Humans versus machines in the checkout lane

Now for something completely different, let’s talk about a critical issue that divides Americans.

Are you a self-checkout team or a human cashier on the team?

Some people like to self-checkout. Others, not so much.

A man named Spencer from Texas found the Facebook post and shared it with his followers on X, formerly Twitter, last Sunday. The Facebook post was directed to Target, Walmart, Aldi, Home Depot and other outlets with self-checkout kiosks.

“You go almost exclusively to self-checkout now. The lady who was checking receipts at the exit had everyone stop. I didn’t choose to participate in this nonsense; I already had:

“I filled my cart.

“I emptied my cart.

“Items have been cleared.

“Refill my cart.

“So I crossed the line and left…

“You can either trust me to do self-checkout, or you can put your cashiers back where they were before,” the post said.

It received 19,000 likes and 6,300 reposts. It clearly struck a nerve.

Self checkout has been around for 30 years. However, its increasing use is generating strong opinions. Perhaps this is a generational thing, with younger shoppers flocking to self-checkout while the rest of us, more experienced shoppers, long for the good old days when humans had jobs.

We should ask Generation Z, why they like self-payment. It doesn’t matter, they have their AirPods.

Bring up the issue at Christmas dinner and watch the sparks fly. But it’s a lot better than fighting over the ex-president you know.

Personally, I’m ambivalent when it comes to self-pay. If I’m at a big box home improvement store and need to buy a bunch of wood screws, I’m happy to use the kiosk and be on my way. Same thing at the grocery store if I’m rushing to grab a loaf of bread, a bottle of milk, and a stick of butter.

But if I have a cart full of groceries, including fruits and vegetables that need to be weighed, and alcoholic beverages that require government proof of my advanced years, I look for a real person to man the old cash register.

Did I find everything I needed? Yes I did, thanks.

As you may have noticed, a fleet of self-checkout lanes is generally monitored by a single employee. They move from kiosk to kiosk, checking IDs and correcting shoppers. The light over your lane may be blinking desperately, but it may be a while before this poor soul fixes your problem. Any minute now.

Self-checkout was sold as a huge time saver. Arrive at the store in your flying car, pick up replacement lightsaber batteries and purchase them easily without queues or the need to chat. A modern miracle.

This didn’t exactly work. On busy shopping days, there are lines of people waiting for an available booth. Then there is the aforementioned wait for help. There is also the realization that you are performing a task that someone was getting paid to do. The words “corporate chump” come to mind.

At the grocery store I frequented often, there was an express checkout lane, which held 12 items or less, and was staffed by two cashiers. Sure, some disgruntled people submitted 30 items, but it still seems fast. Self-payment doesn’t seem to be much of an improvement.

I won’t name the store even though I found smiles all over the aisle. And sometimes armed guards.

Which brings us to why some retailers are rethinking self-checkout. We cannot be trusted. Any thrift stores may have realized this by replacing humans with scanners Eaten by theft.

In the retail game this is known as “downsizing.” And In November, CNN reported A study showed that retailers who use self-checkout in the United States, Britain, and Europe are seeing a shrinkage rate of 4 percent. That seems like a lot of cabbage.

So much so that British grocery chain Booths is Check out all self-checkout kiosks From its stores. Walmart has pulled its devices from some stores in New Mexico. Costco is considering hiring more employees to supervise self-checkouts. Apparently, non-members were sneaking in to buy packages of toilet paper by the metric ton. Who knows?

Certainly no such deception occurs in Iowa. It wouldn’t be nice in Iowa to check out the bananas and wrap your ribeye steak. You can always trust us to do the right thing, or so I’ve heard.

My biggest problem with self-pay is that it means fewer jobs for teens. You can learn a lot by working and smiling, of course, in the hallways, at the cash register, and in back rooms where only employees see you. I know the work isn’t as hard as working in commercial freezers or meat packing plants, but you’ll likely finish your shift with all your numbers.

Ironically, if you want actual human contact, ordering groceries online is a good option. People will shop to fulfill your request.

They’ll send you text messages like, “We’re currently out of Hy-Vee Classic Eggnog…can we replace it with the item in the picture on the shelf?”

Yes. Thanks.

This is the real human drama. A diligent shopper texted me at a critical moment. Eggnog Hanging in the Balance Will my vacations be ruined or saved? Do you believe in Christmas miracles? Yes!

Very good luck with your non-electronic holiday shopping and having your Christmas feast. You may find a smiling human waiting to help you, or a free self-checkout kiosk.

Which raises another issue. Paper, plastic or reusable bag?

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