According to VYX, a leading global provider of digital commerce solutions for the retail and restaurant industries, grocery purchase behaviors are changing.
According to their new consumer survey, 77 percent of shoppers prefer self-checkout because it’s faster than a traditional staffed checkout. The biggest fans of self-checkout are, of course, Gen Z (ages 18-29) and Millennials (ages 30-44).
The reasoning behind the technology is to speed up the checkout process at the register for both shoppers and employers. But, and I think it’s fair to say, the majority of shoppers here in the county have a different opinion. They say grocery and retail stores are greedy and want to make more money by using less cashier staff. Installing self-checkout stations means fewer jobs for cashiers.
“Making us check out ourselves is just so they can hire less staff,” is what I hear fellow customers say most often. That’s usually followed by: “I don’t want to work when I shop, I’m not a cashier,” or defiantly, “By waiting in line, I’m preserving jobs for cashiers.” Who hasn’t seen a long line of shoppers waiting patiently to be checked out by a cashier while a whole bank of self-checkout kiosks sits empty?
It’s not that these shoppers are being difficult. Some may find self-checkout systems confusing or challenging to use, especially when it comes to weighing produce, buying alcohol, or using coupons. Take weighing a head of broccoli, for example—not everyone can spell broccoli, zucchini, or prosciutto. So frustrating.
European and Scandinavian countries are moving very close to being totally AI-automated. Cashless societies and “scan as you go” shopping have been the norm for years. Self-checkout stations offer several different languages, too, but the good news is you will still be able to find at least one staffed checkout point in most stores.
Consider Walmart’s Scan As You Shop app, introduced to “help further optimize store operations.” It lets you scan your shopping with a handheld scanner as you go through the store, packing items straight into bags as you shop. Once you’re done, you check out at a designated cashpoint to pay.
The service “promises to streamline the store shopping experience and reduce, maybe even eliminate, any in-person contact — so you can get on your way quickly and safely.” Except you have to pay for the privilege. It’s only for members, at a cost of $98 per year.
From the retailer’s point of view, there is a downside to self-checkout kiosks. The survey found that 15 percent of self-checkout users admitted to stealing, and 44 percent planned to keep doing it.
This type of theft, or what retailers call “shrinkage,” is what it’s really all about. It just doesn’t make sense that they invested a lot of money in these kiosks yet have to hire an army of staff to monitor everyone using them. And it’s not to provide customer service—it’s to prevent theft. That’s why, when these “monitors” come to help you scan an item, it’s often with a heavy sigh and a superior attitude.
Some stores, like Target and Dollar General, have already reconsidered and scaled back their self-checkout processes. There’s also been talk of Walmart removing self-checkout machines in some states, including St. Louis, Missouri, and Cleveland, Ohio. Their decision was based on customer feedback in favor of a traditional checkout experience and to prevent “shrinkage.”
Self-checkout is a trend that’s not going away. In reality, there’s a distinct possibility it may go way beyond the simple self-checkout experience in place now.
Tesco in the UK is currently testing trolley weigh stations in a further effort to halt “shrinkage.” The system works by having shoppers push their trolleys onto scales after scanning their items. If the weight matches what they’ve scanned, they can pay as normal and exit the store. If it doesn’t, a staff member has to manually rescan every item.
“Scan and go? More like scan and stop … or else.” It reminds me of airport security.
So far, the response has been mixed, with some saying shoppers can’t be trusted. More and more, the honest shopper is treated like a thief but expected to have a Ph.D. in technology.
Honestly, I’m very happy to wait in line and greet my friendly cashier.
Sue Quigley opines regularly for the Hernando Sun. She can be reached at [email protected].
