Self-check out

NotaSuv

WOW do stores realize the $$$$$ being taken right out the front door due to self check outs....was at the store and watched a lady with at least $500 of steak go next to me rung up 2 packs of burgers and not the WHOLE tenderloins in the cart paid under 20 and left.....wife watched a man with 2 TVs ring up one pay and leave with 2

Viking64

At the WalMart near me, there is always a clerk standing close by that has a tablet on which they can see what is being scanned at each of the 6 self checkout registers. They can call store security at the touch of a button. I would rather just see the offending thief's head explode. "Clean up at self register 4."

daddyjt

I have worked in retail most of my life. I currently manage a local ranch and home store selling tools, agriculture products, firearms and ammunition, and western clothing. I have always, in all my retail endeavors, placed a very high value on my cashiers. I will immediately correct anyone in my organization that makes the statement "...just a cashier..." by pointing out that the cashier is the MOST important employee in the store, as they are the only ones that take money from a customer and put it in the till. If we don't do that, nothing else we are doing really matters. Employees making that statement are also usually rewarded with an 8 hour shift on the registers, just to see how complex that job can be, with not just sales but returns, gift cards, AR accounts, tax exempt sales and the myriad list of other questions they are asked. My cashiers rock.

mhardy6647

Have a good friend who was president (now retired) of a small savings bank (3 branches) in B-more. He would say the same of their tellers.

Tony M

I think it was the man who started ROSS discount stores that said, wherever there is a cash register and a human being, there will always be temptation to steal from the till.

I think half the population are opportunistic thiefs. 1/4 are borderline and the other 1/4, honest as can be.

treitz3

It is their own damned fault.

Tom

gudnoyez

I was at Costco a while back busy as usual couple people in front of me when someone directed me to the self checkout lane so I didnt have to wait.

I told her that I pay for a membership and therefore I wont be checking myself out, should of seen the look on her face. I would rather have interaction with a human being while shopping all these self checkouts well cost people thier jobs.

Toolfan66

If they stop you just tell them they should have trained you better..

pitdogg2

They catch you here it's not shoplifting they charge you with burglary.
It's just not worth it. Our stores have multiple cameras at each register. Overhead, two side and two at bag and scan level.
I freaking hate the self check out but so many have went to it at almost every store.

VR3

I'm all about time and efficiency, if that means self check out then it is what it is.

I don't stop at gas stations for much but most of the sheetz in my area added 3 self check outs per store... Talk about a game changer for grabbing something fast. No one buying cigarettes or lottery tickets at those bad boys. In and out with a drink or a snack in 30 seconds

sucks2beme

The local CVS now only supports self checkout.
One grocery store has two tradition belt type self checkouts
Great idea, so you can scan everything and bag when done.
If I have more than a couple of things, I'm not using the mini
Self checkouts. Nowhere to bag and set your stuff.

Jimbo18

I work at a big box store and was buying a few small items one day. I scanned them and then clicked on Pay Now (or whatever is says). It didn't seem right but I put my card in and it charged me less than I expected it to be.

I checked the receipt and it was actually different items than what I bought. I took it to Customer Service and they said it has happened before. Someone scans their items and then leaves without paying. It remains in the system until the next person tries to scan something but it looks legit to the person observing the half dozen checkout registers.

TEAforONE

It seems many retailers are tripping over $100’s to pick up pennies.

treitz3

At Sam's Club, they have self scanning and self checkout. The wife and I tried the self scan this past weekend. We shopped and as we added things into the cart, we scanned them and added a quantity, if over one. Pretty easy and zero glitches.

We were at the back of the store and within about 5 minutes (long walk), we were out in the parking lot, getting into the vehicle to head off....items already loaded into the vehicle. Usually after 5 minutes at this same Sam's Club, we would still be waiting for 3 or 4 more people in line with carts slam full of items.

I made a comment to my wife that this feels like we are "stealing" from them. I'm not used to not waiting in line to check out.....but I will be (at least here) moving forward. In 5 minutes, we were driving off when typically when we are done shopping, it takes up about 20-25 minutes to go through the line, load up the car and head out on our merry way.

With that said, I can completely see how criminals will take advantage of the "trust" these stores place on people. There are way too many ways to cheat the system or get out of the store with items not paid for. I will not try it because I was raised better than that and I have morals, but alas, criminals do not. They won't even think twice about it.

The sad thing is that corporations that do this are just trying to save a buck, when in the long term, it will only cost the honest people more, so that the stores can recover from all of the Shenanigan's the criminals pull.

Tom

Toolfan66

^^^FACT^^^

sucks2beme

Let's face it why would they even pretend to scan.
Most are just rolling the cart out the door.
As previous stated, I don't mind the self serve if
they lay it out properly. Packing in 10 mini self serve
Checkouts in a small space is just stupid. if it's a PITA
That is going to just make everyone angry.
And did you ever try to buy a small bag of nuts or bolts
at Lowe's and have it lock up because the scale didn't
sense it in the bagging area?

msg

Speaking of Sam's - have you guys tried their app if the self-checkouts are backed up? It's a little finicky with having to enable location access and wifi, but once you're up and running, you can scan from your cart and roll through.

I do prefer the hand-held scanner they have at the checkout stations for efficiency.

I make a game of my grocery runs. If during off hours, I can hit like 5 or 6 places, in and out - out and back again in 1.5 to 2hrs. I have a route. Eff traffic. Eff people. Eff waiting in lines.

And eff the thieves. I'm pretty sure I saw a "gentleman" get soft-busted one time at Sam's - "something-something, oh we didn't meant to keep that. Let me go run that back." I think this was in earlier days before stores were catching on to what people were doing, but I don't know how long this has been going on, really. I think the burglars take advantage of intimidating store staff into not wanting to deal with the confrontation. This one woman wasn't having it, though. Little lady, big man.

invalid

Sam's club has people at the door when you are leaving that scan 3 items in your cart, unless you know what 3 items they are going to scan I don't see how someone could leave without paying for all their items.

treitz3

I don't know about your area but no one down here ever goes in for just a handful of easily countable items. Most people leave with a full cart (on average). There is no way that one person could correctly count the amount of items in some most of these carts I see go out. Lots of room to hide things, slide things into another product, hide something under a heavy product, slide things in between layers of clothes/towels and the like.

While there may be "security" with just a few items, there isn't when carts start to get full. Full carts become a criminal's dream.

While they may have camera's that monitor every area of the store but the bathrooms, there is no way that they have the staff to monitor everyone in the store, the entire time they are in there. If that were the case, they'd probably just add more staff members at the POS/registers so that the criminals no longer have the chance for bountiful opportunities of thievery.

Tom

VR3

When I worked the music store, we had on camera a lady stealing a trumpet and an oboe under her dress, no one in the store could tell or knew and she walked out the front door none the wiser

scubalab

Has anyone seen the Amazon "Just Walk Out" stores? We saw one at the Nashville Airport. Cool concept, but can't see it being cost effective with all of the electronics and computer systems involved that need constant upkeep. The one we saw was actually experiencing some technical glitches and there was an "employee" directing people to NOT use one of the exit lanes.

I don't know... too much 'big brother' for me with this one!

https://justwalkout.com/

On another note, I shouldn't have to pay for bags at a higher end grocery store. I understand places like Aldi that pass the savings on to the customers, but I was at Wegmans a few weeks ago and they gave me the option of buying reusable shopping bags or paying a quarter/bag for paper bags. I'm sorry, but if your prices are already at a premium, include the damn bag! What's next - will McD's start charging for the sandwich wrapper?

sucks2beme

Pay bags suck. But I would be thrilled to have a Wegman's around here.
Kroger is the big player here, and I don't like anything about them.
I go to Aldi's a lot, but for some things I don't get a choice.
I got so pissed at them one day I just left the cart in line and
Walked away. Horrible store management seems to be their
Calling card.

pitdogg2

Walked away. Horrible store management seems to be their
Calling card.

Aldi? OH yea! You have a job at one of their stores here in Illinois, that means you work at any of them in a 60mi radius. My retired uncle is of the mindset if Aldi doesn't have it he dosen't need it. Unfortunately my mindset is whatever Aldi has I don't need it, no matter how cheap it is.

TEAforONE

scubalab wrote: »

Has anyone seen the Amazon "Just Walk Out" stores? We saw one at the Nashville Airport. Cool concept, but can't see it being cost effective with all of the electronics and computer systems involved that need constant upkeep. The one we saw was actually experiencing some technical glitches and there was an "employee" directing people to NOT use one of the exit lanes.

I don't know... too much 'big brother' for me with this one!

https://justwalkout.com/

On another note, I shouldn't have to pay for bags at a higher end grocery store. I understand places like Aldi that pass the savings on to the customers, but I was at Wegmans a few weeks ago and they gave me the option of buying reusable shopping bags or paying a quarter/bag for paper bags. I'm sorry, but if your prices are already at a premium, include the damn bag! What's next - will McD's start charging for the sandwich wrapper?

I live in the area where Wegmans started. It was,in fact,my first employer. I avoid the place as much as possible. Danny W. doesn’t carry or sell anything that isn’t a money maker. There are no lost leaders. If you are looking for a big brand name,they may not carry it. It depends on profit. A significant amount of the products they sell carry the Wegman name. He certainly isn’t going to give anything away that he can make money on. As a side note,in the 70’s Wegmans actually sold clothes. Not profitable enough,so out they went.

mhardy6647

in re: Pay bags... amusing bit of data on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me! last week...
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/17/1143657467/wait-wait-for-dec-17-2022-with-not-my-job-guest-andrew-bird
Skip up to about 31 minutes on their audio to hear the item. :

They don't, apparently, post transcripts of their shows any more but an oridnary cotton tote bag needs to be reused 7100 times to offset the overall impact of its production. An organic cotton bag: 20,000 times.
Paper bags? 43 times.
Polypropylene or polyester? 52 times.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-many-times-must-bag-reused-more-environmentally-friendly-chua/
https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/style/cotton-totes-climate-crisis.amp.html#

msg

What about these ripstop polyester ones?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073FGBK2L

Wait wait, don't tell me - trafficking.
annnd by simple fact of distribution through Amazon, prob a bunch of other stuff that's bad for people and the world in general? You can carry so much crap in these things. They used to have some orange ones but I guess those didn't sell very well. I liked them. Which, whenever I like something, it means it's all but guaranteed to be discontinued.

invalid

treitz3 wrote: »

I don't know about your area but no one down here ever goes in for just a handful of easily countable items. Most people leave with a full cart (on average). There is no way that one person could correctly count the amount of items in some most of these carts I see go out. Lots of room to hide things, slide things into another product, hide something under a heavy product, slide things in between layers of clothes/towels and the like.

While there may be "security" with just a few items, there isn't when carts start to get full. Full carts become a criminal's dream.

While they may have camera's that monitor every area of the store but the bathrooms, there is no way that they have the staff to monitor everyone in the store, the entire time they are in there. If that were the case, they'd probably just add more staff members at the POS/registers so that the criminals no longer have the chance for bountiful opportunities of thievery.

Tom

I didn't mean they only buy a few items, they scan 3 items randomly in your cart. Anyone sliding something into another item is going to steal regardless of the way you checkout.

F1nut

pitdogg2 wrote: »

Walked away. Horrible store management seems to be their
Calling card.

Aldi? OH yea! You have a job at one of their stores here in Illinois, that means you work at any of them in a 60mi radius. My retired uncle is of the mindset if Aldi doesn't have it he dosen't need it. Unfortunately my mindset is whatever Aldi has I don't need it, no matter how cheap it is.

I walked into an Aldi once, saw you had to drop a quarter to use a shopping cart...turned around and walked out. Yes, I was aware you get the $.25 back, still FT.

verb

msg wrote: »

Speaking of Sam's - have you guys tried their app if the self-checkouts are backed up? It's a little finicky with having to enable location access and wifi, but once you're up and running, you can scan from your cart and roll through.

We use the app at Sam's. Very handy, but I can easily see thieves getting away with items not rung up, especially if you have a whole cart full of stuff.

I use the self check out at Home Depot and Lowe's, but they still have to check my ID for the military veteran discount. Got some looks from others in line behind me waiting for the clerk to verify and enter their code. Kinda like the price check of old.

I've also ordered stuff from both of them on-line and used the deliver to your vehicle option. Lowe's was great, you check in with the app, tell em what parking spot you're in, and they load the items for you. Home Depot in my area is not so great. I've checked in multiple times and then called the front desk 20 minutes later to remind them I'm here. When it works well, very handy and nice feature if you need something specific. Especially larger items where you would need help anyways.

Both Lowe's and Home Depot have lockers in front where you can order smaller items on line. When ready you get an email with a bar code, scan it in, and your locker pops open. Super efficient and and handy too.

tratliff

…

treitz3

You aren't alone with your thoughts. When these so called self check out and self order things came out, my first thought was.....where is my discount for performing YOUR duties?

You just don't call something "convenient" and close down every other register but one in a 12 to 14 lane store. That's BS. If you want me to work for you? Where's my savings?

Some of these self checkout/ordering places are actually asking for a tip too! Unreal.

Tom