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How I became a (free) Wal-Mart cashier

R

randym431

Golden Member
This is a letter to the editor from a local news paper. I thought it was worth posting. (I didnt write it)

How I became a (free) Wal-Mart cashier

When finishing my shopping at my local Wal-Mart store, I expected a long wait in the checkout line because there are never enough cashiers. This time I saw neon lights proclaiming "self-checkout." I was speechless, elated and curious.

I strolled over to the counter where no one seemed to be. Why not check myself out? It will surely be faster than waiting in the other long lines. I scanned all of my own items, bagged them, totaled my bill and paid it. Then, I took my own receipt out of the "automated cashier" and went about my merry way.

It wasn't until I was walking out of the store that it really hit home. I had memories of years ago when I worked as a cashier at a grocery store. I rang up the customers' items, bagged them, took their money and gave them a receipt.

Just exactly like checking myself out at Wal-Mart's self-checkout. There was one notable difference. While working as a cashier for a grocery store, I got paid for doing that job. Wal-Mart now had me doing the job for free.

Wal-Mart needed more cashiers. Instead of hiring more people they hired machines to do the work. These machines likely cost a pretty penny, but will eventually pay for themselves.

Automated cashiers never call in sick, want vacation time or ask for benefits. And best of all, Wal-Mart customers who wanted to get through the line quickly will check themselves out.

I plan to stand in those long lines next time I shop at Wal-Mart, even if it takes every ounce of patience I have. I don't plan on working for Wal-Mart for free, again.

Erin Cretsinger, Ankeny.

 
Interesting, I didn't think of it that way. I figured it was more convenient then anything else. A corollary could be made to the full service stations of the 50's for gas, now we pump our own gas. In time, we won't even think twice about it.
 
Eh, they have those at the Home Depot near us. They don't always work though.

But Wal-Mart does need more cashiers.
 
I could do without the wal-mart cashiers. It always takes so long for them to type anything into the cash register with their 9" long fingernails, and taking my money is another story. I always use the self checkout when available, in any store.
 
I guess the person has a point..but self-checkout are usually always faster when you have only few things to purchase (unless it's your first time). So in my opinion, while I may be doing "their" job, the time saved is worth it. So if i spend about 3 mins at the self-checkout machine, how much should I be getting paid? $0.30? And who would actually self-checkout with a lot of stuff in the first place?
 
Seriously, self checkout is so much better, buy something faster rather than talking to the obnoxious cashier.
 
First people complain that Wal-Mart is putting mom & pop stores out of business; causing people to lose their jobs. Then people complain that the workers Wal-Mart wants to hire aren't getting paid enough money (supposedly much less than they would otherwise earn from low-level retail jobs at mom & pop stores? yeah, right... :roll: ). Now they complain that Wal-Mart is giving shoppers the option of bypassing long checkout lines...

Is there some kind of minimum-number-of-cashiers requirement that needs to be met by each store doing business that I don't know about?

Is there some hidden arbitrary minimum-wage above the Federal minimum that must be paid to each employee?

I thought all the armchair socialists in this country were packing up to leave for Canada after last November...? 😕

If you don't like the wage - DON'T WORK THERE.
If you don't like the store - DON'T SHOP THERE.

Otherwise, let the rest of us enjoy the low, low prices! :thumbsup:

If a self-checkout is easier-to-use, more accurate, and quicker than a cashier, why not use it? Why should any store be frowned upon for wanting to provide better service to its customers...?
 
Originally posted by: gsaldivar
First people complain that Wal-Mart is putting mom & pop stores out of business; causing people to lose their jobs. Then people complain that the workers Wal-Mart wants to hire aren't getting paid enough money (supposedly much less than they would otherwise earn from low-level retail jobs at mom & pop stores? yeah, right... :roll: ). Now they complain that Wal-Mart is giving shoppers the option of bypassing long checkout lines...

Is there some kind of minimum-number-of-cashiers requirement that needs to be met by each store doing business that I don't know about?

Is there some hidden arbitrary minimum-wage above the Federal minimum that must be paid to each employee?

I thought all the armchair socialists in this country were packing up to leave for Canada after last November...? 😕

If you don't like the wage - DON'T WORK THERE.
If you don't like the store - DON'T SHOP THERE.

Otherwise, let the rest of us enjoy the low, low prices! :thumbsup:

If a self-checkout is easier-to-use, more accurate, and quicker than a cashier, why not use it? Why should any store be frowned upon for wanting to provide better service to its customers...?
Click to expand...

Yeah, as a cheap college student, I support Wal-Mart as well. heh
 
Originally posted by: gsaldivar
First people complain that Wal-Mart is putting mom & pop stores out of business; causing people to lose their jobs. Then people complain that the workers Wal-Mart wants to hire aren't getting paid enough money (supposedly much less than they would otherwise earn from low-level retail jobs at mom & pop stores? yeah, right... :roll: ). Now they complain that Wal-Mart is giving shoppers the option of bypassing long checkout lines...

Is there some kind of minimum-number-of-cashiers requirement that needs to be met by each store doing business that I don't know about?

Is there some hidden arbitrary minimum-wage above the Federal minimum that must be paid to each employee?

I thought all the armchair socialists in this country were packing up to leave for Canada after last November...? 😕

If you don't like the wage - DON'T WORK THERE.
If you don't like the store - DON'T SHOP THERE.

Otherwise, let the rest of us enjoy the low, low prices! :thumbsup:

If a self-checkout is easier-to-use, more accurate, and quicker than a cashier, why not use it? Why should any store be frowned upon for wanting to provide better service to its customers...?
Click to expand...

iirc, if the union were to get their death-grip on wal-mart, there would be a minimum number of cashiers in a store.
 
Originally posted by: rmrf
if the union were to get their death-grip on wal-mart, there would be a minimum number of cashiers in a store.
Click to expand...

You can bet on that. :thumbsdown:🙂

Why should I, as a Wal-Mart customer, be forced by some union bureaucracy to pay for surplus union-card-carrying cashiers, when the faster, cheaper, more efficient self-checkout works fine?

Fortunately, it looks as though the chances of Wal-Mart becoming a union shop is becoming less and less likely. :thumbsup:😀

Originally posted by: randym431
I plan to stand in those long lines next time I shop at Wal-Mart, even if it takes every ounce of patience I have.
Click to expand...

lol... whatever. 😀
 
Wow, that's a different perpective.

BTW, Walmart owns for DVDs. Like $7.50 for DTS/Widescreen 😀
 
wait a sec, so wouldn't it be obscenly easy to steal something if you were so inclined?

<--- never been through a self checkout line.
 
Originally posted by: JoeKing
wait a sec, so wouldn't it be obscenly easy to steal something if you were so inclined?
<--- never been through a self checkout line.
Click to expand...

Nah, they still use those inventory control tag things. Self-checkout is just like using an ATM - if you can push stuff across a laser and put it into a plastic bag, you shouldn't have any problems.

The ones at Home Depot contain the weight of all products in a database along with the price, so the machine knows if you put the correct item in the bag. 🙂 Home Depot also has one real-cashier monitoring every four self-checkout stations for accuracy, and in case someone has any trouble using it.
 
Originally posted by: randym431
I plan to stand in those long lines next time I shop at Wal-Mart, even if it takes every ounce of patience I have. I don't plan on working for Wal-Mart for free, again.

Erin Cretsinger, Ankeny
Click to expand...

Translation: I don't like the way Walmart works but I am going to continue giving them my money. To show my disapproval, I am going to inconvenience myself, making me a more irritable person and then take it out on the cashier and every other person I interface with throughout the day. Walmart beware!
 
The best solution is to not shop at walmart at all. Try a local grocerey chain, or other local buisness. At least with local buisness you know your money is going back into your community, thus helping it grow.
 
I never shop at Wal-Mart. I find it funny that she'll put her convictions behind saving 10% on her purchase versus other stores.
 
Originally posted by: eakers
If there is any kind of line at the self checkout its faster to go to the cashier.
Click to expand...

They have the self-checkout lines at the grocery stores near me, and unless you are picking up only a few small items, they are longer than the regular checkout. If you have any fresh produce, forget about it.
 
Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
Originally posted by: eakers
If there is any kind of line at the self checkout its faster to go to the cashier.
Click to expand...

They have the self-checkout lines at the grocery stores near me, and unless you are picking up only a few small items, they are longer than the regular checkout. If you have any fresh produce, forget about it.
Click to expand...

Then you suck. I can checkout a full cart of stuff faster than waiting in a line with a couple people in it.

Time equals money, and waiting in line take more time...
 
I can't stand the self checkout at any store. If you use it, you should get some sort of discount on the goods you're buying. You're doing the work of checking the items, bagging the items and ringing up the items. All things the store pays an employee to do, I am not an employee of the store, however, if I was I would be getting an employee price break. If a store wants me to use them, give me the employee discount.
 
I'd rather do it myself than have some overpaid moron do it at the grocery store.

The best part about self-checkouts is that the computers aren't unionized jackasses.
 
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