Self-service checkouts mean redundancies

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Had to go for a very rare foray into a supermarket over the weekend and I noticed with some amusement the new 'convenient facility' which supermarket chains are providing.

Essentially they had got their staff walking along the queue of shoppers at the till encouraging them to use the self service checkouts. I said to the chap I never use them because if supermarkets get away with training shoppers to use self service checkouts then the first thing they'll do is make all till staff redundant.

The staff member cogitated for a second and I was amazed to realise that this had never even occurred to him. Also the lady ahead of me turned around and said 'I never thought of that. I just find them frustrating when they won't scan but now that you mention it I see what you mean'.

Do people really not see this?

[TotalMayhem]

Do people really not see this?

Why should they? If people go shopping in a supermarket they're interested in the price tags only, 'every little' that brings down the price of the purchase 'helps', eh?

[Stephanie]

I hate these, they are stupid and usually need staff members to man them.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Thats it ... I think the supermarkets have nicked the idea from those Japanese snack shops which are effectively unmanned and coin operated.

Its a great adjustment to the retail business model because the bulk of their staff overheads would vanish as soon as the plebs (us) are trained and the technology works properly.

It certainly isn't for the 'convenience' of shoppers.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Thinking about it a little further if the supermarkets are all getting their staff to wander up and down queues encouraging shoppers to move to the self-service checkout machines there's nothing to stop said staff giving a little sigh and saying 'I suppose our jobs will go when these come up to speed'.

Said the right way and quietly it would tip people off on how to avoid redundancies in that sector if shoppers stopped using the self service checkouts and would protect jobs.

Screw the supermarkets. They make obscene profits and I don't see why shoppers should contribute to job losses in their area. I've a feeling if many of them realised it would put the kybosh on those blasted machines.

[mutley]

Thats it ... I think the supermarkets have nicked the idea from those Japanese snack shops which are effectively unmanned and coin operated.

Its a great adjustment to the retail business model because the bulk of their staff overheads would vanish as soon as the plebs (us) are trained and the technology works properly.

It certainly isn't for the 'convenience' of shoppers.

The bulk of their overheads wouldn't vanish as there are still large numbers of staff required to stack the shelves, and unpack the deleveries

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

And would they need more staff or less staff if shoppers were primarily using the selfservice checkouts?

[Legacy]

I tried them once. Never again I couldnt find a plastic bag, couldnt find my laser card, couldnt find my loyalty card, nearly lost the child, couldnt find my heart medication, was blinded by the lights that were flashing with some god forsaken warning that dire consequences would be cast upon me if I didnt lift up my handbag off the platform thingy.... oh me nerves! The embarrassment of it all....

Some poor, heart-scalded, employee had to extricate me from my predicament and steer me slowly and safely through the channel avoiding the Black Ops snipers and the EU Overlords.

I was waiting on the Dope Police to incarcerate me on the other side....

Back to the local Spar for me...That'll larn me as me Ma used to say

[Stephanie]

I tried them once. Never again I couldnt find a plastic bag, couldnt find my laser card, couldnt find my loyalty card, nearly lost the child, couldnt find my heart medication, was blinded by the lights that were flashing with some god forsaken warning that dire consequences would be cast upon me if I didnt lift up my handbag off the platform thingy.... oh me nerves! The embarrassment of it all....

Some poor, heart-scalded, employee had to extricate me from my predicament and steer me slowly and safely through the channel avoiding the Black Ops snipers and the EU Overlords.

I was waiting on the Dope Police to incarcerate me on the other side....

Back to the local Spar for me...That'll larn me as me Ma used to say

LOL you see that's the thing they are awkward to use and annoying.
Also if you must use them they are fine for one or two items. However shopping for a family of four there is no way I could use them for a full shop.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Yes but bear in mind that they are version 1.0. It won't be long before for 'the convenience of shoppers' they'll be x-raying people's bags on the way out and charging your debit card as you go out the door.

Remember to wave bye-bye to the little robot that glides along the aisles doing the shelf refilling

[mutley]

And would they need more staff or less staff if shoppers were primarily using the selfservice checkouts?

Seriously? Is that your argument to back up that the bulk of the supermarkets overheads would vanish, if self service checkouts became the alternative to the check out operator?

They would need less staff, but not at the hysteric levels you were indicating.

I take it you never worked in a supermarket

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

No but the brother in law owns one. Mutley perhaps we are misunderstanding each other but those self-service machines are not there for the shopper's convenience. They wouldn't be there if there wasn't a reason for them to exist.

Supermarkets don't tend to spend a lot of money for no reason. Machinery doesn't need a teabreak and can work 24 hours a day and they don't take sickies. That means that they are more efficient and cost effective for the supermarkets and the ultimate aim here may be complete automation.

I doubt whether the supermarkets will mantain current staffing levels for nostalgia reasons.

What I'm saying is that if shoppers make it plain that they prefer staffed checkouts/supermarkets then it stops the automation plan in its tracks.

The only thing that concerns supermarket bosses and shareholders are margins and the bottom line.

At the moment shopper's opinions matter because if they just say 'I prefer dealing with a human' that message will get back.

[Stephanie]

Machines do take sickies, they break down and need a human to fix them. We are not quite in the robots taking over era?!

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Not yet. But mobile phones only had a couple of hours battery time 10-15 years ago. Now they can run the security system on your house and turn the washing machine on and off while you are at work.

[mutley]

No but the brother in law owns one. Mutley perhaps we are misunderstanding each other but those self-service machines are not there for the shopper's convenience. They wouldn't be there if there wasn't a reason for them to exist.

Supermarkets don't tend to spend a lot of money for no reason. Machinery doesn't need a teabreak and can work 24 hours a day and they don't take sickies. That means that they are more efficient and cost effective for the supermarkets and the ultimate aim here may be complete automation.

I doubt whether the supermarkets will mantain current staffing levels for nostalgia reasons.

What I'm saying is that if shoppers make it plain that they prefer staffed checkouts/supermarkets then it stops the automation plan in its tracks.

The only thing that concerns supermarket bosses and shareholders are margins and the bottom line.

At the moment shopper's opinions matter because if they just say 'I prefer dealing with a human' that message will get back.

I don't disagree with anything you are saying except I felt you were exaggerating the level of reduced cost to the supermarket

I once used those self service checkouts to buy toiletaries for 8 people, each persons had to checked out and paid for separately, never would I use them again