is the same thing. The cashier still will ring up the order for you if you don’t want to, or feel free to use a traditional register.
I will say as a consumer, I wish the 24 hour stores that use them would have these open 24 hours, because I’ve gone into Wal-Mart or Kroger at 2am when they only have one register open and waited forever. If they utilized that cashier at a SCO station, then they would have 5 registers open to get these people through!
By Dana
June 6, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this
When I go into a store and finish my shopping, if there are not enough registers open, I will then go to the customer service manager and tell her/him that I will not stand in a line that has more then 3 people in it if there are only a small quantity of registers open. Customer service has gone done to nothing and I for one say something. To have 50 registers across the store but only 2 open and 15 to a line is unacceptable. We as customers have every right to demand good service for out money. If a manager refuses to open up another register, then I simple roll the cart in front of them and say, I dont have time to waiste standing in your line and I walk away. After all, I feel that I dont need their store, there are plenty of others to shop at. The store however does need me. Its that simple.
By pbrown
June 8, 2008 8:45 PM | Link to this
there are pros and cons to using the sco. one of the biggest cons for the store is the ease that people can shop lift right from the check out lane. then you have the “20 items or less” sco and someone with a full cart goes thru the line holding everyone up.
By Mark
June 9, 2008 7:09 PM | Link to this
Don’t use them and won’t use them. If they offered a discount for using them, I might consider it.
What’s next? are they going to want customers to stock there shelves for them for free?
By Gandalf, the Grey
June 11, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
You want you cake and eat it too?
Low prices mean reduction of labor, basic economics buckaroo.
Go to the local hardware store,
they will give you service and somuch more.
By One Man's View
June 11, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this
I’m not sure who or what buckaroo refers to, but I do know that there is no theory that states that savings on labor costs have to be passed on to customers. In fact, unless absolultely, labors savings go into pockets of owners. When self-checkout systems were installed here and there, did someone notice lower prices? I think not.
By norcross
June 13, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
I do not believe they put people out of work on a net basis. Sure less cashiers are required because of this service, but a cashier that loses that position might be able to go back to school and learn to service a self check out machine. There will be more servicing because there are more actual machines being used. Then there are the designers and sales people for the new technology.
I believe more jobs are created from new technology than lost. Mostly higher paying jobs, which require more training and education.
Save your breath people, I know not everyone can afford to go back to school for this training.
But the chance and opportunity is there.
I worked in a WalMart for 3 years and was quite an ace at using them. Now I get embarrassed when something happens because you either go to fast for the things or they don’t read the bar code correctly. Rarely is it a customer’s fault that they don’t work.
I also like to use them in Spanish, just because. If I can do it in Spanish, then everyone should be able to do it in English.
I also find it racist that they only put it in English and Spanish. It really should give you the choice of whatever language you speak. Do these customers not value people who speak Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, German, Hindi?
By norcross
June 13, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this
Sorry, do the stores not value would be correct.
By woodie
June 14, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this
Self checkouts are a joke. They have never worked very well. If the store is saving money at the expense of customer satisfaction by not hiring checkout clerks then I’ll probably not go to these stores. There are enough bad businesses already. These people need to get their act together.
By Steve
June 17, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
Never had a problem with using the self checkouts. I’ve only had problems with stupid people using them in front of me. If you’re too dumb to figure out a simple self checkout machine, go wait in line. Let those of us in a hurry use them so we don’t have to sit around in the store all day.
By Trish
June 19, 2008 6:31 AM | Link to this
The machines tend to vary in user friendly mode depending on the store you use them at. Walmart is fairly good. Kroger, less than helpful. Most of the time I must receive help in some way or fashion. For buying liquer. For odd items. For items not coded properly. It is EASIER to go through a checkout with a PERSON.
By All You Have To Do Is Pay Attention
June 20, 2008 12:18 AM | Link to this
I remember when these first came out. I had absolutely no problems with them .. not even at HD. Never have had a problem with any of them at any store. My ex, on the other hand, bless his heart. Never could get the hang of sco’s - and so much more.
By groovymom
June 21, 2008 2:38 AM | Link to this
Like others have already said, they vary from store to store. I like the ones at my local Wal Mart and Kroger but have been in some stores where the bagging area is either over or under sensitive so if you barely touch it with your knee by accident it starts squaking about unexpected items in the bagging area OR you have to put extra pressure on the pack of toilet paper so it’ll recognize you’ve put the item there after scanning. The major plus for me when using sco is that I can bag my stuff in my reusable shopping bags the way I like it bagged. Some cashiers still scoff or become indignant when you show up with your own bags. There is nothing more frustrating, as I’m sure others will agree, that getting home to find your grapes under something heavy. Bagging is a lost art! Some will mock me for being picky, I’m sure, and others may agree with my logic. All that said, there’s a place for the sco in a lot of stores and ideal circumstances for people to use them….I would think stores would be smart to have both available, cashiers and sco, but that would mean counting on the retail gods that be.
By BEBE
June 21, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this
I WOULD BE MUCH, MUCH MORE IMPRESSED W/SELF-CHECKOUT IF IT INCLUDED SOME SLIGHT DISCOUNT ON THE FINAL BILL - ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED WORKERS COMPENSATION EXPOSURES (REPETITIVE MOTION, CAPRPAL TUNNEL, ETC.) FOR THE BUSINESSES WHO USE THIS METHOD. AS IT STANDS, MANY MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THEY ARE DOING US/CONSUMERS A BIG FAVOR - NOT.
By Bruce Wilcox
June 29, 2008 2:10 AM | Link to this
Dude, I sent in my commentary on plastic and paper, plus an additional article.
Unlike before it seems this Editor has an agenda that does not except descention among the ranks. June 2, last comment the 21st, you’re made.
By Wow
July 22, 2008 8:01 AM | Link to this
Some seriously narrow-minded people here. I’m amazed that some of these posters can function in everyday life. I would expect these kind of responses from my comets-are-god’s-curse-on-the-world great grandmother. When you see a red light camera, do you duck and cover? Does the devil entice you into stores by auto-opening the doors as you walk by?
The self-checkouts are a convenience feature, definitely. Yes, they might have their quirks. If they didn’t, that would be strange. I love the self checkouts, mainly because I use them appropriately. What I don’t love is stores where you must bag your own groceries.
The benefit to self-checkout is that (normally) you’re out of the store faster. The benefit to mandatory self-bagging is just intact groceries? At least when Cub foods required bagging, years ago, their prices were cheaper.
By Chris
January 4, 2009 2:26 PM | Link to this
You have got to be joking me. The majority of the people blogging in this post are as uneducated as a mule. The speed of a self checkout might be the same as a normal checkout, but then again there are four self checkouts for one manned checkedout, so how exactly does that not increase the efficiency of the store? Jobs are not being lost, and what do you even care as a customer, unless your an employee, and that is not true to begin with, ask anyone who works at a self checkout store.
By Anonymous
March 21, 2009 10:59 PM | Link to this
Self checkouts are good for buying things like condoms. Things you don’t necessarily want the cashier to see. At least, that’s why I like them.