Re:The failure of self-checkout technology
by johnmaguire on Wednesday January 17, 2024 @01:10PM
(#39031272)
> Walk in, grab a cart that had bags attached to the front, grab a portable scan gun from it's charging dock. Scan and bag as you shop, dock the gun to the checkout register, show the attendant my id if needed, pay, and I'm done.
They were doing this in a few Michigan Krogers within the last few years. I think they ended the program though.
Re:The failure of self-checkout technology
by magnuznilzzon on Thursday January 18, 2024 @02:51PM
(#39046705)
That's what we have in Sweden. It is really nice, unless you get a check on leaving the store.
Re:The failure of self-checkout technology
by Slamidan on Friday January 19, 2024 @02:31PM
(#39059938)
You haven't seen many of the slow cashiers at walmart then.
I was a fast cashier as a teenager but its no longer a job for teenagers in many places, its broken people barely there.
The fast check out is far more than 8 machines in half decent areas, maybe double that and I can get out of there in record time.
I'd rather handle it myself than stand in line.
High trust scan and bag won't work in a low trust diverse society, let alone one where some groups are now entitled to theft.
For the most part, in practice there's little or no advantage for me, the consumer with a cart full of groceries.
One exception was 2003-era Martins in Virginia - Walk in, grab a cart that had bags attached to the front, grab a portable scan gun from it's charging dock. Scan and bag as you shop, dock the gun to the checkout register, show the attendant my id if needed, pay, and I'm done. No unloading and reloading the cart, no fiddling with plu lookups, fumbling with bags, etc. It was actually glorious, but relies on trusting your customers. Corporate stores seem to trust me even less than I trust them.
I'm somewhat ok with these things as a secondary 10-items-or-less option. But for the love of god staff enough cashiers to handle the grocery-shopping-Sunday crowds.