'Self-checkout is doomed’: Major supermarkets to scrap technology in huge overhaul

[mystery-ak]

'Self-checkout is doomed’: Major supermarkets to scrap technology in huge overhaul
Consumers should anticipate two major alterations to their shopping experience in the coming year, an expert has warned.
By Solen Le Net
07:37 ET, Tue, Jan 9, 2024 | UPDATED: 14:42 ET, Tue, Jan 9, 2024

A consumer specialist is forecasting a grim conclusion for two contentious supermarket policies that could reshape shoppers’ habits. He claims self checkouts will be scrapped at Costco, Walmart, and Wegmans.

Supermarket Guru, Phil Lempert has projected retail tendencies for a quarter of a century, and his recent predictions might come as good news to some shoppers, including one who is threatening to sue after a self-checkout altercation at Walmart.

In a conversation with The U.S. Sun, the expert explained that security concerns and consumer preferences may be the main drivers of these changes.

“From a security standpoint, what’s happened is the retailers with self-checkout have had to add employees, whether it’s security or other employees to help people at self-checkout.

“So, you know you’re not accomplishing anything. You’re not reducing labour, you’re not getting a better shopping experience.”

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https://www.the-express.com/lifestyle/shopping/123674/supermarkets-self-checkout-technology

[Cyber Liberty]

I'll bet they keep the self checkouts, and ramp up security at the Exit points.  And stores like Walmart had better stop sticking us in the eye by having 40 checkouts with two cashiers. 

We all know they have no intention of bringing in 38 more cashiers.

And they don't give two shits about the "shopping experience."

[rustynail]

Oh fun, being stuck behind a Land Whale with a Full cart in the ten items or less lane.

[roamer_1]

I don't remember ever using self-check in my life 

[libertybele]

I'll bet they keep the self checkouts, and ramp up security at the Exit points.  And stores like Walmart had better stop sticking us in the eye by having 40 checkouts with two cashiers. 

We all know they have no intention of bringing in 38 more cashiers.

And they don't give two shits about the "shopping experience."

Agreed.

[mountaineer]

Once a week, I do a customer survey from Kroger in order to earn extra fuel points. Today's was the first that asked me about my self-checkout experience, what I thought about it, should they keep it, etc.

[The_Reader_David]

I don't see it.  At the local Dillons (what Kroger is called in Kansas) they have a bank of six self-checkouts, a bank of four, and another of five (two of which have belts).  At any given time there are between one and five staffed checkouts and between one and three of the banks of self-checkouts are open with a single clerk overseeing each bank.  Even adding a security guard at each door to the mix, to get the same speed at checkout, they would need to have between one and 13 additional people on duty at any given time, depending on the time of day, and probably more unless they sacrificed space to organize a single queue for all the checkouts -- the only interesting theorem in queuing-theory is that average wait time for a single service is minimized by having a single queue for all service points, something the general populace usually organizes for the banks of self-checkouts, but which can't be applied to the staffed checkouts without a organized waiting area, which sacrifices retail space.

[GtHawk]

I just don't see Costco scrapping the self checkout, it just moves too many customers with few items too quickly. I hate having to be in a long line behind a bunch of people with full carts when I have half a dozen items and no alcohol. As Far as Walmart it's the same problem but squared since they won't many enough registers and I have yet to to stop when they want to see my receipt, the last time someone got officious and tried I asked them why since they were standing there watching the whole time and they just sputtered. I think if anyone gets rid of them it will be the chain grocery stores because people are bagging but not scanning things like steaks.

[Cyber Liberty]

I just don't see Costco scrapping the self checkout, it just moves too many customers with few items too quickly. I hate having to be in a long line behind a bunch of people with full carts when I have half a dozen items and no alcohol. As Far as Walmart it's the same problem but squared since they won't many enough registers and I have yet to to stop when they want to see my receipt, the last time someone got officious and tried I asked them why since they were standing there watching the whole time and they just sputtered. I think if anyone gets rid of them it will be the chain grocery stores because people are bagging but not scanning things like steaks.

At Sam's Club, you can check out items as you place them into your cart, skipping checkout entirely.  I discovered this once when I had to get one item the day before Thanksgiving, and all the checkouts had 3-5 people standing in line.  I was out of the store like crap through a goose. 

[LMAO]

Oh fun, being stuck behind a Land Whale with a Full cart in the ten items or less lane.

Or the individual that has to dig through their purse to get that exact change while you’re in a hurry

[sneakypete]

GOOD!

Those things put people out of work who are the type of people who really need the job,and do nothing but add to the profits of the big corporations.

BTW,I am NOT against profits. Profits are what makes the world go around,but people also need jobs to earn the money to buy the things the mega-stores make so many profits from.

[libertybele]

GOOD!

Those things put people out of work who are the type of people who really need the job,and do nothing but add to the profits of the big corporations.

BTW,I am NOT against profits. Profits are what makes the world go around,but people also need jobs to earn the money to buy the things the mega-stores make so many profits from.

I highly doubt that they are going to bring back workers -- AI intelligence will take over many jobs soon.

[GtHawk]

GOOD!

Those things put people out of work who are the type of people who really need the job,and do nothing but add to the profits of the big corporations.

BTW,I am NOT against profits. Profits are what makes the world go around,but people also need jobs to earn the money to buy the things the mega-stores make so many profits from.

Is that what you think, that they put people out of work? What about the two or three standing around at Wally's watching while you check out? And this being a capitalistic society where I already pay way to much for goods anything that keeps the cost down is a plus in my book. Personally I think there already more than enough union employees at grocery store being paid high wages to slide an item across a scanner, (not exactly brain surgery or the olden days when they had to memorizes prices and product codes) and watch me doing all the work making the payment. Nope, sorry cashiers are a dying breed well on the way to extinction.

 Funny how some here...applaud fast food workers losing their jobs over inflated pay for minimal skill work(hey I'm one that thinks the crazy pay unwarranted and position easily replaced by robotics) but are outraged when cashiers who are now at the same skill level of fast food workers are replaced. Trust me the same robotics capable of replacing fast food workers is just as capable of replacing cashiers everywhere.

[LMAO]

GOOD!

Those things put people out of work who are the type of people who really need the job,and do nothing but add to the profits of the big corporations.

BTW,I am NOT against profits. Profits are what makes the world go around,but people also need jobs to earn the money to buy the things the mega-stores make so many profits from.

And here you see on display once again the economic ignorance of MAGA. Profits don’t determine whether or not companies hire. It’s need.  This is the populist/Bernie Sanders mindset that the reason why people start companies so that they can create jobs. If a company needs to hire people, it will because labor cost businesses. But if they can cut those costs through automation or self checkout lines,  they will

You don’t have to pay Workmen’s Comp. to automation. You don’t have to pay sick time, vacation time overtime, ect ect. Unlike government, the private sector has to run efficiently, or eventually the companies go  belly up.

And when a company runs efficiently and makes profit, its stock goes up, which attracts investors.

Whether it’s tariffs, or shutting down the economy and printing trillions of dollars to send out into the economy, conservatives were warning what would happen. All we got from the MAGAs was them calling anybody who questioned their “economic acumen” RINOs while they closed their eyes, put their fingers in their ears, and repeated over and and over again “la la la la” while siding with Democrats on these issue and now we get to pay the price for their ignorance today

[Wingnut]

They should keep self-checkout.  But make them a 10 items or less lane.

[catfish1957]

I've peeked over at other shoppers and have seen many instances of theft, even with the cameras staring them right in the face at every angle.   This kind of shit, makes all of our costs go up.

Retail calls this stuff, shrink. But when they start seeing the long term effect on profits, I am guessing like the poster before stated, this practice will be restricted to something like 10 items or less.

[LMAO]

I've peeked over at other shoppers and have seen many instances of theft, even with the cameras staring them right in the face at every angle.   This kind of shit, makes all of our costs go up.

Retail calls this stuff, shrink. But when they start seeing the long term effect on profits, I am guessing like the poster before stated, this practice will be restricted to something like 10 items or less.

Doesn’t Walmart, for example, have something at the door that buzzes you if you shoplifting? I bought some crawler harnesses one year for walleye fishing and I forgot to scan one in the self checkout line, and when I was walking out I got buzzed

[sneakypete]

And here you see on display once again the economic ignorance of MAGA. Profits don’t determine whether or not companies hire. It’s need.  This is the populist/Bernie Sanders mindset that the reason why people start companies so that they can create jobs. If a company needs to hire people, it will because labor cost businesses. But if they can cut those costs through automation or self checkout lines,  they will

@LMAO

Well,this does go a long ways towards explaining your brain farts about Trump.

[LMAO]

@LMAO

Well,this does go a long ways towards explaining your brain farts about Trump.

Your reply is typical

Whenever I see a post from a MAGA or a progressive, when it comes to economics, I think about that scene in “Other People’s Money” when Danny DeVito and Gregory Peck are making appeals to shareholders. Peck argues from an emotional level. Danny DeVito, although his points sound harsh, are purely economical

People start businesses and companies, so that they can be independent and hope to make money. It’s the same reasoning that people buy stock and the company. They want to make money. They don’t do it to create jobs. That happens as the company grows and they determine that the need is great enough to hire people

The economic ignorance of both MAGA and leftist is almost criminal. The idea that companies owe people job simply because they’re making a profit is Bernie Sanders mindset

[catfish1957]

Doesn’t Walmart, for example, have something at the door that buzzes you if you shoplifting? I bought some crawler harnesses one year for walleye fishing and I forgot to scan one in the self checkout line, and when I was walking out I got buzzed

Not sure, but it was my understanding they only tag electronics and other big ticket items. i might be wrong, but that's what I heard.

[LMAO]

Not sure, but it was my understanding they only tag electronics and other big ticket items. i might be wrong, but that's what I heard.

I got buzzed for one crawler harness. They were cheap, so I bought 10 of them but I didn’t scan all of them. I just scanned over and over again the same one and I must’ve only scanned nine times versus 10.

[Cyber Liberty]

They should keep self-checkout.  But make them a 10 items or less lane.

That's a good idea, if enforced.

[LMAO]

That's a good idea, if enforced.

And card only

Our local Walmart will take cash in those self check lanes. That slows things up.

[Polly Ticks]

At Sam's Club, you can check out items as you place them into your cart, skipping checkout entirely.  I discovered this once when I had to get one item the day before Thanksgiving, and all the checkouts had 3-5 people standing in line.  I was out of the store like crap through a goose.

I LOVE that "Scan & Go" option at Sam's.  Although you do NOT want to go on a Sunday, because the line where they check your receipt and a couple of items in your cart at the door is nuts.



As far as WalMart, I quit participating in the "stop at the door" routine a long time ago.  Anytime someone says, "Can I see your receipt?" I just keep walking, pretend I thought they said 'have a nice day', and say "Thanks, you too!"

[Cyber Liberty]

As far as WalMart, I quit participating in the "stop at the door" routine a long time ago.  Anytime someone says, "Can I see your receipt?" I just keep walking, pretend I thought they said 'have a nice day', and say "Thanks, you too!"

I love it!  Sort of like when I meet a panhandler asking for "spare change?"  I always tell them no thanks, I already have plenty.  It happened once in front of the Capitol Building in DeeCee.  My son laughed his butt off.