Self Checkout Encourages Theft? Ep. 5.397

[@jimb5421]

Lady at Walmart center in Hollywood said I didn't scan all the cans of cat food. So she rescanned all the cans I scanned and came up with the same amount I did. At this point I told her to keep the cat food I will buy it somewhere else .

[@peterzebot9863]

So you didn't have dinner that night?

[@plangelierwot]

What drives me nuts is they have an employee trying to get you to use self check out..I always just say sorry I dont work here

[@startrek91481]

Well, apparently I'm a moron. I always pay for everything. I even made it out to the car having not paid for an item, and I went back inside the store and paid for it.

[@Network126]

Yep.

[@johnnemeth6913]

You're not a moron. You are a refreshingly honest person.

[@obiwanceleri]

Same here. And sometimes it pays off; I remember being reimbursed for a watch I ordered online because I wasn't receiving it. The next day the bloody watch comes in the mail and I call to ask how I can repay them now that I have the merchandise. I was told I was nice and honest and I could keep the watch for free (about a 40$ price tag). Felt good :)

[@reggiebenes2916]

I hate self check outs. I feel like the store fired someone, so that I would perform the job for free. The only benefit is to the store, certainly not the person who was fired or me.

[@richhuddleston73]

@Donald Thorpe no people working and not on the Dole does

[@groermaik]

I'm retired, so I will wait for a human checker. I was asked by the store manager to use a self checker. I asked her how much of a discount I would get for checking myself out. She said "None". I replied "No." This happens very regularly at Meijer.

[@vincepurpura8905]

@Donald Thorpe I sincerely hope you don't live your entire life with that "get out of my way slopoke!" attitude. You kind of sound like one of those people who tailgate those who are doing the speed limit and not speeding. Or do you jump into a parking space someone else was waiting for. You're not one of those types, are you?

[@timinwsac]

I hate standing in lines, I hate using the self checkout regestors more..... but what I won't do is stand in line to self checkout. The local Target put in self checkout regesters and in the mornings only have one clerk at a regester. The last time I went in I got the things I wanted but when i went to pay for them the manned regester was closed and there was a line waiting for the self checkouts. I went to the regester that had been open and put my things on the counter and stood there. A manager saw me, came over and said that regester is closed. I said OK, looked at the things I had picked up and then at the line for the self checkout, left everything on the counter and walked out. Haven't been back.

[@louiealbrecht1088]

More people in that situation should do EXACTLY what you did! Bravo!

[@joeg3741]

If I shoplift in self checkout, and am cought- I have an excuse. Sorry sir. You did not properly train me in operation of your register.

[@billythekid9155]

My sister works for a grocery store and she tells me all the horror stories of people who cheat and steal at the self checkout. It is pervasive at her store and these people get riled when she corrects their register. She is almost ready to quit over the abuse from thieves who steal from the store. The unfair part is that the honest people have to subsidize the theft by higher prices. A lot of companies do not want the publicity, violence, or abuse. They specifically tell employees not to confront thieves. Again, they just raise prices to cover the loss and the honest person pays the extra cost. This is one mark of a corrupt society. I think we are almost to Sodom and Gomorrah decadence. Remember, for the lack of 10 righteous people Sodom is no more.

[@andrestorres4715]

The store doesn't want to pay for labor and the public doesn't want to pay for their products. Sounds like karma.

[@nancycornett9949]

I refuse to go through self checkout. When the local Walmart drastically increased them, I asked a cashier if employees were being laid off. She said no but hours were being cut. On another visit I asked a different employee the same question and was told that cashiers were being switched to other jobs in the store. It’s hard for me to imagine that the total number of employees is not being reduced. I live in an area that was totally destroyed, in my eyes, when Walmart inveigled their way in with promises of all kinds of benefits to the community. All lies. But don’t let me get started!

[@americanmuslim6665]

I love self checkout. At first I had issues where I had to keep calling the agent to fix (not placing items on scale before removing them, etc..), but after figuring out how to avoid those issues. It saves me so much time (for me time > money). Instead of waiting 10 mins in line, I can go in less than a few mins in self checkout and with NO mistakes that a cashier can make.

[@Libertarian-vx5ms]

American Muslim Many of them do not even have working scales, which makes it even quicker

[@chriskatz2355]

Has anyone thought that the companies this large, have considered this and determined that losing these profits is less loss than if they where having a employee paid to run the counter? As a business perspective that is a point to consider, as you said, they know they are losing the money

[@s.willey6536]

Someone mentioned Costco cashiers being the best. Absolutely. Costco does the right thing salary-wise and their check-out lines are a thing of beauty to watch. Most Costco' locations do not have self-checkout. The lines are long but the wait is short due to the efficiency of the two-person team that scans and carts your stuff. Funny how that works when you take care of your workers. It is actually good business.

[@kathleenralston2192]

Guess this answers my question as to why people use the self checkout. I don't want to contribute to someone losing a job, plus why should I voluntarily do the work when not even a discount is offered. But I guess people are making their own discounts. A lot, apparently.

[@Alecw51]

Local Walmart store has expanded to 12 self checkouts. But now they are putting in grocery pickup. Not only does the employees scan your items but you don’t have to get out of your car.

[@MrLangDog]

I used to go inside the Walmart 2-3 times a week....now I just drive up and never leave my A.C....good system!!

[@JasonCarmichael]

@@MrLangDog Why even drive there. Use Instacart.

[@metalbootlegslivearchives]

I hate self checkout. If I have to go through a self checkout I should pay less for the items I'm buying since I'm doing the work of the cashier for them.

[@wonderweirdo6457]

I have a friend (Honestly it's not me) who bragged about how he got a blue ray player by placing it on the scale on the scanner and selecting the option for potatoes. The blue ray player wasn't that heavy and he had to pay a few dollars. He bagged the blue ray player and paid with cash in the machine and walked out with a receipt for potatoes.

[@musicloverme3993]

He must have also carefully avoided the barcode on the Blu-Ray player from being visible to the scanner.

[@mircat28]

I refuse to self-check out. If they want to give me a discount for doing their job i might consider it.

[@daddybdpearson1]

@Donald Thorpe I have a question for you. When you call customer service, do perfer to speak to the machine or an actual person?

[@jaymcvey3471]

I only use self check outs ONLY when I'm out with my Autistic son. One day when we had finished our shopping, I realized that I had forgotten to scan a couple of items after getting home. The next week when we went shopping, I spoke to the store manager (who knows my son BTW) Told him what happened got the same items to scan them and was going to put them back as my son takes a lot of time. The store manager told me that since I was honest NOT to scan the items and I can have them for free.

[@deanlabbe9952]

I know you young folks won't remember but in the old days you got to the cashier and stood there. There was a bagger that put the goods on the belt for the cashier to ring in. Then the bagger loaded the bags and put them on a carriage. When the purchase was completed the bagger took the order to you car and loaded the bags into the vehicle for you. That was when service was king.

[@ChrisJones-fn6tw]

Maybe I live in a weird town, but we have baggers..sometimes, though they don't bring stuff to your car. There's also a store where the baggers will ask elderly or disabled people if they need assistance getting the stuff into their car

[@louiealbrecht1088]

@@ChrisJones-fn6tw You must live where I grew up (in Central PA); Karns Food, Giant and Weiss Market STILL do those things!

[@deanlabbe9952]

Donald Thorpe I said I was old not ancient. There was not 90% of the population working on farms in the late 80's.

[@finris1]

Stores used to have everything behind counters, so that the customers would only touch the merchandise after purchase. Then they decided to have the customers find the goods themselves and the employees would only have to do transactions at the exit. Now they are having the customer do that transaction too. They save all that money on labor. And considering how they get their stuff cheaper than they sell it for, I can see why they are willing to overlook some shoplifting. They still profit from it. Ironically, I still like and use self-checkout. Not just because it is usually faster if you have a small number of items, but also because I feel like the cashiers judge me for everything I buy (even though my mind says they probably don't give a ... after working in retail long enough).

[@johnthreefifteen]

It is not a problem with the stores, it is a problem with people.

[@Bretattech]

I work in a grocery store and it's a double edge sword. One piece of the puzzle is the fact that minimum wage is not usually going to cut it anymore. With being so close to full employment the potential pool of candidates is horrible at the minimum wage. To get anyone decent you have to pay a bit more to get them in the door. Where I work we are very understaffed. If we didn't have self checkouts we would not be able to make it through the summer season. Unfortunately we still manage to keep it together. Which puts us in an ever worse position because "you did more with less help". In some respects it would be nice to see the robots line up and take over so I can move on and change my job.

[@tyroberts2261]

I never use them because I prefer checkers. I also prefer them to keep their jobs.

[@tisjester]

One thing my local Meijer has is the ability to use their app to scan your items as you take them off the shelf.Then you can bag them in your own reusable shopping bags. I am seriously considering moving to this (If they pass new laws charging a tax on those plastic bags. When it comes to shopping it is mostly dependent on how many items I have. If I have a large basket full of stuff I prefer the cashier. If I have some sort of coupons that I want to make sure are counted I will use a cashier. If I have just a couple of items? Yea if the self checkout line is small I will breeze through there. What I like about our local Meijer is that if the Cashier lines get long they will open up a new line. They will pull people over to do the checkouts.. BUT all that being said I pay attention to the checkout people.. If I know they bag like crap and I have to keep redoing the bagging as we go I will avoid them and go to the Self Checkout.. I mean who puts poisons in the same bag as food stuffs? Who puts fragile things in with heavy things? Who loads 1 thin plastic bag with way too many heavy items so the bag rips when you pick it up?!?!? I am not against self checkouts at all I like not having to deal with annoying people.(ie some checkout clerks) BUT I love me a good checkout person and I tell them so every time I am in their line. I thank them for being good at their job. I am really interested in the whole checkout as you put items into your cart as you go idea. If I am using my own reusable bags. I would not even have an issue to have those bags checked as I leave LOL. As for people that think having self checkout is BAD? Think of that poor checkout person that has to sit in one spot doing the same repetitive thing over and over again this is a job that begs for automation.

[@tewgomoo]

I would rather deal with a person because it gives someone a job.

[@vincepurpura8905]

@Donald Thorpe Primarily these jobs are filled by high school kids. So the way I see it, I'm helping some high school boy afford his first car, or helping him to take out his girlfriend, or the high school girl afford the prom dress, or even help a single parent put a roof over their heads and a hot meal in their bellies. And money earned is money spent, helps the economy. A win-win for the every day person.

[@vincepurpura8905]

@Donald Thorpe You do things the way you like, I'll do them my way. Fact is the grocery store I use doesn't have any do it yourself cashier machines, quality is the same as the super store, and I save a quarter of what I'd spend at the super store. Which means more food for the same price.

[@somenygaard]

Plus I hate self checkout

[@GreenJeep1998]

One store my Mom and I worked at went to them after I left and they went from typically 2 cashiers at 2 tills to 2 cashiers, one working a normal till and the other watching the 4 self chekouts. Yes, you had to ring yourself out, but if you're just buying a few and/or embarrasing things you weren't waiting in line with people who are shopping for a family of 5 for the whole month in front of you with their nosey kids. Now if it's just a small order and I'm using cash or credit, I'll use the self checkout as I've spent enough time on registers to know how to run one......and am usually faster than the machine is capable of processing my order anyway. My kness are not as good as they used to be after a couple decades in retail, so standing in line for a register can become painful after a while, 9 times out of 10, self checkout gets me out faster where I can sit down and take the load off these knees.

[@markhoffman5719]

I will use self checkouts when the stores give a 20% discount to customers who use them.

[@vincepurpura8905]

Exactly! Food isn't any cheaper doing their work. What's next, want me to stock an aisle or two?

[@louiealbrecht1088]

@Donald Thorpe So, I see you've really got that lingo down pat. How many self-checkout registers did you sell this week? Just wondering . ..

[@vincepurpura8905]

@Donald Thorpe I have all the time in the world, I really don't mind the extra five minutes it takes. Plus I'm not denying a high school kid a part time job/paycheck, (good for the economy) Like I said, give me 15-20 percent off my grocery total, I'll think about it. As far as charging me for"time saved"? There's other grocery stores that still believe in customer service.

[@countycoroner5784]

I have actually started really paying attention to detail when shopping and doing the checkout thing. The one thing that self check-out or human check-out have in common is that NEITHER one of them say "THANK YOU" when you complete your transaction. It just baffles me to not be thanked for doing business with a store. Another thing is for those stores with self check- out, I have begun asking the managers when I see them standing around when am I scheduled to come in and stock the shelves or unload the trucks that bring in new stock. They look at me like I have lost my mind. I just explain to them that they are making me do their job by ringing up what I am buying, so it is only going to get worse from there.

[@robertvirginiabeach]

Some of the small inventory groceries are already setting whole cases of goods on the shelves instead of unpacking the individual packages. With things like bottled water and soda they're bringing the whole pallet out and placing the pallet of merchandise on the sales floor. Some cold goods are on carts which are apparently rolled fully loaded from the truck to a display case that has a door in the back.

[@louiealbrecht1088]

County Coroner you shop at the WRONG stores. Even here in obnoxious New Joisey I almost always encounter friendly, courteous cashiers. Maybe because I smile at them and try to be pleasant?

[@MarshallLoveday]

Simple economics...... If supermarkets believes that the self-checkout kiosks save them money over paying (human) checkers, even with the theft that goes along with them, then they will continue to put them in.

[@ChunkyMonkaayyy]

Never occurred to me to give myself a discount at a self checkout. Thanks for the tip!

[@ChunkyMonkaayyy]

RealestRealist Guilty as charged.

[@ObscureStuff420]

I like to go to the line with the best looking cashier. So I always use the self checkout.

[@markd9130]

Don't give the stores any ideas. Cashiers will be replaced with lifelike blowup doll robots.

[@colinl5951]

I hate looking up vegetables at self checkout....

[@robinslater171]

I’m lazy & hate self-checkouts. I am also aware that using the machine adds to unemployment. Cashiers may be bored, underpaid and underemployed, but at least they are making some money until they find a job in their field of expertise. When the one or two human cashier lines get very long with ice cream melting in my cart, I call the store and insist on speaking to the manager to open more registers. I got pushback one time until I informed her that the ice cream was melting and I was going to abandon my cart & shop elsewhere. That got speedy results!

[@interstellarsurfer]

We're in the midst of a labor shortage, with immigrants coming in in droves to fill these jobs (who make the shittiest clerks, no English and all). We cannot automate these worthless jobs out of existence fast enough.

[@PamelaCurry]

I've used self checkout, I prefer not to because they don't pay me enough to do their work for them. If they gave me an additional 5-10% discount as a salary for working for them I'd not mind so much. Unfortunately stores with self checkout options typically have fewer live checkers available creating longer lines.

[@louiealbrecht1088]

I don't patronize stores like Walmart and when I do occasionally have to wait in line at a store, I pull out my book and read. Some day, when there are no humans as checkouts and those self-checkout lines stretch to the back of the store, everybody will be longing for the "good old days" with actual customer service.

[@PamelaCurry]

@@louiealbrecht1088 i don't patronize Walmart either. These are showing up in Kroger(Randals), Tom Thumb(Safeway), Whole Foods(Amazon), Central Market(HEB), Target, Home Depot, Lowe's and I'm sure others.

[@PamelaCurry]

@stickney43 what are you smoking

[@PamelaCurry]

@stickney43i worked as an assistant manager for a national catalog showroom in the 80's. Talk to your slave wage paying employer, don't expect customers to throw a party for you when you give lip service instead or customer service, When you can't be bothered to help a customer, because it's not your job. My taxes shouldn't be supplementing Walmart's payroll, Walmart can kids my ass, if you work for Walmart that's on you, not me!

[@MizGizma]

I once stole a ham by accident. I scanned it, it beeped, I loaded it and paid what they told me to pay. I thought it was too cheap but I had scanned everything. When I went over the receipt at home I noticed the ham wasn't on there. Oh well its their loss as far as I'm concerned for having a defective system.

[@jonnyswift9203]

I worked with a guy who was a recreational shoplifter/ thief. He made over $100K year. He also stole like crazy at work printers,laptops, computers, petty cash etc. He got fired because he got caught steeling a box of copy paper from the office.

[@MRMagicFunStuff]

I know a guy like that. He did jail time and can't get a decent job now.

[@thelastpilot4582]

I agree with you I will not use Self Checkouts. Years ago you went to a counter and asked for what you want. Now you have to find it yourself so I don't see why I should do their job of selling it to me as well. I don't work there I am a customer.

[@matthewgruba8040]

Cashier is a good job for someone who may not be suited to other work. Self checkout sort of breaks the social contract that says there will be work available for everyone who wants it. "Saving money" by reducing employment, seems to be a long term fail, because if the majority of people do not have work, who is going to buy your stuff?

[@johnhouchins3156]

My question about self check out is of a different nature. If you hurt yourself during self check out, can you calim workers' compensation?

[@GLHS592]

I love self checkout. You don't have to deal with a rude cashier who is judging your purchases and you can ensure that you get what you paid for. Most of the time, you don't have to wait in line.

[@Quacks0]

I agree. Self-checkout is often much faster than having to wait in line for a cashier.

[@coldfire420]

Not only that but cashiers handle my apples and other fruits rough and slap them down after scanning and then they get all bruised, I would ask them to hand me them instead of bagging them for me after they scan them so they wouldn't do that but since the self checkout opened up I just do it myself now.

[@AccEngineer]

I use the self checkouts all the time. I pay for what I get. My main reason is that I can sort the items as I bag them. Frozen food all together, cat food in a separate bag, etc. Also, when I bag my own stuff, I don't put a gallon of milk on top of a package of hamburger buns. So, for me, I think that they are great.

[@RiverWoods111]

I am late... But so true! Also, I would never put WD40 in with fruits and veggies. I have had checkers do that to me, and I complained because that is gross! Oh, the other thing I don't put together is clothing items with bottles of bleach. I had to return some sweats because the bleach bottle had leaked the manager was not very happy with the checker! They just don't think things through!

[@rosiejerome4342]

I also used to pump gas, clean the glass, check the oil and tire pressure. It's called service. We have traded off the service in the service industry for speed and "convince.". I miss the personalized service.

[@bobroberts2371]

If gas across the street is 5 cents less across the street but is self serve, guess where the business is going?

[@latachia_2981]

@@bobroberts2371 All of the gas is self serve where I live!

[@bobroberts2371]

Latachia _2 And at one point in the past, all service stations were full serve but a self serve opened up across the street taking business away from full serve forcing it to offer self serve then eventually converting to all self serve due to reduced full serve traffic. .

[@latachia_2981]

@@bobroberts2371 And those were the good old days when you could get windows washed & the air in tires checked& oil checked too. Then for a while there was both & you could alternate places . but you could still go to full serve & get the wonderful full service, Too bad those days are now gone,,,,,

[@bigrobbyd.6805]

My wife and I will gladly use self-checkout all day long. We bag our own items to our liking. We don't feel rushed by other customers, because we can, and do, go at our own pace. Best of all, we don't have to deal with the grumpy cashier that has been on her feet for eight hours.

[@pexgroup]

Im against theft. And always look for a manned checkout. But if im forced to use my own labour to do work for the store putting through the items then the store must compensate me for my time. This in the form of a reduced price item.

[@DavidPennybaker]

I love self-checkout because I'm WAY faster than any cashier. Never been tempted to try to steal at a self-checkout because I *know* that I'd get caught.

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

The biggest problem with Self Check is 1)The Customers don't know how it works. 2) One cashier ends up doing the work of 4 or more for the same crap wages.

[@JT-un7dc]

I guess the corporation's are paying for eliminating jobs. I absolutely hate self checkouts.

[@JT-un7dc]

@@Dracolith1i got your staffed right here budrow ;) paying to be a cashier is annoying. I assume you like giving a corporation your free labor. Self checkout lines are awful. Especially, When you have issue with a bar code or scanning a item. Only one cashier to 4 register's. It's annoying, When buying and scanning and bagging hundreds of items. wich, is frequent event at a grocery store or home store.

[@bobbyharper8710]

I rather self checkout than these slow human checkers. I used to observe their speed to choose a line to stand in. Some are twice as fast as others. Then you start to recognize why some lines are shorter but nobody switches. There are certain people to avoid.

[@thomasridley8675]

Oh yes ! i certainly don't want to be pestered by these other humans that are in my way ? They may act.. Human or something. They might start some cheerful dialogue and that's horrible. Personal interactions, hog wash.

[@bobbyharper8710]

@@thomasridley8675 They're taking valuable quality time away from my family and charitable organizations.

[@thomasridley8675]

@@bobbyharper8710 hahahaha Thats funny. No time for people, but you do for charitable organizations.

[@hammer9390]

Steve, I agree, it is a problem and it is wrong, when an industry knowingly penalizes the public at large, and encourages criminal behavior, just to pad the bottom line. This mindset and trend is one of the major reasons why things are getting worse rather than better. One of problems with our educational system is an MBA degree does not require honesty or integrity.

[@harryshector]

The last time I went to a Home Depot there were no cashiers at all - except in the ‘contractor’ check out area. So, unless I can’t find what I want somewhere else, Home Depot has gotten the last dime they’re going to get from me. When stores start cutting me a check for doing their job, then I’ll consider it. Otherwise, no. All they’re doing is forcing more people onto welfare, driving our tax burden up to increase their bottom line. No thank you.

[@mr.h5436]

Home Depot the DIY warehouse = find it yourself, load it, pay for it yourself. Oh yeah, half the time it seems you get to inform them what needs to be stocked on the shelf or ordered. :)

[@danav3387]

I'm right with you on this. I use manned checkout when at all possible. I was once informed by a clerk I could use the self checkout isle. I told that person that machine doesn't have rent to pay or a mouth to feed, that isle was put there to replace you.. Seems like if they are willing to accept any amount of theft the law of diminished return would out weigh the ability of a company to compensate by raising prices because the amount of theft will get so high over time that re-pricing couldn't keep up. It doesn't matter what you charge if no one or enough people aren't paying. Reminds me of an old joke I heard. A guy goes into the local butcher shop to buy pork chops when he get to the counter he asks the butcher how much are the pork chops? The butcher tell him they are $2 a pound. The guys complains "the shop down the street has them for $1.50 a pound". The butcher tells the guy to go there and buy thier pork chops, the guy explains "the other butcher shop is currently out of pork chops". The butcher then tells the guy well when I'm out of pork chops mine are $1 a pound....

[@tomchrisfield7348]

What you're saying is exactly what I think by of the self checkout. The store is providing a service that includes checking out and bagging the items you purchased, if I self checkout, I'm working for free for the store. I frequent stores that have live cashiers. Other businesses don't operate that way.

[@drdabsmore945]

No, you're not working for free. You're under no obligation to use the self checkout. However, the employees DO have an obligation to serve you as they're an employee of that company who has to abide by a set of rules. They HAVE to serve you. You don't HAVE to use the self checkout. If you decide to use the self checkout, that's YOUR decision to do the task of checking and bagging your own items. You volunteered your time to check yourself out, nobody owes you anything for that.

[@alhodge4051]

the biggest advantage of self check out... I do not have to talk to anyone...

[@jasonmeadows8510]

Yup. I especially can't stand having a cashier comment on what I'm purchasing. A few months ago, I purchased wine in the afternoon, and I had the cashier ask me, "Are you a day drinker?" Geez, mind your own business.

[@thegeneral7484]

All the stores that use self check out they realize this is going to happen. Its still cheaper then hiring a person. They still come out better in the long run.

[@Kinkajou1015]

I use self checkout because I don't want to interact with a person at all if I can help it. Especially when they are constantly pushing to sign up for their credit card... And I get what you're saying about how they aren't designed well for a cart full of stuff, and most aren't, you are 100% correct. Those are meant for a handful of items or one of those carry baskets. That unwritten rule is frequently not followed, but that's what those are designed for. There are self checkouts with a belt though, so if it's you and another person, one person can scan, the other can load the belt (if the belt even works... that's a minor annoyance I have at one place), and as long as you don't scan anything that needs authorization like an R rated movie or alcohol, and never screw up the scanning protocol (scan, bag, scan bag, scan, bag, wait for light to go green, pull pag off for next bag, scan, bag...), you don't ever have to speak to an employee putting on a facade of being happy and cheerful in their minimum wage, minimum effort job. As for stealing from self checkout, I've not done it, but when I used to work for Walmart and was stationed at the self checkout in my store, the only instance that comes to mind is a pair of kids (maybe 10 at the most) that scanned a Snickers, fiddled at the machine for a moment, then bolted for the exits on the grocery side as we were on the general merchandise side with the candy bar, no they hadn't paid, I had to clear the machine... Did I care? Barely, when your two week paycheck is less than 200 dollars gross at times you tend to not care.

[@mikel724]

I wholeheartedly agree with you. I loathe self checkout and would much rather deal with a human cashier and a bagger. That is how it SHOULD be. To me the self checkout business model is not only lazy, it is evidence of that chains mantra of PROFIT over PEOPLE! It is everything that is wrong with Western business practices. These stores forgot their roots!!!!

[@l.ls.8890]

Mike Lombardi many stores in mandated government forced wages use self-check to save paying employees. Ala MD’s kiosks

[@grants7390]

my goal when i go to the store is to find everything, pay then leave while communicating with as few human beings as possible.

[@teacfan1080]

It seems that when I am lucky enough to find a checkout line that's the "smallest" waiting line, it always happens the person in front of me has a "problem" with their order and there's a delay. So I end of waiting the same amount of time as someone who was in a longer line. Never fails!

[@christopherhanley4807]

Our local Wal-Mart installed auto checkouts to save time. Now we have all the checkouts crammed with shoppers. So I go elsewhere, like Aldi across the road.

[@marcuslinton310]

Self check is great for 10 items or less, but more and more A'holes are going to them with full F'n carts.

[@bromschwig]

I think that if the store is going to force you to work as a checkout person, you deserve the employee discount.

[@vincepurpura8905]

Before you leave, we need a clean up in aisle six, you don't mind do you?

[@EricFarmall]

Kroger is encouraging the use of re-usable bags, but there is no place to set them down at the self scan registers. There is also no space for cartons of bottled water or cases of pop or beer. They have scales under the plastic bags so that they can tell if the item bagged doesn't match the weight of the item scanned, but unscanned items left in the cart have to be caught by a human. And if you are using coupons (coupons sometimes scan, sometimes don't) or a check an employee still has to come over. The self checkout bagging area won't hold a full cart either. Halfway through the cart the plastic bags are full with no place to put the rest of your groceries. Now what? Yesterday I was at Walmart and the self-scanner didn't recognize the DVD I was buying so I had to find a staffed cash register. Its a pain.

[@jasonbrown7258]

I think the self checkouts are b.s. I never use them. I pay enough as it is for things now I gotta self checkout? Then I should get a break on the price. Why should I help the store make a higher profit. Not to mention less job's available for someone who's willing to work.

[@murraystewartj]

Steve, you so right on this. Usually I do my grocery shopping in one big trip a week, so a full cart, and always use the ONE aisle with an actual human being at it (5 lanes closed) because I want to support that one worker, plus the self checkouts are not designed for large purchases. I will use the self checkout if I have to run in for an emergency (like my wife is out of coffee and I need to save my life) but most of the time half or more of the terminals are down and there's no staff to assist. I would never think of stealing, just not how I was raised. I find it interesting (and you mentioned the cost-benefit analysis BS the corporations use) that my using a self checkout and saving the company labour costs doesn't get me a frickin discount. So my choices are to use a human cashier whenever possible (because I prefer people to machines) or get increasingly forced into using automation - either way I'm going to pay more for the theft enabled by self checkouts that are put there for the sole purpose of saving the company money by eliminating staff. And the companies are doing this to provide us with better "service". There is a great passage, pretty sure it's in "The Grapes of Wrath", about the concept of "customer service" from a farmer's point of view. If you're getting "serviced" then you know what it's like to be the cow when the bull's let into the corral.

[@johnp139]

murraystewartj everyone gets the discount. I don’t like having to interact with a typically incompetent clerk. If you don’t like self-check, don’t use it.

[@murraystewartj]

@@johnp139 "I don’t like having to interact with a typically incompetent clerk." Seems like you're that typically entitled asshole who looks at people working in minimum wage jobs as if they are somehow less than human. I have dealt with people like you, and I have to surmise you're double-jointed. It's the only explanation for how you have your head so far up you fat ass.

[@CorgiDaddy2]

It is cheaper for them to take the loss instead of pay for more workers.

[@timetriad6199]

Let me get this straight... the cashier gets paid to scan my items, bag them, and process my payment. If “I” use the self-checkout, I scan my items, bag them, and process my payment...? So how much are they paying me to be a temporary Cashier? Ok, so I’ve used them on a few occasions... and I’ve never seen a “self checkout discount”. And that’s why I don’t use them. They save... I labor... and I pay? GTFOOH! 🤣

[@ineedapic]

You know it's easy enough for them to tell us that if they had to hire more cashiers prices would go up. We're helping to keep the cost of the goods down by serving ourselves. Yeah right!

[@alexluthor7215]

Have you ever been to sixflags or Magic mountain , your labor is what you pay for your “speed pass “, to access a lot of time , almost instant checkout .

[@jonathanscheib6480]

And how much is your time worth? So lets say you spend 2 hours a month in cashier checkout compared to half hour if you used self checkout, then you waste hour and half of your time to use cashier checkout. Seems simple to me, use self checkout and you gain alot more time to do what you want rather than standing around in store waiting in cashier line and not being paid while in cashier lane.

[@donaldbarton5755]

What I want to say first is I don't steal at self-checkout. Many employees get a discount from their place of employment, when one checks out their own goods at the store do you become an employee?

[@musicloverme3993]

+ if prior "employee" had a spill & you fall, do you get Worker's Comp?

[@johndoe-wv3nu]

If you use self check out you should get a discount.

[@jamessvaglic4096]

I think we should get an employee discount.

[@sminthian]

I use the self-checkouts because the human cashiers are SO FREAKING SLOW. I can move at three times the speed of them. Every time I use it I guess I could steal whatever I want, and they wouldn't notice. But I use them to get out of there faster, not to steal.

[@Treblaine]

I never steal because I know stealing is addictive behaviour, it's never going to be "just one thing" I know it'll end up being loads. It's not for their benefit, it's for my own self-respect.

[@GotoHere]

This is 100% the fault of the retailers. I’m not getting paid to be a cashier. If I make a mistake, I could care less. What’s next, having customers stock shelves?

[@gs-xx8uv]

You are a jerk trying to justify your lack of ethics.

[@jdelaney9325]

Agree absolutely

[@gs-xx8uv]

@@anklebiter9116 So I am showing my "lack of ethics" when I confront someone trying to rationalize theft??? If you don't like the idea of self checkouts, don't use them. I am not sure what you have been smoking, but I definitely suggest that you cut back.

[@user-bm5bk4jm3j]

rolback exactly. Always *

[@gmelnosral9582]

I’ve been in a regular cashier line numerous times and a manager would say to me that the self checkout lines are open and it would be faster for me to use them. I tell them every time “ I don’t work here so I’ll wait here thanks”.

[@vincepurpura8905]

May I use this next time a manager says that?

[@gmelnosral9582]

Yes you can.

[@jamesjacocks6221]

If “it’s so easy to steal it almost encourages it” (pp) then there are a lot of dishonest people, presumably. Twenty percent sounds about right. It’s not an encouraging figure, but we can fashion an equation where the cost of checkout personnel is juxtaposed against the loss from theft. It’s certainly cheaper to facilitate theft. Ah, business logic and the descent into anarchy. I bet self checkout isn’t used in Mumbai.

[@RickyLaneMusic]

I am confident in my honesty to use the faster self checkout. Show my receipt with a smile and get the heck out of the store and away from the crazy people!

[@KrustyKlown]

Data presented here is about 1item per transaction.... stolen or just missed by crappy checkout machines? Overall, the customer losses from mismatched / incorrectly priced items out weighs losses ... stores win, still. Agree 100%, id rather wait longer in human line, self checkout machines are junk, frustrating, constantly nag incorrectly and force waiting for attendant action... it’s a crap experience, still. Fact is grocery stores are doing it wrong, go to Aldi ... fastest checkout on the planet, just one human scanning and putting stuff directly into your cart... no nonsense of moving stuff to belt, to bags, to cart...all takes 3 times longer with 2 employees, 6 times less efficient than Aldi.

[@JimJWalker]

I think this is a symptom of an endemic problem within modern capitalism itself. Recently my job enacted policies to prevent sales from making the corporation more more profitable. The policy was meant to restrict us from using our knowledge and experience to be more profitable, it was not what we were doing was unethical. It was all about power.

[@seanbarsballe2427]

I used to be a cashier in and just out of high school and I was FAST. I could get 3-4 people out in the time it takes some others to do 1. Part of that was if we had more then 3 people in line we had to call for another cashier so if there was 1 or 2 in line and someone wanted to chat then fine but at 3 it went to wham bam thank you mam, I wouldn't be rude but once I hit the total button you need to stop talking about your cat, give me money and step aside. So when self checkout popped up I liked it because I could run it faster then grandma who can't read the screen or remember produce numbers who then has to wate for the customer to find a coupon at the bottom of her purse. Now the only reason I'll do a person is if I have a lot of stuff and need a belt to hold it all and even then some have opened up belt type self check outs.

[@chrisreed26]

I go to my local Wal-Mart market almost daily and buy the same items that I eat or drink daily..well just today, the whole store was out of plastic bags! The shipment truck was late so they ran out of bags to bag your purchased items in! Well I opted to buy a $1.25 reusable bag...in all the shuffle and unusual routine, I realized once home, that I failed to scan and pay for the $1.25 reusable shopping bag! I guess because I placed the bag in the area where the plastic bags go before I started the scanning process..I felt horrible that I did this!! I patronize this same store almost daily and interact with the staff as friends!! I would never steal from anyone!! I plan to go back in the morning to pay for the bag...I know, most would say who cares and I am crazy but I was raised not to take what was not mine!!

[@ookland81]

Here in Australia when self serve checkout was first put forward by the major supermarkets, the supermarkets acknowledged that people would steal from them. (the banana method) They said yes while there will be loss, the savings made on wages will out weigh the loss. I personally wont use them, in fact one retailer in my city only has them now, I no longer go there. Ironic that you would post this today as this morning while in my local supermarket I happen to speak to another shopper about the self serve and she was like an echo of me in saying about thieft and how they bring this on them self plus like me she also wants people having jobs yet even better, as I was walking out I over heard 2 other shoppers having the same conversation and they both also have no sympathy for a business who brings crime to its door. 4 shoppers all saying the same thing. I dont deny I know a few who prefer the self serve, but clearly there are a lot who dont like it at all.

[@jonathanscheib6480]

No most people who are actually part of the real world prefer simplicity of self checkout. Only people afraid of things changing prefer waiting for long time in cashier lines

[@ookland81]

@@jonathanscheib6480 "The real world," exactly what is that? I am not afraid of change, I with my friends had our first PCs in early 1990s running DR Dos and XT-Pro; We also ran a small local Bulliten board in early 1990s then had an ISP service from 1997 until the big telcos decided they would squash all the little guys. You have no idea. I live in reality. Reality is, its not all about "ME" (thats you I am talking about) If me having to stand in a line for 4 minutes is the price I have to pay to keep the job there for someone. most are young people, I will gladly stand there. Not that I agree with you about the waiting.. Just the other day I paid and left the supermarket ahead of a lady who was trying to used self serve. Recently in a McDonalds, they have introduced self serve order screens. I walked in with a friend and ordered and was sitting ready to eat while she was still attempting to order because yet again the screen just went blank on her. If your part of the real world, start thinking about how what you do in the name of convenience impacts on others in the long term.

[@timbates2052]

I use self checkout all the time. Was never trained on the equipment. Have never worked in retail. Don't really know how it all works. Sometimes things beep, sometimes not. Scan one thing or the same thing many times or each package individually? Sometimes the machine works. I cant really tell. One thing for sure. I seem to save a lot of money with self checkout. The receipt checking person thinks I'm doing great.

[@interstellarsurfer]

😂

[@doylesinclair4499]

If they ever start giving discounts for checking out your own groceries, then I would start doing it.

[@xs10z]

If you consider your time as valuable, and you can save it by using self check out... well, there's your discount. If your time is worthless and you don't mind derping around in a check out line, then nevermind.

[@fjcruisefjcruise4527]

They should give us 10 % off for self check out .

[@captainlaserbeam6295]

In case anyone wondering.... bananas are 4011 and that's nationwide. What people do is place an item on the scale, type 4011, and they are charged the price of bananas by weight so it doesn't trigger anything with the scale by the bagging area.

[@bobroberts2371]

Adam Poirier what sort of job do you have and what size is the company yo work for?

[@captainlaserbeam6295]

@@groosbro1 Nothing justifies theft. I think some people feel like they're sticking it to the man or something.

[@captainlaserbeam6295]

@@bobroberts2371 I work for a huge casino. I work in IT. I'm not an advocate for people that break the law btw. I'm only explaining how they do it any why some people feel it's ok.

[@frankfurrteur8841]

Retailers charge what the market will bare. Theft doesn't effect the retail price, just profits.

[@mr.h5436]

of course theft/shrink is calculated into the cost of operation.

[@supersev6559]

I’m with Steve. I would rather have the real cashier. My problem is you’re taking away from entry level jobs. You’re taking away from the teenager who learns to deal with money, social interactions etc. and my personal opinion is I don’t work there. If you want me to use self check out then you need to give me a discount since I’m doing all the work. My wife gets mad at me because I won’t even bag the groceries at the local grocery store. They need to hire more bag people. Or again give me a discount because I don’t work there.

[@henkbarnard1553]

how about paying me 5% for doing the check-out?!

[@mixter7x7]

walmart is using the self checkout to replace it's cashiers. the last time i went into a walmart there was 1 ONE cashier and 12 self check registers. so - the people were essentially being TOLD to use the self check lanes.

[@538wireman]

I REFUSE to use "self checkout lanes"!!! Every time I see a "self checkout lane', I see only a paying job that has been taken away from an actual HUMAN. Whether it's a student's very 1st. job or a single parent trying just to make "end's meet" up to & including a Disabled person or Sr. Citizen just trying to supplement their meager income!!!

[@robertvirginiabeach]

@Donald Thorpe The cashier at the supermarket isn't being replaced by a machine. He/she is being replaced by another human that's working for free.

[@538wireman]

@Donald Thorpe Since I presently have no property to plant a garden in, the "Garden produce" that I personally eat is provided by gardens that my two Daughters & their Husbands grow EVERY year. I am also VERY lucky to have many friends that plant ENORMOUS gardens EVERY year that I have permission to harvest for personal use. Many times, if one friend has too many, lets say Tomatoes, but their Sweetcorn crop was ruined due to whatever reason. I can trade them Sweetcorn from one of my Daughters gardens for Potatoes, Greenbeans or whatever that friend has too much of. My comment on "automatic checkouts" were not Grocery store SPECIFIC. My intention was aimed at ANY "automatic checkout" from ANY industry be it automatic gas stations or ANY other place of business that could employ an actual Human. I'm not saying that everyone SHOULD feel the way that I feel about this topic, I am merely explaining the way that "I" feel about this particular subject. ✌👌

[@jjjsmith2497]

Im a moron because i don't steal? The stupidity and arrogance of some people know NO bounds.... In a good way, it makes them easier to spot. Thanks for another great video Steve.

[@markd9130]

Self-checkout. You do the work but don't get a discount. Next, stores will get rid of all employees and expect customers to stock the shelves, mop the floors and do light maintenance. Robots placed at key locations in the store will blare messages at customers telling them to work harder. Prices will go up to pay the robots.

[@unrulysimian3897]

Mark D - 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

[@engineclinic]

That's just absurd!

[@johnp139]

Everyone gets a discount.

[@markd9130]

Today, I'm pushing the point too far and having some fun. On the other hand, many things that were unthinkable 20 years ago are now normal.

[@kurtwebb3726]

This stuff really ticks me off. My daughter works for a large store that uses automated checkouts (not Wal Mart) as a cashier manager. She says this is a major problem in the store in which she works. What makes it worse is a store policy that if the person working the self check lanes, one person oversees 8 lanes, sees someone scaming the checkout, they are not allowed to say anything. They just let them go to avoid a confrontation. The same goes for shoplifters. The only person that can confront a shoplifter are the loss prevention officers and they only work a total of 60 hour a week between them. This policy of taking the loss because they can pass it to us honest folk really steams my toast, and toast should never be steamed.

[@thedailyred1053]

I suppose that if the amount of shrinkage is still less than the 20 cashier jobs they're no longer paying for, Walmart is still ahead.

[@PushingThroughThePain]

I personally have never intentionally stolen products at the self checkout. There was this one time, much in a similar situation as you mentioned, where there was too many items and not enough space to place everything. I tried to make room for the bagged items in the cart, but evidently missed something that ended up being hidden under one of the bags. Once I realized this upon unloading the cart into the back of my van and checking my receipt, I went back into the store with the item and scanned it at another self checkout and paid for it. I don't want that weighing on my conscience, and if the shoe were on the other foot, I'd hope that others would do the same for me.

[@henrywarnell7694]

I used to use self-service checkouts all the time until, at some point last year, they stopped taking cash; card only. In my little pushback against a future cashless society, l, overnight, determined to only go through the (wo)manned checkout. Cash! Use it or lose it!

[@e-curb]

I'm with you, brother. Cash only.

[@bobspizza7444]

Stay strong!! Once all currency is digital we become slaves. There's no way anyone can explain cashless society to me that doesn't equal slavery. You will never get a say if the government or any corporation feels you owe them. It will just get taken out. Every unit of currency will be tracked. You won't even be able to mow a lawn for someone to earn a few bucks.

[@johnanderson4728]

Spot on Mr. Lehto! I have hated self check outs since their introduction 20 years ago, and briefly tried one once, until I had a shouting match with it, and gave up and walked out. Since then, I have exclusively used lanes with human clerks. Last year, there were 3 (perfectly manicured) employees standing idly, no one running a lane, and one of them made the mistake of pointing me to a self check out. I said, "I do not work here." She then asked if I needed to talk to the manager? I responded, "I am not looking for a job." She decided to check me out.

[@fireisle]

Every self check out scanner is a job lost to a person. I don't use them for that reason.

[@jimb5421]

Someone who is trained and experienced on register, must be better at it than me.

[@matttrophy1]

Where I live, the self checkouts weigh the items put in the bag, since you just scanned it. It is expecting that exact weight in the bag. I like self checkout. I can bag the stuff properly, and the lines are shorter and go faster.

[@dantheman1914]

If i was a lawyer of someone accused of stealing the defense would be did the store place the person in a position to act as an agent of the store( as a cashier) non paid, non trained on procedure, no training on equipment, no supervision , no education what so ever on how to conclude the transaction, i think id be hard pressed to find a jury to convict if its not a flagrant obvious overt theft

[@itschriscash]

Judging by the speed of the typical walmart checker, I dont think they give them any training either.

[@BigDish101]

They need to prove criminal intent. Like swapping a barcode for a cheaper item is clear criminal intent. But mis-counting your produce is not clearly criminal intent.

[@interstellarsurfer]

I've misused self-checkouts to 'correct' obviously mispriced clearance items twice over the years(i.e. - exact same item on final sale for both .99/each and .99/lb). That's mostly because the stockman at my local grocer sucks at his job, and there was no one available to fix the error - because the self-checkouts were unmanaged. I still firmly believe you should be offered at least a token discount/payment for doing the clerks job yourself, but I'm unwilling to help myself to that discount.

[@wickedbird1538]

I call self checking out as working for free for the store. I don’t steal, but I believe I deserve a discount. My husband is disabled and cannot check himself out.

[@CorgiDaddy2]

They're also a union-busting move.

[@lonewolfbieniak4210]

There are many benefits of using the automated cashiers (machines). 1. You are not bullied by cashiers to rush you through the line. That allows you to verify the prices, item by item. This is especially valuable for produce. 2. You can bag your items in a way that properly protects your food. 3. If you want to use some change to pay part/all your bill, you will not be harassed. I 100% prefer the automated teller machines. As far as theft goes, that is not my thing. Yes, I imagine it is done quite a bit, but most at very marginal rates. Note to store management: be especially aware of people who don't take all their items out of their shopping cart before they start doing the scans.