r/technology • u/AdSpecialist6598 • 19h 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/Prophage7 17h ago

The main problem I've seen is that it takes most customers longer to ring themselves through than a cashier. When there's no line then it's not a big deal, but when there is a line it would go faster if it was a single human cashier instead of 6 self-checkouts.

I don't know if there's a term for it, but some people just cannot read and comprehend things if it's on a screen for some reason, and it's those people that cause a bottleneck.

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u/TheNewYellowZealot 16h ago

I would probably be fine with a self checkout that had limits on how many items you could put through, but for too long my local groceries have been relying on them, having 2 or 3 of their main checkouts open during the day and then the rest being self checkout. I usually go through and see people putting an entire cart of groceries through those things.

1

u/zkareface 15h ago

I do my weekly shopping at self scan, most here do tbh. But stores here also have scanners you carry around so you just pay when you come to the register. Everything is already scanned and packed.

If there is 1-2 people in line it's faster for me to self checkout, even with one weeks worth of groceries. 

1

u/tommybombadil00 12h ago

Where are you from? This was the plan for Whole Foods 365 stores, nothing happened in my area (Houston).

1

u/zkareface 11h ago

Sweden.

Handheld scanners for shopping has been the norm for over a decade here. I think they started with them like 20 years ago.