Poll: Do You Like Self-Scan Checkouts At Grocery and Retail Stores?

[shifrbv]

On the one hand I like these because sometimes, if I'm not behind a computer illiterate, I actually can get out of the store faster.

One the other hand, I've seen more theft with these than ever before (people keeping things in their carts and not scanning them, etc.) and it makes shoppers do the work (with no price discount) instead of the store paying someone to provide that service.

K-Mart just announced they are going to be installing these in 1300 stores. I wonder if Wal-Mart will follow suit?

What's your opinion?

 

[Viperoni]

I just voted.

However I think it's a good idea, but theft IS a huge worry.....dont they already have those beeping security things at exits?

 

[thereds]

I like the girls behind 'em checkout counters.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Yep, I use the "U-Scan" system at Kroger all the time. I like doing stuff on my own.

 

[Linflas]

They don't have them here yet. Speaking of those security things anyone actually know how they work? I have always been curious.

 

[shifrbv]

Viperoni - However I think it's a good idea, but theft IS a huge worry.....dont they already have those beeping security things at exits?

I only think those things work if there is some type of magnetic device on the item. Like sometimes they have those magnetic plastic devices inside the pages of books where people aren't apt to find them and they go off. If they don't have it, you can walk right out and nothing will happen.

Where I've seen the most theft is at grocery stores. Usually there is only 1 cashier to oversee about 15 lanes and they're usually helping someone who doesn't know how to use the system. Often groceries aren't "tagged" so it's easy to get it out of the store with an extra pack of strawberries, bananas, whatever. Also easy to scan the produce incorrectly. They can't tell what it is from about a mile away at their "lookout" station.

Not that I've done these things myself, but I've seen other customers do this.

 

[daveman]

I use them all the time at the local Food Lion. They are great for when you just have a few items. We use to have to wait behind people with buggy loads and the express checkout wasn't much faster. I wish they had these in all stores.

 

[monk3y]

Its a good idea but like you said... theft is going to be a huge issue. And if i know humans like i think i do? i'm sure the thefts'll just keep rising as people keep getting away with it.

I haven't ever used or seen a system like this so i'm not REALLY sure how easy it is to steal an item, but like u said if just leaving the item in your cart is all... i'm sure alotta people will be doing it.

 

[thereds]

How does Wal-Mart catch people that steal stuff?

A friend told me that they could catch thieves with the exit-door scanners that search for unchecked UPC's.
That doesn't make any sense to me and I don't buy it, but is there truth to that?

 

[rudder]

definetly a bad idea. See your grocery bills rise to offset all of those grubby people forgetting to scan thier $7 a pound rib-eye steaks.

 

[shifrbv]

thereds - A friend told me that they could catch thieves with the exit-door scanners that search for unchecked UPC's.

No, it works on magnetics. Just like alot of places. Notice on alot of items at Wal-Mart they have those little plastic square stickers on them. These go off in the detectors. Other things don't. That's why Wal-Mart is so big on hiring undercover security to try and catch shoplifters. They're detectors are mainly there for show and for insurance reasons. I know because I saw a woman leave the store with a cart full of stuff. It just happened her little kid had snagged a couple toys and held on to them. She walked out and didn't even notice until she got to her car, then brought them back in to one of the cashiers. The security devices never went off one time as she left and came back into the store.

Also alot of people can get around this by taking items out of the packaging they came in. I used to work in the health and beauty department of Kroger (grocery store) during college and it was amazing how many empty boxes I would find on the shelves. The exepnsive stuff, like $15 moisturizers, etc., people would just open them up and take out the item then put the box in the back for no one to see. You wouldn't even know anything was missing until you got ready to straighten the stock and felt and empty box. I'm sure Kroger was losing a ton of money from this type of behavior.

 

[JohnnyKnoxville]

I don't think any store is brave enough to do it in Los Angeles just because of all the *ooops* I forgot to scan dat crowd.

 

[Tauren]

I like them they are faster than the dumbasses they hire to run the registers.

 

[pulse8]

Do they sell liquor in the grocery stores that have these? Might be another reason they don't do it in Los Angeles. All of their liquor would be GONE. I would like this type of system, but only if the food costs less when you do it. If people move over to these systems and food prices stay the same, then the stores are just making that much more money and we have to do everything ourselves.


On a similar note, I think all states should be like New Jersey when it comes to gas. Not a self-serve station in the state.

 

[Optimus]

I now have these at both my local Wal-mart and my big supermarket. I like them, but honestly I'm not sure they are faster/more convenient. Personally I like them for the novelty and because I'm a geek.

 

[gittyup]

I have never seen these before. Must not have them around here..

 

[BigSmooth]

I don't really like it that much. If I can pay the same price and have someone do it for me (and probably faster than I would do it myself) then I am going to do that. Luckily, my local store is never crowded so the lines are short.

 

[Dedpuhl]

they installed U-scan terminals last night at the Kroger I work at. They will be ready for Thursday morning.

People don't go to the grocery store to check themselves out. Especially in my area, snotty rich people and senior citizens like to pampered and waited on...

I, however, will use the express ones...NOT the full order U-scan terminals...

 

[slipperyslope]

<< Do they sell liquor in the grocery stores that have these? Might be another reason they don't do it in Los Angeles. All of their liquor would be GONE. I would like this type of system, but only if the food costs less when you do it. If people move over to these systems and food prices stay the same, then the stores are just making that much more money and we have to do everything ourselves.


On a similar note, I think all states should be like New Jersey when it comes to gas. Not a self-serve station in the state. >>




Well they get around the beer/liquor problem easily. If you scan beer you have to go show your ID to the cashier in the front to continue scanning items.

Jim

 

[wyvrn]

I used one of these systems at a Kroger in Houston. They used a weight balance to determine if you had more items than you scanned. I guess each barcode had been associated with the weight of the package. After you scanned the item, you put it in your bag that sits on a scale. They also have a person watching over the four scan lanes (he can see everything) to make sure you do not skip scanning and forget to put one of your bags on the scale. It looks like it would work pretty effectively but I have not seen the statistics on it.

Personally I like scanning my own because I saved about 15 minutes of waiting in line, and I do not consider passing a few cans and boxes across a scanner much work.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

<< People don't go to the grocery store to check themselves out. Especially in my area, snotty rich people and senior citizens like to pampered and waited on... >>



Thats what its like in my area but guess what? People are lined up at the U-scan when there are open registers.

 

[Electric Amish]

Don't have them around here, AFAIK.

amish

 

[Sciolist]

I like them because the people who are scared of high tech don't clog those lanes.

But I was behind someone yesterday who put grapes on the scale and entered the banana code (lower cost per unit weight) -- I do not believe that this was a mistake but when it was pointed out, it was claimed as a mistake. Not a big deal for one time, a couple of dollars, but if it happened a lot, yes there would be significant loss to the store.

At the store I go to, they do &quot;random checks&quot; of the self-check stations. Fear of getting caught might keep some people honest, but those people would claim it was a mistake.

 

[LordMaul]

I don't like the idea AT ALL.

What about all the stupid people? THey will hold up the lanes and make people wait and wait and wait and wait and wait while they try to figure out how this new-damn-fangled thing werks, trying to stuff their strawberries in the scanner because it won't &quot;BEEP&quot;.

Besides, I would prefer to have someone else who does this all day and night and can do it faster so I can get in and out of the store ASAP, not fusk around with some self-scanner-bullsheeat.

 

[chansen]

I find that most people avoid the self-scan aisles like the plague. The lineup at the main registers can be three or four people deep, and about half the self-scanners will be unused. That's why I use it.