Technology

SCO would be better if you got the same type of scanners as the regular registers

Putting everything from the cart onto a belt, and having access to more than 2-4 sets of bags (or a whole carousel at walmart!) without the dumb "did you scan this?" prompt would make me use SCO every single time. Trying to bag groceries in current SCO is miserable, and the sensors are usually so bad that you CANT EVEN REMOVE FULL BAGS when you need to fill another bag

a queue of people, waiting to use a self-checkout kiosk

That's not how it works with the stores I frequent. Usually about half the self-checkout kiosks don't have anyone at them.

I'd shop somewhere else if they took self checkout away. It's so much faster.

In Brazil I only see more and more places adopting it, does not seem a failure

I want my goods squeezed out of a cold unfeeling robot's bowels right into my home just as long as I don't have to see another filthy human because I use linux and think I'm a fucking cyborg

I know a few large supermarkets in yhe us that have this that have disabled the weighing and improved over time. Also having one employee for 8 machines doesn't sound like a failure

This is the second article in the last month I've found here on the Fediverse pronouncing the death of self checkout and honestly I just don't see it. Most of the stores around me have only just recently expanded their self-checkout areas and I vastly prefer using it unless I've got more than 25 items.

I'd honestly probably stop going to a store that decided to not allow me to check out on my own. Small talk and having to make a minimum wage worker suffer through it is just not something I want when I'm running to the store for a gallon of milk. I vastly prefer being able to throw in some earbuds, get my shopping, check out, and get out to having to interact with anyone while I'm just trying get my shit.

i only check myself out whenever i shoplift

For most of my shopping, which takes place at our local Walmart (I live in the US), I actually really like using the self-checkout. Now when we make a big grocery run, having a person there makes things easier because they can scan and bag, I can unload things onto the belt and my wife can pull bags off the little turnstile thing and put them back in our cart, but most of the time I'm just running in to grab a handful of items so when I leave I can just walk up to the kiosk, scan my stuff, scan the QR code with the Walmart app on my phone and walk out the door. It'll auto pay with the privacy card I attached to my Walmart account and give me a digital receipt to show if somebody wants to see it at the door. They even have a thing now where you can pay a monthly subscription for "Walmart+" where you can scan and pay for your items as you shop.

I like self checkout. Used it largely without issue for over 15 years.

Love self Checkout, but if I can't pay cash I'm not using it. And sadly they're all card only here ....

All these things are just designed to make the shop do less work, and for you to do their job for them for free.

I'm sure in the future we won't interact with people at all, because that's whats cheapest for the company. We will be true "consumers", like animals being fed by machines.

Well, at least if capitalism continues.

I hate self checkout. I don’t go shopping just to work. Fuck that, check me out and bag my shit.

I don't recognize these pain points. I always use the self checkout and it's usually quick and painless. My experience is.

1. Collect your wares, placing them directly into the bags along the way.
2. Blip your id (card or qr code on phone)
3. Blip your payment card.
4. Walk out

Every once in a while I get caught in a random check, which is kind of a pain, but it's so infrequent that it is acceptable.

Is this not how it usually works?

I don't see the benefit for me.

They save money and keep it and fire the workers........

I love self-checkouts.

But what I love even more is having one single line for all lanes. It's ridiculous that customers have to guess which lane will move the fastest.

Making a single line is the best thing self-checkouts have introduced around here.

Also, if they won't bag my stuff for me, then I might as well be at the self-checkout. And since they don't offer plastic bags at most places around here, most don't bag your stuff for you.

If there are multiple lines and they won't bag my stuff, I'll go somewhere else that has self-checkout.

It doesn't work everywhere. Smaller store like CvS? Sure

Being watched like a hawk in Walmart? Not a comfortable experience and would rather work with someone face to face

In a new stadium in my city you swipe your credit card, pick up food or drink in a little monitored area and walk out with your items. It is an interesting idea but it is also creepy. That's probably what stores will be like eventually -- at least the ones with the resources to implement something that expensive and complex.

As far as self checkout, I don't mind it for small orders or when it is more convenient for me at the grocery store. Unexpected item in bagging is a bad consumer experience, and buying produce/alcohol is also a pain. If I feel like I am going to run into trouble I head for the traditional lines.

I really despise the ones at big box hardware stores that show a video of you checking out. I'm not stealing, don't judge me or make me judge myself with that unflattering angle.

I was cool with using them (less social interaction, scan and bag at my own pace), but over time I'm getting lazier and lazier

My troubles with self checkout usualy has to do with the confirmation weight scale which slows things down tremendously. Sam's self check out featured a lack of scale (Sam's also had a scan-as-you-go app my wife loved).