Dont forget the fact most stores refuse to hire the staff needed to run the place smoothly. Why pay eight cashiers hourly wages when you can just have two cashiers?
There’s a BofA branch near me that has a dozen windows. I’ve never seen more than two clerks. Whenever I see something like that I remember that there used to be a time when corporations actually cared about providing good service. That time is long since gone.
Every store I go to that is not a mom and pop shop has several cash registers but only one or two in use, even on weekends.
Also people used to go to the bank so much there were big lines. Now it’s online.
I always use lines with cashiers because:
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their jobs will evaporate if people don’t use them
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self checkout means that you’re doing that job FOR FREE for the company
- their jobs will evaporate if people don’t use them
I was thinking the same until couple of them screamed at me for not using self checkout. And most of them are not happy with their job. Or life, I am not sure.
It is a misconception that work has value. Time is what has value.
If it takes longer for a cashier to ring you through, you are giving up more to the business than you would using the self-checkout. If you are worried about working for the company, this is what you want to avoid.
Granted, in practice, self-checkout is rarely implemented well and can often be slower than meeting with the cashier.
As a counterpoint, I’m unbothered during the time the cashier is doing their thing, usually listening to a podcast or an audiobook. If I have to scan it myself, I have to give up some concentration to scan the things, specially the ones that I need to search for codes and weigh items. So even if it takes more time, the cashier might be time better spent. Time has value, but not just the amount of time; how I spend that time changes its value. In other words, work has value too.
If I’m just listening to music or chatting with my wife, I do tend to pick the self checkout to get out of there ASAP. So I agree with your core idea.
On the flip side, the only reason you have to go through the check out process at all is because you accepted the job as warehouse worker and picked the items off the shelf yourself. Historically, business would have someone do that work for you too.
Imagine the things you could do while the employee is in the back pulling the items you need. What is it about working in a warehouse that you like, that you don’t like about being a cashier?
oh man. I miss service merchandise so much. It was way ahead of its time.
Yeah, absolutely. I don’t subscribe to this “free work” analogy for me doing something for myself, just wanted to highlight that for some people in some situations, there is more value in using the cashier even if it takes longer.
Sure, but the question asks what value a cashier brings that a picker doesn’t bring?
Perhaps the value is in simply not having to accept change? All of us here likely grew up when walking in the warehouse was already commonplace. While there are still some stores out there that keep the warehouse off-limits to the customer, it’s not a common practice anymore. If we were, instead, in the transition towards pushing the warehouse work off onto the customer, rather than the cashier work, maybe we’d be hearing the same thing?
Sure, but the question asks what value a cashier brings that a picker doesn’t bring?
I can’t think of any. But I don’t see how that changes anything.
Imagine the things you could do while the employee is in the back pulling the items you need.
I don’t have to imagine, I’m a happy customer of grocery delivery so I make use of warehouse pickers too.
In any case, the main point is that for some people in some situations, there is more value in using the cashier even if it takes longer.
But I don’t see how that changes anything.
It changes my understanding. If I can’t learn from discussion, what’s the point?
for some people in some situations, there is more value in using the cashier even if it takes longer.
Right, but what’s the value which isn’t also found in the picker? If you want to sit back and relax while the work gets done, as posited earlier, why is that not true for the entire process?
That doesn’t make sense. I’m not giving the business my time by using the cashier. I may be wasting my time, but it’s not part of the transaction. The business isn’t receiving a ledger with “Time from Customer” on one side and “Time Banked” on the other side. And yes, labour has value. What are you smoking, “work has no value”. You mustn’t be in a union.
Why does it matter if cashier jobs evaporate. It’s a shit job and automation is getting rid of it. That’s a good thing. Also, what if I don’t mind taking 5 minutes to scan my items FOR FREE just so that I don’t have to talk to anyone or wait in line.
The only negative I see is that corporations are making even more money. We should take it from them and implement UBI to pay these cashier’s after their jobs evaporate.
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If I have just a handful of items it’s convenient. But one in 20 times I seem to find a way to screw it up - like trying to scan the loyalty card as an item…
Any more than 8 items I’d rather just use a cashier to scan the items for me. But places (like shoppers) don’t make it easy at all.
Do I get a discount for checking myself out? Unless it’s 1-2 items and the normal line is full - it is cashier every time for me.
What value does a real human provide you though?
I don’t have to do the thing myself. They’re doing it for me. Unless I’m misunderstanding your question.
They’re a skilled worker that has memorized the codes for the different types of potatoes, a skill I am unlikely to learn.
I guess it depends on the machine, but I don’t have to memorize codes. You can search for the item by name when it’s time to weigh it.
Why do you want to do that when someone else is getting paid to do it?
If I can get home faster, it might be wort it. Not always, but sometimes. Specially if I’m picking up a small set of items that are easy to scan.
Same. I will go to the cashier even when it’s somewhat inconvenient to me just because I despise the idea that the grocery store is making me be the cashier for free.
Succinctly: they’re making it more annoying for me as a customer while simultaneously not providing someone with a job.
That’s why if something “fails” to scan or you input some produce at a cheaper price “on accident”, then it’s the store’s fault - you’re not a cashier, just a customer doing self-checkout.
I mean, they’re also “making you” pick up your items off the shelf, just like the gas station “makes you” pump your own gas.
Just steal, that’s the discount.
Honestly, it’s immoral but yeah. I tried scanning something out of my pile of 15 items at Dollarama. It didn’t register after I slapped it against the scanner 5 times so I was like whatever. I was too tired to bother so I just put it in the other side. I wasn’t trained on how to use it properly.
I don’t appreciate stores trying to force me to do the cashier’s job.
I also don’t appreciate them trying to pull the rug out from under the economy. If there’s one thing my country does not need, it’s millions more homeless people.
I don’t appreciate stores trying to force me to do the cashier’s job.
But you don’t mind the fact that they have you doing the warehouse picker’s job?
I also don’t appreciate them trying to pull the rug out from under the economy. If there’s one thing my country does not need, it’s millions more homeless people.
And maybe the first millions wouldn’t be homeless if you weren’t so keen to take their warehouse picking jobs. Once upon a time it was a respectable profession. Why do you care so little about them?
Before I answer, first you need to explain what a warehouse picker is, because I’ve never heard of that before.
The person who works in the warehouse to pick the items off the shelf when an order is placed. You know, the job you were conned into doing when you enter one of these warehouse-style stores that we are talking about.
It wasn’t always that way. Historically, you would place your order at the front counter and a diligent worker would work behind the scenes to gather your request. Some businesses still operate this way, to be sure, but it has largely gone the way of the dodo. It is generally more profitable when the customer does the work.
Unless I’m mistaken, all online retailers of non-digital goods operate that way, so that job is far from extinct.
Maybe not extinct, but there was a definite bottleneck.
Yeah, and people are apparently not super pumped about being warehouse pickers either because online ordering is only going up.
I like self-checkout especially when there’s lot of people and you have 1 or 2 items, it’s convenient, for me. But as written in the article, someone in need like this woman, needs a cashier lane. I’m not against self, but all stores should have at least one lane with cashier, always, for people in need.
Yes I agree I think having a mix of the two is best. Let the customers decide what they would like to use.
I don’t mind there being a self-checkout, but for the love of everything good in this world, these companies need to stop asking 21 questions when you use one! “Do you want to apply to a credit card?”, “Do you want to donate?”, “Did you want a receipt emailed?”, “Did you want to fill out a survey?”, “How many bags did you use?”, etc.
And if it’s a self-checkout at Walmart, expect to have 10 available, but only 2 working and three staff overlooking them…
Omfg I ran into this at shoppers. Its usually fine at grocery stores but shoppers self checkout is the worst. I think I counted 8 prompts when I used it last time.
At the self-checkout at the Walmart near me a little man would go around asking if we want to save on groceries by signing up for their credit card.
The fourth or fifth trip there that he did this I had to get a bit ruder until he finally grabbed the self-checkout and clicked the credit card opt-in and I had to tell him to fuck off. He acted shocked but dude I go to self-checkout to avoid human interaction, not be sold a bullshit credit card only a teenager would fall for.
Bullshit.
I know it sounds like a /r/thathappened but it was one of those situations where it built up over several trips to the store of this guy harrassing me to the point where I didn’t want to shop at Walmart anymore. I am averse to confrontation so when he took over my self-checkout to sign up for the credit card I was like, dude fuck off, go away. And he was a bit shocked and acted like I was being dramatic but it was because I hadn’t been more politely forceful in our earlier trips.
Ironically, the local Walmart has been closing them all later in the day so that people must use cashier’s, presumably due to increased theft etc
I try to do self checkout whenever i can. Cashier is one of the most soul crushing jobs, no one needs to be dealing with food shoppers
I’m the other way around, kind of for a similar reason. I like to use the regular cashier line, because it gives me the opportunity to interact with adult humans outside of my own house. And I take that opportunity to be as supportive and friendly as possible to those people, partly in order to help “uncrush their souls.”
Also, I don’t like fighting with trying to open the plastic grocery bags, and I’m too forgetful to remember to bring my own bags.
Are plastic bags still a thing anymore? I think Ontario banned them, cause I haven’t seen them anywhere. It’s especially awkward if you use Instacart cause they just keep giving you need reusable bags every time. But even before this, they’ve been dwindling for ages, with lots of big chains no longer having em.
Oh I forgot this was /canada - I’m in Illinois, outside Chicago. Cheap plastic shopping bags as far as the eye can see.
You’re the reason I go to self checkout. You’re seeking out social interactions in a purely business relationship. I want my avocado and grapes and to get the fuck out of there, not stand there while you ask somebody how their day was and whether the weather might be getting cooler this weekend.
In your example, I’m the employee. In actuality, I am the customer. And I try to interact with everyone on a “we’re both people with lives and hopes and dreams” sort of basis, not in the banal “weather chat” kind of way.
@NathanielThomas @Nougat
So the only “social interaction” a grocery store check-out employee should have are the negative, abusive ones? If I chat pleasantly with a checkout person, I am interfering with your life? Hmmmm……Bruh, why are you on literally every thread telling people there’s no value in going to the cashier? What skin in this game do you have? Are you a grocery store franchisee?
most of the time I dont want to be a captive audience even for someone trying to be friendly. I have to be polite, and Im at work, I cant just leave.
I try hard to relate to people sincerely and as a fellow human being, and not walk over that line between employee and customer. I totally understand that the person is just doing their job, and maybe just doesn’t want any more interaction than absolutely necessary. I like to tell quick dadjokes, at the very least, and I feel bad about kind of pressing one on someone who clearly did not want to be a part of my hijinks the other day. I did get a little smirk back, so it wasn’t all bad, but still.
On the other hand, for example, another recent shopping trip put me in a cashier line behind someone who was obviously being somewhat difficult to a clearly young cashier. After they cleared out, and after my transaction was complete, I made a point of saying to the young man, “You’re doing an excellent job, really. I felt you might have needed to hear that.” I wasn’t lying, he was being focused and patient, although some of his nervousness was still showing through. He thanked me, and said it was his first day solo on the register. “Well, you’re doing great,” and I departed.
I have many more experiences like the latter than the former, so I think my approach is doing good overall.
remember we’re comparing to self checkout. It’s not really a point to say you can cheer someone up after dealing with a rough customer, because neither of those experiences would happen with self checkout. They’re somewhere else they’d rather be, it’s a job that shouldn’t exist.
You’re right, and I completely agree that solely using self checkout would dramatically reduce unneccesary, and possibly stressful, customer interactions.
While there are certainly some people who, as employees, enjoy interacting with customers, and even some who enjoy resolving problems and conflicts for customers, I also understand that people who cashier at retail groceries are generally not empowered by management to exercise those kinds of skills.
I also agree with the sentiment that individual human cashiering is “a job that shouldn’t exist,” although maybe not so completely. There are always going to be transactions which require customer-employee interaction, because they fall outside the more rigidly programmed options available in self checkout. That said, I have watched as self checkouts have grown in both their number and their usage, as the number of employee operated cash registers seems to be declining. McDonald’s, for example, doesn’t even have cashiers standing at the ready at all times any more. You can go order from a person, at the sole register which exists for that purpose, but you will need to wait for a person to come to you instead of the other way around. Their kiosks and mobile app have made the “row of smiling cashiers awaiting your order” a thing of the past. And I think that level of “self-service” at retail establishments is a well balanced one.
I never use self checkout, if lineups are too long i leave everything and go to another store.
I prefer self checkout if I have a few items but it can be a pain the more items you have. There isn’t a lot of room in the bagging area and I have to fight with the machine freaking out over unexpected items in the bagging area 🙄
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I actually prefer self checkouts. It’s a simple task and going grocery shopping is one of my moments of solitude in the week, I don’t wanna talk to anyone that I don’t have to.
I live by a food basic. Before they implemented self checkout there used to be a pretty long line at peak hours and weekends. After they added self checkout, there is pretty much never a line anymore. The most people I’ve had to wait behind was like 3. The difference was extremely noticeable.
There are probably some really terrible implementations of self checkout in some stores or locations but when it’s done right it seems pretty good.
I agree completely, lines have gotten much shorter everywhere I’ve seen with self checkout.
Heck, this has even been my experience at Walmart. Even the express aisle took an eternity compared to self checkout. I love self checkouts and think they’re great. The complaints about hAvINg To ScAn mY OwN GrOCeriEs are ridiculous. I just want to buy my stuff and get home ASAP. Not like scanning groceries is difficult or anything.
Just wish the self checkouts weren’t so shitty about mis-scans. If you accidentally scan something twice, you usually need to call an employee over. You should be able to do that yourself. If they’re worried about theft, just make the button get flagged for loss protection to scrutinize or something.
Yeah but you’re probably able bodied. Self checkouts are a big burden for the elderly or disabled.
I am not suggesting that we remove normal checkouts. I am just saying I like the option of having self checkout everywhere.
You know you don’t have to have a conversation with the cashier right? I put my stuff on the conveyor, say ‘yup’ when asked if I find everything alright, and ‘thanks’ when they’re finished… Or just silently nod 🤷♂️
But literally two days ago I was at the store and the self checkouts were full with 7 people still waiting to use them, while one employee ran around trying to handle all the errors… and only one standard checkout open for people with full carts. It was soo damn frustrating.
That hasn’t been my experience at least. And yes, I don’t need to have a conversation with a cashier, but I also don’t wanna watch someone do something so basic that I can easily do myself. And from my experience, lines have gotten much shorter everywhere self checkout has been implemented.
Additionally I am not suggesting get rid of all cashiers, I just don’t want them to get rid of self checkout either. Give people the option so they can use what they prefer.
I don’t like self checkouts.
I don’t like fiddling with the thing, I don’t like how they lay the interface out (it’s designed to not be efficient, and there’s always so many clicks to pay), I don’t like entering vegetable UPC codes, I don’t like touching the screen 100 other people touched without it being cleaned, and I don’t like feeling like I’m being watched, and I don’t like context switching between scanning, choosing, and bagging.
I just want to load my items onto a belt, the cashier scans them and enters codes, then I bag them. I’ll simply say no to donating and tap my card and leave. Simple.
I’m a huge self checkout fan, but I think we need more perspective on how shitty ours is sometimes. Loblaws and all of them are way behind on how it should work. Look at the Netherlands and how it’s often done there, you walk around with a scanner so you can scan as you go and quickly pay at the end.
Or even better, look at how Uniqlo is doing it. It’s all RFID, so you just drop your basket on the checkout, and it scans it all for you basically instantly.
The problem isn’t self checkout, it’s that the grocery stores are using it to purely cut costs and don’t actually care if it’s better for the consumer in any way. But hey, at least it’s easy to “accidentally” not scan something right now.
I steal something or choose the cheaper option on everything every time. I don’t work for free. Need to “make” a couple dollars if you force me to self checkout. Nothing is organic, every apple is a granny Smith. Anything super lightweight is free.
Do you steal snacks at gas stations because you have to pump your own gas?
A false equivalence or false equivalency is an informal fallacy in which an equivalence is drawn between two subjects based on flawed or false reasoning. This fallacy is categorized as a fallacy of inconsistency. Colloquially, a false equivalence is often called “comparing apples and oranges.”
- Attendants used to pump the gas for gas station customers.
- Associates used to scan and bag groceries for grocery store customers.
- Gas stations no longer have attendants pumping customers’ gas.
- Grocery stores no longer have associates scanning and bagging customers’ groceries.
Such a false equivalence 🙄
They would check your fluids, clean your windshield and it was normal to tip them. Self service stations were at first an options and were cheaper. Sound the same? You only get a discount for self check if you steal, and I’ve never tipped a cashier at a grocery store.
Not to mention gas pumps got a lot simpler, and added auto-shutoff. The cash register at the grocery store is requiring you to do exactly the same job they used to pay someone to do, for free.
Look at the Netherlands and how it’s often done there, you walk around with a scanner so you can scan as you go and quickly pay at the end.
Walmart and Sam’s Club have this with their Scan & Go app in the US. Scan the barcode with your phone, add it to your cart, pay from your phone, and someone at the door will scan a QR from your phone then scan a few random items in the cart and you’re done.
I pretty much wouldn’t shop at Sam’s if it didn’t exist. The checkout lines there have always been long and a pain. It cuts a ton of time standing around waiting in line out of a trip.
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I love self checkout, at least when it’s implemented well.
As far as I can tell there isn’t a single one that isn’t a steaming pile of shit. Where have you found acceptable ones?
That said I’m against them because it reduces the employment that a business requires while pushing the work onto the customers. Unless they are giving me a discount for using the self checkout you are effectively being an employee for free for the store.
Just do what I do, steal the most expensive small thing in your cart as payment for doing the job.
As some other people have said, I like the ones where you can scan with your own device or a handheld one they provide. However, I don’t mind the regular ones where you scan everything at checkout either, though that’s definitely easier given that I live alone and in walking distance, so I don’t need to buy that many things at once. I should note that I mostly saw the scan as you go types in Europe, though a Metro store in Canada also had the portable scanners.
you are effectively being an employee for free for the store.
You already accepted being an employee of the store when you decided to enter the warehouse to pick the items off the shelf yourself.
The only question is: Can you clock out faster if your co-worker helps you process the items you picked or will it be faster if you do it all by yourself?
My local store let’s me scan with my phone as I shop. When I get to the checkout I scan a QR code, it transfers everything to the register asks if I have anything else. Occasionally it’ll have someone come over and scan a few items to spot check, but not super often. Then I pay and leave.
Usually takes maybe 30 seconds to check out.
