Walmart, Costco and other companies rethink self-checkout, some stores removing them

return2ozma@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 646 points –
Walmart, Costco and other companies rethink self-checkout | CNN Business
cnn.com
355

You are viewing a single comment

I used to hate self checkout. I was a cashier at a grocery store back in 2004-2005 and I found self check out slow and finnicky.

I've gotten used to them now and it seems like newer ones have resolved most of the speed and weight sensing issue. Now I prefer them with small trips.

My biggest problems now are that I still need a person for booze and coupons. If I could just scan my damn ID when I'm buying beer, and then scan and insert my own coupons, I'd be set.

Scanning your own ID probably won't be a thing since it won't be able to determine whether the ID belongs to you or not.

Also I would not do so because of privacy issues. The main ID in my country doesn't have scannable parts anyway, but even if it did, I would much rather not give a store a chance to record some of my personal data like that.

You'd love what one of my local stores does then - they give you the option to register your fingerprints after they check your ID for when you want to buy booze in the self checkout!

In my state, stores already scan the ID when buying booze. It isn't all the time, but it's fairly requent.

I was shocked a few weeks ago that I had to get an assistant override for buying DayQuil. I mean I guess it makes sense but I would have gone through a regular cashier lane if I had known. They should be able to scan your ID considering most of them have cameras on them now.

The dayquil thing totally threw me for a loop once, too. It was before self check out, and I thought the cashier was asking for my club card and said no thanks. It took a second for her to explain.

There are a few places that let you self checkout booze. Don’t ask me how it’s legal, but they do it.