'It hasn't delivered': The spectacular failure of self-checkout technology

ooli@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 513 points –
'It hasn't delivered': The spectacular failure of self-checkout technology
bbc.com
425

You are viewing a single comment

Ok now I am curious where you live that you have to provide ID to shop. Here in the US we scan the items and then swipe our payment card, the ID is only used to check your age for tobacco and alcohol purchases which can’t be sold to minors. An employee has to come look at the ID to make sure a minor hasn’t borrowed someone else’s, so it doesn’t even get scanned. Employees just swipe their work badge and confirm that they checked your age.

As for the pain, a lot of self checkout systems have very limited space and can be awkward to run all your items through. Manned stations have the conveyor so you can unload multiple items from your cart at a time to be scanned. They also have more end space so you can have room to bag everything if you are doing a big shopping trip.

I think they mean ID as store loyalty card and/or membership card. Not actual government issued ID.

I think they may be talking about the "discount" tracker cards. The ones which you fill out an application to get, so you can get the special "discount" (really what the price used to be).

I would assume they meant something like a CostCo proof of membership ID.

This is how self checkouts at CostCo work in the US, however they are pretty good about having plenty of regular cashiers available as well.

Exactly, a membership id to checkout the wireless scanner that you have with you in the store.