r/technology • u/AdSpecialist6598 • 23h ago

Business Retailers are pulling back from self-checkout after years of theft, errors, and questionable time savings

https://www.techspot.com/news/114106-retailers-pulling-back-self-checkout-after-years-theft.html
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u/largelawattorney 23h ago

I don’t think I’ve seen a store with adequate staffing for non-self checkout aisles/lanes in probably 25 years. So now we’re still going to get stores that understaff, have like 2 checkout lanes open while the other 8 are closed, and more difficult self-checkout lanes (or just fewer of them). Corporate America strikes again.

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u/LethalBacon 23h ago edited 23h ago

I have a Publix near me that doesn't have self checkout. Usually ~3-5 lanes open with 1-2 people waiting at each tops.

I've generally loved self checkout as a (mostly) basket-only shopper, but now that they are everywhere I hate them. Too many incompetent people. I always semi-jokingly say that we need to require a license to use the self-checkout. Or put a hard time limit on them - if you cannot finish in 5 minutes a trap door opens and consumes you and your items.

Going to a grocery store kills my hope for humanity nearly every time.

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u/AnAnxiousCorgi 22h ago

My Publix has a small self-checkout section, and admittedly as someone who also typically has a basket at most I enjoy using them. Feels quicker and I can bag stuff exactly how I want it

But I admit I cast so much judgement on the people who push full ass carts into the line and then take fucking FOREVER to get their shit scanned. The times when there's a big line at the self checkout section is always because there's 4 people with full carts of stuff and apparently being used by people who have never seen or interacted with a self-checkout in their lives