Grocery stores plan to fire all of their checkers and replace them with robots:
These dozen self-checkout machines are a test program at the QFC on Broadway, a store employee tells me, and that if all goes well, QFC will install them in all of its roughly 80 stores. The employee expects “at least 100” people will be laid off as a result. And the person also notes that, “They are always looking for an excuse to fire people.” God, the indignity of being fired and replaced by one of these infuriating boxes (which aren’t difficult to use but are tedious and make me think twice about buying bar-code-free produce).
Been using them for a year plus, and when they work they are fast, but when they have a problem its a problem. Not to mention I always forget the code that tell the machine I have my own canvas bags.
If you’re seeking out mechanical purity, Trader Joe’s and Safeway’s got none of these things ;P
Really, checkers are not obsolete. The auto-checkstands are express lane checkstands, since you can’t physically bag a large order there yourself. Every store that has them requires the same 15 items or less an express checkstand would require. When I make a big shopping trip, in fact, I like having a checker/bagger bag my groceries to make sure the weight’s distributed properly, since I have to hand carry them home. Sure, you lose the express checkers, but we’re talking 1-2 stands. It moves people along faster and allows the remaining checkers to focus on moving the larger orders through quicker, which improves customer service and helps get people out of the supermarket faster… plus orders from the elderly and others who struggle with the electronic checkstands.
P.S. Andy, toss your cloth bags on the belt in front of your groceries. That’ll get their attention.
P.P.S. Or at least the Safeways I’ve seen have not. I’m guessing if any have them, they’re among the minority. But I know Trader Joe’s totally does not.
They must be counting on the general honesty of the American populace. It’s pretty easy to scan one item and then put several down on the scale simultaneously, and the underpaid attendant doesn’t care and can’t watch 10 people simultaneously.
Buying bulk items through the self-checkout is a pain in the ass. I can’t imagine produce is much easier. But there are usually only self-checkout machines available on the west side of the Broadway Market QFC, so I put up with it.
I can’t wait for Dominic’s ‘A Thousand Joints Alight’ speech.
Y’know, I totally don’t mind using these for medium-to-small shopping trips. But if I had to use these for a big shopping trip I would want to shoot myself. For one thing, the process is effin’ slow, what with all the repetitions of “please place the item in the bag” blah blah blah. And for another, there isn’t that much counter space for buying more than a few items.
When we went to pump-it-yourself gasoline, it was to save a significant amount on the cost per gallon. The savings from check-it-yourself groceries, however, accrue not to the customer but to the store, 100%.
First time I walk into a QFC and see this setup, I’m gone for good.
Dominic, have you really been that high for the last, oh, decade? These are not a new phenomenon, nor are union complaints about them. But the unions and their employees are still around.
And yes, if your pot-addled brain can’t remember the 4-digit code for your produce either from the time you carry it from the produce section to the register or from the last time you bought 47 of whatever munchie-style fruit you desired, then you should avoid purchasing such items from the robots.
I’d like to second all the people who mentioned how easy it is to steal with these things. If the one cashier overseeing the check-outs isn’t paying attention or is helping someone else, it’s so easy to bag a couple of things at once.
http://www.theginblog.com/2007/12/hackin…
OK…about this stealing thing.
There’s a small, domed overhead camera at each check-out station that records whether or not you scan an item before bagging it. So even if the attendant misses it on his/her screen, there’s a visual record of it. Do you think grocery chains didn’t consider every shoplifting possibility involved when they installed the self-check kiosks?
So, aside from it being morally wrong (and it is) to steal (even from an over-priced grocery store), there’s the real possibility that sooner or later, you’re going to get caught, and if you are, it’s going to cost you A LOT more in legal costs than the price of the item(s) you’ve lifted. Plus, you probably will be spending at least some time in jail with some very, very creepy people.
Using the self-check kiosks to rip-off groceries is not recommended. Sorry to be a killjoy.
And all the Safeways in Vancouver, BC have self-check now.
These things are great when it comes to getting in and out of the store quickly– especially during off-peak hours. Quit complaining!
Think about it in terms of “number of checkout stations per square foot.” Looking at that picture, you could *maybe* fit in 6 regular checkout lanes compared to 12 self-checkout lanes. It might take 10-15% longer to check out on one of these machines, but lines just got half as long. But that’s not entirely true, either. Most places schedule manned registers such that lines will be 2-5 people long no matter how busy the store is. With unmanned registers, this is no longer the case. During off-peak hours there are rarely lines at the self-check stations.
To me, this is not much different than pumping your own gas and paying with a debit card at the pump. All that said, still I feel bad for anyone who loses a job due to this type of streamlining.
58. I’m guessing you don’t live near Broadway or LQA.
@24 The fact that food costs have been on the decline suggests they do. Not to mention our good friend competition kicks in. If QFC does this they can undercut Safeway and in turn force them to cut costs and lower price. Pretty much everything is cheaper today then it was in the past hence why we have a lot more shit.
Only in anti-corporatist fantasy world do long term excessive profits margins persist.
I hate these fucking machines. Like, I really fucking hate them.
I don’t believe these machines are replacing anyone: QFC on 15th still has four employees standing around at all times…talking about grocery store shifts.
As for me: I already have a shitty job, I don’t want another. Catch me waiting in line with the check-writing grannies. F those machines.
There ya go, Seattle.
Always in the forefront of things.
It’s not like I’ve been using these machines for years here in Kent at Fred Meyer and Top Food.
And yeah, they still have check out people…these are for the 12 items or less crowd. But since most people are techno-peasants, it usually takes us about 10 minutes to run a loaf of bread and some vegetables through.
John Henry need not worry…
The QFC ones seem to be extra difficult, versus Fred Meyers or others. It seems like they just upgraded the operating system, but I still have to fetch an attendant about 50% of the times I use them.
The scale freaks out. The bag stand decides weights don’t match up. A stray screen touch based on a too-slow or too-fast screen refresh throws a monkeywrench into things… I know these are some sort of security protocol but they are frustrating enough to make me use human cashiers whenever possible. And I don’t even like people.
I’ll be excited to use them once they get the bugs worked out, but I don’t think QFC’s machines are there yet.
You’ve already failed if you can be replaced by a machine.
@69, I’d guess offhand that 98% of the commenters and writers on Slog could be replaced by a few lines of software coding or else done away with instantly, with no impact to their employer. Do any of us perform any valued service for humanity? Considering the amount of time many posters apparently spend on this site, never mind others, all day and night, I’m guessing no.
I don’t know about 98%, but I’m sure you could write software that would be an improvement on Will in Seattle’s posts.