Self Checkouts Prove How Stupid People Are

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) -- When Keith Wearne goes grocery shopping, checking out with a cashier is worth the few extra moments, rather than risking that a self-serve machine might go awry and delay him even more.
Most shoppers side with Wearne, studies show. And with that in mind, some grocery store chains nationwide are bagging the do-it-yourself option, once considered the wave of the future, in the name of customer service.
"It's just more interactive," Wearne said during a recent shopping trip at Manchester's Big Y Foods. "You get someone who says hello; you get a person to talk to if there's a problem."
Big Y Foods, which has 61 locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, recently became one of the latest to announce it was phasing out the self-serve lanes. Some other regional chains and major players, including some Albertsons locations, have also reduced their unstaffed lanes and added more clerks to traditional lanes.
Market studies cited by the Arlington, Va.-based Food Marketing Institute found only 16 percent of supermarket transactions in 2010 were done at self-checkout lanes in stores that provided the option. That's down from a high of 22 percent three years ago.
Overall, people reported being much more satisfied with their supermarket experience when they used traditional cashier-staffed lanes.
Supermarket chains started introducing self-serve lanes about 10 years ago, touting them as an easy way for shoppers to scan their own items' bar codes, pay, bag their bounty and head out on their way. Retailers also anticipated a labor savings, potentially reducing the number of cashier shifts as they encouraged shoppers to do it themselves.
The reality, though, was mixed. Some shoppers loved them and were quick converts, while other reactions ranged from disinterest to outright hatred -- much of it shared on blogs or in Facebook groups.
An internal study by Big Y found delays in its self-service lines caused by customer confusion over coupons, payments and other problems; intentional and accidental theft, including misidentifying produce and baked goods as less-expensive varieties; and other problems that helped guide its decision to bag the self-serve lanes.

I was 12 years old when Stop & Shop first put in the self check out lanes and since Day 1 I was able to figure out the futuristic money computer with the crazy technology and it has always been my first choice. The woman who says she enjoys having a cashier that says "Hello." Thats what makes your shopping experience? Newsflash toots self check out says Hello, Thank you for Shopping at Stop & Shop, If You Have A Stop and Shop Card Please Scan It Now. You think that pimple faced geek with emo hair and gages cares about your Stop & Shop Card and saving your hard earned money? UMM NO! Lady just admit you dont know how to use technology that 2 year olds can master. Its all good. Your generation fought the wars that gave shit heads like me the freedoms to be lazy and understand technology and for that I thank you, just as long as you stay out of the self checkout so it remains the fastest option.


I made a list of the most annoying people to be behind in the self checkout lane.

1. The Woman That Pays With a Check - What the hell is a check anyway?
2. Coupon Lady - The woman who scans in about 37 coupons and saves 19 cents.
3. Guy Who Pays In All $1 Bills - Yeah $1 bills can be annoying but if your gonna pay your $300 grocery bill in all ones please go to a cashier, trust me it's much faster.
4. Old People - They are brilliant people in almost everything just cant grasp the almighty touch screen. They need the manager to come reset the machine every 30 seconds. Also the above three issues apply. And if I'm behind this old timer in line that means he's getting to his car first and now my 5 minute ride home takes 20 minutes.