How do you feel about the self-checkout lanes in retail and grocery stores?
Back in January, we asked this question on our social media pages:
How often do you use self-checkout when shopping at a store with that option? Do you prefer using self-check or checking out with a cashier?
We knew this was a hot topic, but we had no idea we’d hear from so many of you! We received so many comments on this post, and panel members had very strong opinions.
Got an opinion on self-checkout? Leave us a comment and let us know!
What Exactly is Self-Checkout?
You’ve probably seen it at a store near you, but self-checkout is basically a way for customers at a business to complete their transaction without assistance from another person. There are several ways a business can implement it, and many different types of businesses offer some form of self-checkout.
Typically, we think about big-box retail and grocery stores where there’s a separate space for self-checkout, and customers not only scan their own items but also bag their own items, often without any interaction with the store’s staff.
Restaurants and other small businesses have also started to implement various self-check options and contactless ordering, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we’re going to focus on self-checkout in retail and grocery stores.
Where Did Self-Checkout Come From?
David Humble, the president of an electronics company, was waiting in line at a grocery store. He was fed up with the slow-moving cashier, grabbed the scanner, and started scanning his items himself. The experience led him to wonder: why can’t customers just scan their own items at the store?
Humble convinced his company to develop a prototype, and self-service checkout was born. The machines were first introduced to the public in 1986 at a Kroger store in Georgia.
While his idea was sparked by his frustration as a customer, the system as a whole was intended to lower stores’ labor expenses. The trend picked up during the 2001 recession and had a mixed response from customers. A 2003 Nielsen survey found that 52% of shoppers thought self-checkout was just “okay,” with 16% calling them frustrating. Another 32% of survey respondents said they were “great.”
Not surprisingly, the comments on our posts ranged from “I love it!” to “I hate it!” to everything in between.
Let Me Do It Myself
Many of you like self-checkout because you want to bag your own groceries—this was a very popular response. Dorothy S. said she checks herself out at the store “most of the time. I prefer to bag my own stuff.” If you’ve ever ended up with a loaf of bread smashed underneath a cantaloupe, you probably agree!
Bagging your own groceries wasn’t the only reason some of you prefer the self-checkout lanes. Some of the other reasons panel members gave us:
- It’s often faster than waiting in line for a cashier
- You don’t want to make small talk with the cashier
- Fewer hands touching your items or other concerns about germs
I’m Not An Employee
On the flip side, many of you dislike using the self-checkout lanes. The most common response from this group of people was concern for the cashier’s job and not wanting to contribute to people being out of work. Like Rita S. said, “I prefer human contact and job security, so I check out with a cashier whenever possible.”
Many of you also genuinely enjoy getting to know your cashiers and chatting with them while you’re checking out! Human interaction is an important part of life, that’s for sure. Other reasons for going to lanes with cashiers include:
- You aren’t comfortable with the technology
- You’re buying things that require a cashier, such as alcohol or produce that needs to be weighed
- Large purchases are harder to manage at self-checkout
Either Way is Fine With Me
And of course, many of you don’t have a strong opinion either way, and you prefer whatever is easiest in the moment.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted some peoples’ opinions on self-checkout, too. We saw several comments from people with increased concerns about germs or cashiers coughing and sneezing. Some of you responded that self-checkout gives you more control about who handles your items and minimizes your exposure.
Whatever your opinions on self-checkout, it’s probably here to stay.
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Regards,
Taylor
I think it’s just a way to cut jobs and labor cost at the expense of people’s lively hood and they create more confusion than anything.
I prefer self-checkout because it makes me more aware of the cost of each item as it’s being rung up. So I can catch if something looks weird before I pay.
But I see articles lately online about customers being accused of shoplifting at self-checkout so maybe going to the cashier is safer.
I love the self checkout area myself! I hate having my items not bagged the right way. All my cold stuff should be in 1 or 2 bags… Not mixed in with non cold items. It’s not difficult to do. I can spend $200 at Walmart and I have a cart full and I will still do the self checkout! I get mad that Smith’s (Kroger) has a limit of 20 items in the self checkout. So I buy exactly 20. They are dumb for making me not spend more money there. I refuse to go through the cashier line if at all possible.
I wouldn’t mind as much if I were to get a discount on my groceries. It takes me longer to scan and bag a week’s worth of groceries than to wait in line. I don’t mind paying the prices as it covers the service if checkout and bagging. If I provide my own ‘service’ I think I should be compensated by getting a discount at checkout.
I’m of the “I’m not an employee”, but not because I’m not tech savvy, more because I’m not being paid to check myself out. That’s what we’re paying those exhorbitant prices for, so man up and check me out!!
At my favorite grocery store, I’ve observed that they put the BEST cashiers in the self-service area – the ones who know how to fix the machines, how to ring up problem items, why an item isn’t ringing up with the sale price, etc.