Self Check Out or Use Cashier | GTAMotorcycle.com

Self Check Out or Use Cashier

nakkers

nakkers

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Save jobs or do it yourself?

Wife hates them.

Told her I used to have a paper route and they don’t exist anymore.

I don’t see the sense in waiting in line to have someone stand there and swipe purchases, take payment and hand me a receipt.

I’d rather the store have knowledgeable employees that can assist me with any questions I may have.

Is using the cashier at Shoppers saving a job and a good social justice cause?

Felt judgemental customer eyes glaring at me when I used the self check out but, I didn’t want to stand in line waiting to cash out.

I use the Timmie’s app to process my order and love walking into and grabbing my purchase and leave walking past everyone standing in line.

Personally, don’t see the need to speak to anyone one.

I use Amazon and eBay for other things.

But I also drive to a parts supplier for British Sports Cars because the guy knows his stuff and when I order something, the dude asks me questions or provides advise about the job I’m doing. So, I’m happy to hand over my cash to his business because there is value dealing with him.

I could buy the parts on line and if I did, eventually he goes out of business.

I’m conflicted. I want convenience and service and cheap and quality. I want to all.

How about you?


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I use them often simply because they're often faster vs sitting in line. I'm the poster boy for murphys law, so whatever line I pick I'll get stuck behind someone clipping coupons, asking for a price check, sitting with an item with no tag, trying to check out 50 items in the 10 items or less express lane, or counting their nickels.

With a self checkout, I'm scanned and out almost always quicker. And sometimes I just don't want to talk to anyone, being an omnivert.

It's also a misnomer that these things do nothing except take away jobs. There's companies that maintain and repair them - one of my friends is one of those guys. They're skilled trades people who make a good dime. Without those machines, there would be less guys like him out there making way more than a minimum wage cashier. Is it a 100% trade off? No. But there ARE additional jobs created in the manufacturing and operation of self checkouts, something most people forget.
 
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I try to use the self checkout as often as I can, especially somewhere like Walmart where they have 2 or 3 of 20 registers open and I just don't want to wait. Having said that, I'll also sit in the Timmy's drive through for 20 minutes instead of running in and saving 15 minutes.
 
for a single or a few items, yes, the self checkout
for a bunch of stuff, no

the CTC one is funny
there's a gal with a pack of CTC money to hand out after you pay
that's about all she has to do....must be a long day
 
Is so easy! you just stand there staring blankly at the machine like an idiot and then the nice lady comes over and helps you.
 
Every time I've tried to use a self, mostly at airports, it won't read ****, and I end up having to go back to the line I was in.

Kids, are in school, and some need cashier jobs, so I support their needs.
 
Walmart has gone totally self checkout.I just go to Customer Service.
 
PrivatePilot said:
It's also a misnomer that these things do nothing except take away jobs. There's companies that maintain and repair them - one of my friends is one of those guys. They're skilled trades people who make a good dime. Without those machines, there would be less guys like him out there making way more than a minimum wage cashier. Is it a 100% trade off? No. But there ARE additional jobs created in the manufacturing and operation of self checkouts, something most people forget.
Click to expand...

Except that the number of jobs created by one company making self-checker-outer machines is far fewer than the thousands of people put out of work by them. As well, the people losing the check-out jobs are often termed "most vulnerable"; they are often students or older people working to supplement pension income to make ends meet. Or they're middle-aged people with limited socio-economic mobility; they often have limited skills, limited training, limited education with little prospect of things improving.

There's an old nugget that goes something like:

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

I'm reminded of it when I think of automation: First automation came for the "lowly" jobs but everyone else was okay with it because it made things a bit more convenient for them. But as automation becomes more advanced, more and more jobs higher up the food-chain will be at risk. People being smug now about self-checkouts or Timmy's kiosks now might well be the next victims of this trend.

I don't know if there's a fix for this trend; probably not. But it's worth at least thinking further ahead than the next 10 seconds you might save because that checkout person is now out of a job.
 
You can not use it, or go to customer service, or avoid the store. It wont matter, this is the new future. So many have moved to online shopping for items, ordering groceries for pickup or delivery. Brick and mortar retailers will cut costs where they can and the checkout is an easy fix.
Times they are a changing.
 
^ That's about right. I ain't got time for the people who want to waste time chit-chatting with the cashier.
 
Brian P said:
^ That's about right. I ain't got time for the people who want to waste time chit-chatting with the cashier.
Click to expand...

You'll probably end up waiting behind a bunch of old folks confused by the machines and lasers & UPC codes and touch-panels and "where do i put my quarter and loonies?" and "oh, my card? oh...what's the PINthingy again..." etc. You'll still end up standing there like Peter Griffin waiting for Robert Loggia to spell his name out...

 
Wingboy said:
Walmart has gone totally self checkout.I just go to Customer Service.
Click to expand...
Walmart here has an Express checkout with 5 people in line and 1 or 2 cashiers. Right next to it is the self checkout with 5 people in line, and 1 cashier helping. Much further down, are two open checkouts, which I normally use.
 
An FLSTC early morning story for you -

I had an ‘experience’ with a cashier one time at Canadian Tire. I needed a rubber exhaust hanger and first they said they’re out on the shelf (I had already checked) then I had to go through the make/model computer hoo ha so they could find the part number (I had checked online before I went in). The older gent helping me was a little slow. When he got the part number he went in the back and I missed telling him I wanted 2 of the part, but thought that would just add to the agony of a slow experience.

But coincidentally, I had just listened to a podcast where Jordan Petersen was interviewing a neurosurgeon/research-scientist. JP says that 12% of the population is below a level of intelligence/IQ to be able to perform succesfully in life’s endeavors, e.g. employment.

As the guy was in the back, getting my part, I realized, hey - this guy is most likely in the lower 12%. So I just calmed myself and decided to give him a break and just endure what I would normally consider poor customer service. They guy helping me had to ask the parts counter guy for some help in the back room, and although the parts guy’s face looked gruff, he helped him without complaint.

So I had my one part and the slow-guy cashed me out. I paid cash and he was slow in making change - looked like he was taking time to slect the bills for my change. But with my new understanding, I was patient.

Then I realized that the manager of the store must be aware that this guy is slow and must be going out of his way to employ the guy and let him participate in normal employment. Same for the parts guy - helping him out where I’d expect coworkers may an attitude of ‘I have to do your job as well’... And the risk for making mistakes with cash or being vulnerable to customer-scammers.

God-bless the manager of that store.
 
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