When the self-check out lanes came to grocery stores I thought it was a good thing. People could run in for a carton of milk and not wait behind those people with 122 items or less. If you needed tampons, condoms or even that huge tub of ice cream (just for you), you could do it discreetly. Yet, I was lulled into a sense of security with these lanes that was completely smashed last night.
After four hours of driving back from the Twins spring training game to Miami (yes, made longer by too much traffic) we stopped at a grocery store to pick up a few things. I decided to use the self-checkout. I won’t go into details, but by the end my daughter was reduced to tears (laughing) at my inability to get the f&^%#@ machine to read the rice and butter I wanted; my boys were trying to calm me down, thinking I might throw something, I think I raised my voice (I was in a frustrated stupor so I can’t recall everything that happened!) and I had crushed my last nerve! We got out of there (barely) and I was frantic and fuming (we spent almost 5 minutes just trying to get it to read my credit card!).
So, I decided to do a bit of research on these “machines.” The Food Marketing Institute prepared a report indicating that customers reported higher satisfaction with their shopping experience when they went through traditional checkout lanes (yea, get that!). The studies also show that there are significant problems with the “machines:” delays due to coupon confusion and payment; intentional and accidental theft; and misidentifying produce and baked goods (it could not read the weight of my grapes last night!). Several other notables included that the “machines” were “unbelievably sensitive” yet “habitually unresponsive” and that these same “machines” (read “monsters”) have even brought employees to tears or “the verge of homicide.” Oh baby, that was me last night!!!
I’m going to make a political statement here: These self-checkouts have to GO! I know they are addicting and we think we can get in and out quickly but we can’t. I aged 15 years last night in the span of 7 minutes. So, my friends, enjoy them while they last. If I have anything to say about it, it won’t be much longer that people can buy those laxatives in the privacy of the self-checkout lane.
Have a wonderful day and if you have to go to the grocery store, find a checkout with a person scanning your goods!
theyearof50 