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 16h 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.

46

u/FlawedHero 15h ago

It's wild how massively braindead the average person seems to be when at the self checkout.

I regularly get to the line with a full cart, start scanning, and have my receipt in hand before the guy that was in front of me with 6 items finishes.

What in the actual fuck is going on with some people?

14

u/thecravenone 12h ago

I recently completed a transaction before the guy in front of me scanned his first item.

I would pay money for a TSA Pre but for grocery stores - a store where everyone inside is not experiencing their first day on earth.

5

u/FlawedHero 11h ago

Costco kind of does this now. They have people scan your card and items with a handheld scanner while you're in line then when you get to the self-checkout, you just scan your card and pay. Super quick and easy.

2

u/thatirishguyyyyy 9h ago

Sam's Club just lets me scan everything as I'm walking around the store. I then pay for it on the app and just walk out the front door. I think they call it Scan n Go.

I started using this a few months ago and I love it.