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In a revelation that should come as no surprise to anyone who's ever tried to use one of those self-serve grocery checkout lanes, it has come out that the damn things are, in fact, marginally less efficient than lanes staffed by actual clerks.
A Telegraph investigation using identical baskets of groceries checked out at staffed and self-service lanes found that self-service was slower five out of nine times.
The Telegraph additionally notes an interesting finding regarding overall wait times in stores with ample self-service lanes:
"Figures compiled by The Grocer magazine show that average queuing times for staffed tills at Tesco and Sainsbury's, the retailers with the most self-service checkouts, have increased over the past two years. At Tesco, which has 6,000 self-service checkouts in its 1,200 stores, the average wait for a staffed till lengthened from 5min 15sec in 2008 to 5min 42sec this year. Sainsbury’s saw a smaller rise, from 5min 30sec to 5min 35sec."
Although it should be noted that traditional staffed checkout lanes have their share of snafus, things like rejected banknotes, unidentified items, and incorrect identification of various fruits and vegetables make the self-service lanes a veritable minefield of delays.
Here's a prediction: This won't be truly sorted out until they've got fully articulated, laser-toting, Japanese manga–styled grocery checkout robots. Bring on the ’bots!
Tend to agree, Christina, except they're great when it's your corner grocer and you have to buy something you'd rather not have a conversation about with the checkout gal who knows you by first name.
I like the idea. It really depends how much do you have and what you are buying. if you are buying a lot of things, especially produce, then it can be slow. However, if you are buying a few things or that you are buying packaged goods, then it is very fast to scan them through. I like them.
I refuse to use self-scanners. Inevitably it takes longer, there's some sort of issue (won't accept the coupon, how do you ring a half carton of eggs, the machine can't sense that yes, you have in fact bagged your item). Not worth the hassle and NOT faster.
So much for efficiency.
I ran the self-scan most evenings in the store where I used to work. Hellish. People would bring whole orders through.... I don't understand that. The self-scan should be for a quick pop-in for a few items or people with 1-3 bags total and very specific packing habits. No one over 65 or under 15 should use them. You shouldn't talk to your friends or on your phone durring the transaction. If you...+READ
I ran the self-scan most evenings in the store where I used to work. Hellish. People would bring whole orders through.... I don't understand that. The self-scan should be for a quick pop-in for a few items or people with 1-3 bags total and very specific packing habits. No one over 65 or under 15 should use them. You shouldn't talk to your friends or on your phone durring the transaction. If you have a child with you, go to a regular line. If you have coupons, go to a regular line. If you need stamps, have a cold, have a newspaper, have a large item like dog food, want to buy soil or patio furniture, have a TON of the same thing (like Kool-Aid packets), don't know what kind of pear that is, or you are just dumb... go to a regular line!
I still use them, but I buy only a little a time because I live alone in a 3rd floor walkup. If it's just a sandwich and a bottle of soda on my way to work I can do the whole thing in under 90 seconds. That's when you should use the self-scan. Otherwise the cashier might kill you. I seriously considered it several times. Everyone's making mistakes, trying to steal something, getting angry at things that are 100% their fault.... it was hell.-COLLAPSE
Self serve is slow, and I hate it, but I'll use it when I have to. I rarely complete an order without a store employee intervening, due to some snafu. They are really annoying!!
I would think some amount of "personal price savings" is worked into this model, as a percentage of people will take advantage of the system. I imagine the formula is somewhat complex. They would have to weigh the discounts taken, the amount purchased, the savings on labor and if the ability to steal actually drives in certain customers, for a net gain in profits. Given a choice and equal lines,...+READ
I would think some amount of "personal price savings" is worked into this model, as a percentage of people will take advantage of the system. I imagine the formula is somewhat complex. They would have to weigh the discounts taken, the amount purchased, the savings on labor and if the ability to steal actually drives in certain customers, for a net gain in profits. Given a choice and equal lines, I would choose the cashier every time.-COLLAPSE
It must save the grocers money even though many people do exactly what Chedder704 does, it is actually quite easy. You can buy the pricier tomatoes on the vine and code in Roma, thus saving money. The most common is the switch of organic for non-organic produce. When something like lemons are 4 for a dollar you can throw in a couple of more but tell the machine you only have 4.
It happens so...+READ
It must save the grocers money even though many people do exactly what Chedder704 does, it is actually quite easy. You can buy the pricier tomatoes on the vine and code in Roma, thus saving money. The most common is the switch of organic for non-organic produce. When something like lemons are 4 for a dollar you can throw in a couple of more but tell the machine you only have 4.
It happens so often they have to be aware of it.-COLLAPSE
@Cheddar704, you are a thief plain and simple.
When it comes down to which line to choose from when checking out from my down the street Mega Mart, the self checkout or "U-Scan" is hands down the way I shop. Now, not have common shopping practices as compared to your average family (i.e. my basket is not crammed with 150 items), but when I do check out this allow me to give my own "price savings" on certain items. Why pay the extra $2 for...+READ
When it comes down to which line to choose from when checking out from my down the street Mega Mart, the self checkout or "U-Scan" is hands down the way I shop. Now, not have common shopping practices as compared to your average family (i.e. my basket is not crammed with 150 items), but when I do check out this allow me to give my own "price savings" on certain items. Why pay the extra $2 for that nice local, organic produce when I can simply type in the code for the cheaper, generic, shipped from who knows where stuff, and still get the produce I want at now a market price. Now before everybody gets in a fuss about the morality issues and weather or not that you think its stealing. Please note that I support my local Farmer's Market and do the majority of my shopping there, but if you think I'm going to feel bad about taking a few dollars out of a store that does $70-80k of business on Friday I suggest you look to a market on Wall St. in NY and please save your wrath for them.-COLLAPSE
Just because a person's got three or four items to pay for hardly means that he'll check out faster via self-service. I'm thinking mainly of people who have loads of coupons, are buying alcohol, or are just generally ancient and can't use a computer. In all of these cases, "self-service" is basically a misnomer, since the customer has to stand around sheepishly (that apologetic look to queuing...+READ
Just because a person's got three or four items to pay for hardly means that he'll check out faster via self-service. I'm thinking mainly of people who have loads of coupons, are buying alcohol, or are just generally ancient and can't use a computer. In all of these cases, "self-service" is basically a misnomer, since the customer has to stand around sheepishly (that apologetic look to queuing customers is just priceless to me) waiting for the U-Scan Fuehrer, or whatever they call that brusque self-important person at that big desk.-COLLAPSE