Self Check-Outs and diminishing American employment..
 

These things are driving me insane, and I don't know why people think they're the greatest things ever. I HATE the retail stores that put self check-outs in and leave ONE cashier somewhere at the other end of the store. Retail jobs have always been a safe bet to be able to have SOME kind of job if you are young, unskilled, or just need a part-time job, even if they suck to work in, they're still a JOB.. I don't know numbers, but I'm sure after the last few years of internet shopping, even from the retail giants, the amount of people employed by these companies has probably decreased quite a bit, and now they're bringing in more computers to do what has always been a humans job..

Go into your local Home Depot or supermarket that has some of these.. where they used to have a half dozen or more cashiers working, they now have 1 cashier and 8 self checkouts.. now they cut their expenses dramatically because they're only paying one person, but none of the savings is passed on to you because in effect, you are now "working" while you're at the store. It's completely ridiculous, and I have told a number of stores that I flat out refused to use them. If there's only 1 person working and a line 10 deep, I'll wait in line. Usually the cashier gets upset if theres a line that long, if they are I'll explain to them why I won't use the self check-outs, and I usually get a thank you. Even the employees usually don't understand that these things are costing them money, a lot think that it helps make their job easier..

sorry for the rant, but I definitely encourage everyone on here to think about it before they use one of these things.. all it is is big business trying to save a dime and not pass it on to you.

btw, please don't change this into a political thread. thx

Places with self checkouts run really tight margins anyway. Home Depot, Lowe's, and a lot of those types of places are known for beating up their suppliers and forcing them to make inferior products to their spec.

what actually got me going today was that my quick check has a self checkout now.. really? wtf

They're terrible because they take longer than a person if your item doesn't have a scanner/doesn't scan properly. Can't stand em

My thoughts exactly. People get to them and don't know what to do and it ends up just causing a commotion.

I think they are great. as for jobs it now takes a bunch of people to make and service them. One less idiot 17 year old drooling on themselves.

I won't use them. I go to the cashier line. WalMart started using them but now they are back to cashier's as people were having more problems with the self checkout. Plus, they have to pay someone to help people using the self checkout anyway. What does bother me is people who get in the express lane and don't use cash. Standing there waiting for the 3 people in front of me to each pay with their debit card and have to reenter their pin, then ask for cash back, then sign the receipt is not express! :-x

I go to the express lane and single swipe my credit card. No PIN, no cash back, no signing of anything. And the cashier doesn't have to make change! But I totally get the debit card deal. That does suck.

never thought of it that way. if i only have a couple things, i'll run through the self check out.

Self check out is ftw. Unless you are buying hand fulls of random PVC pipe fittings, in which you are screwed either way.

I cant stand the self checkouts. Every time i have tried to use one at different locations, something ends up not scanning and then you need a cashiers approval anyway. Not to mention the bagging set up is horrible as well...

I try to use an actual cashier unless there's a huge line...I figured the more the cashier gets used the better chance they'll keep their job.

Oh...Al....they may be 17 and drooling on themselves...what's your excuse? :D(kidding)

My local Stop & Shop has them and EVERY TIME I go through they jam-up. Either it's the bar code, or some stupid other reason which then requires the person at the end register go to your machine to punch in the number manually or has to go BACK to their NORMAL register and get it to ring up. If there are 6-8 of these machines going, if you notice this ONE person is running their AS off trying to keep ahead of all the problems. :willy:

easier to steal with the self checkouts... just saying

Cheaper than paying someone

I got carded by a self check out lane machine at Walmart for a can of model car spray paint. I refuse to use them as well.

I just like the concept of someone getting payed to watch you do the job they used to. I personally just go to the potentially quicker line.

Every time I go to pick up nuts and bolts at HD they let me go for free.

i love them... i hate dealing with stupid cashiers... i always check for a good clear barcode wen im picking up the item anyway

yeah i hate self checkouts. you should get a 10 percent off discount for using them or some sort of benefit. i dont work there....no reason for me to have to check myself out too

:confused: They're not forcing you to use self-checkout lol.

i know im just saying...given the choice between cold computer thats gonna screw up and make me feel worthless or retarded employee screwing up and watching the manager make them feel worthless im gonna go with the employee every time. i just never saw an added benefit to the machines is all im saying.

I have never had a problem with any self check out machine and i've used them at plenty of places...

HEY!! Thats me man except the drooling part, I am very happy to have a job, yes i hate it, yes it sucks but that nice $100 paycheck every Friday is nice. I am 18, in school and have low expenses but what about the person that has a family and has to help support the family with the job?

Start learning how to fix self-check out machines.