Discussions

Capital letters infer shouting.  
 
I'm afraid self checkouts are here to stay and are very convenient for many people who like them.

I would not call someone scanning my items and taking my money a "sales person"

Are you shouting about the new ones I saw today at Walmart?

Sorry but I'm going to keep using them. Half the cashiers make me want to yell is it slow and stupid day ? I'm not sorry actually. I like being able to pack my stuff the way I want it. I don't want my bread man handled and squished or packages broken open and I don't want what I buy to be commented on.

I love the self checkouts! I was thrilled to see the new self checkouts at Walmart yesterday! It's only up to 20 items ( i think that was the number) so it's perfect for a small shop kinda day. Frees up other lanes for all those having a "big" shop type of day.  
Sorry, but I'm gonna keep using them.

Yep love the self tills at Walmart there are a ton of slow till jockeys at Walmart and it is very frustrating sitting there waiting for them to get you through, the bigger the line the slower they go. I love just scanning my own stuff and flying out the door keeps my time in the blue prison to a minimum

and the question asked if people were worried that their job would be taken over by a robot and here it appears none of the above posters have to worry about their employment

Everything mentioned above is correct. Also, more jobs are created with the implementation of these machines, whoever created the program, maintenance, etc. Also if you've ever been to superstore you can see for yourself that there are constantly still employees needing to teach people how to properly use the machines, find product numbers and so on.  
 
Also, they are called cashiers.

Walmart and the other stores that have self-check, you still have the option of going through staffed checkouts. The Self-checkouts at Walmart took the place of 2 staffed checkouts. Walmart rarely had all staffed checkouts open. And is Walmart going with what people want, some self-checkouts.

Many stores are doing it, but guess what we want to buy from people, not from machines.  
 
And these corporations want all the money  
 
So that they can get rid if employees, let,s not allow them

Can't stand them, won't use them. I would much prefer some human interaction. I will wait in line rather than use an empty self checkout and I tell managers that every chance I get.  
 
That slow checkout person you complain about might be just learning, or that job might be the difference for them between being independant or accepting assistance. I dis-like the idea of shopping at Walmart as it is, this just makes it worse.

I was in a retail store today and the cashier was continually wiping her runny nose with her hands and handling merchandise etc. Would have been nice to have one of those self checkouts there at the time.

didn't rip out all of the staffed checkouts, you still have the choice. And I think the self-checkouts at Walmart are debit or credit only.

Randy Shand said "I was in a retail store today and the cashier was continually wiping her runny nose with her hands and handling merchandise etc. Would have been nice to have one of those self checkouts there at the time. "

Ya cuz theres no chance the person before you was doing that before touching the buttons.

many of those jobs are hard to fill, wally world has had adds up for cashiers recently so they are still hiring + self checkouts create tech and maintenance jobs, automation is coming and we will have to adapt but there will still be jobs to do, always has been always will be, the description and skill set just changes, ask carriage drivers or lantern lighters lol

I occasionally use self checkout if I am in hurry and there are long lineup for cashiers. However I prefer to go to cashier. I like the human interaction, I like to save cashier's jobs and I like to reduce my exposure to computerized and robotic world where possible!  
It is good to have option of using both, and hopefully! they will not replace cashiers. However, big companies are the one benefit most from them. They supposed to reduce their prices as you are doing the work for them, but they do not. And they do not pay you to do the job. It could be 10 seconds of time of each person on the self checkout but for that company it means 12-13 hours per day of reduced human pay check. Assume minimum wage, and number of Walmart stores and you will get the idea. So, in reality in means that everybody who uses store self checkout is working for that store without being paid! Kind of volunteer work at Walmart or other stores.  
 
Edited by Deb1, 2016-07-15 21:15:21

Have you ever met someone who wanted to work evenings & weekends? Machines are out of necessity. People complain about there being " no jobs" but they refuse to take on jobs like these.

Well, I frequently shop at Walmart. There are some cashiers who are great at their jobs, unfortunately the ones who are poor at it seem to outweigh those that are good. From being rude, to moving so slow that it'll nearly drive you crazy. Given the option now I'd rather use the self check out when I can than risk standing around for 20 minutes while stuff is slowly put through, and that's not counting the amount of time you stand in line! My advice rather than going to the till with cashiers at them and not using the self checks outs, cashiers make yourself indispensable! Learn how to properly pack a bag, be polite/friendly, be efficient. Make people want to come to those tills instead of the self serve. I'm all for supporting those kind of people, but the ones who don't put any effort in at all and are rude, I really don't think I want to protect their jobs.....

Will come a day when everything is automated and there are more machines and there are jobs. Maybe then we will realize we all fell for it. When you think about jobs that I've been replaced by computers is overwhelming from instant teller machines to self checkouts to automated factory work. Maybe I am old school but I would like to protect jobs for my children and grandchildren. I will not use self check out I am certain places aren't going down because they have saved on labor costs.

then do as I do and never ever step foot in Walmart. It's really easy to not support them, just don't go.

Prices not places

vidyut said "Many stores are doing it, but guess what we want to buy from people, not from machines.     And these corporations want all the money     So that they can get rid if employees, let,s not allow them "

But I don't mind buying from machines. People do it all the time when shopping online. Out of the last 5 trips to Walmart I've made, only once did I have a cashier that spoke to me, smiled, and moved with efficiency. The other 4, were almost painful. The most recent (last night) , he literally took my bags from me at the start then spent 10 mins opening all my bags, rolling them back and setting them all up. He didn't look at me, talk to me, nothing. Then he crammed everything in 3 bags to the point I couldn't lift them, and handed me back my other 4 bags empty. I always say have a nice day to them when leaving and I don't even get acknowledged with that.  
So please tell me why I would prefer this type of human interaction over a machine.  
I worked at superstore years ago, and we were timed for speed back then. We had to be fast and courteous. Maybe that would be helpful to have back.  
 
Edited by Cheezies, 2016-07-15 23:48:59

I prefer the self checkout. I wish they would get them at Canadian tire where they always have the slowest cash desks. There is always line ups and too few tills open. Plus customers are slow at getting their money or debit cards ready to use

Several times at Home Depot I've had the cashier tell me to go through the self checkout. What do you suggest people do then?!  
 
I've also had a clerk in WM try to move me to a longer line up.  
 
While I don't mind self checkouts when they work properly, many times they don't and you end up needing a cashier anyway.  
 
I don't mind a bit of small talk but I don't need commentary on what I'm buying.

Totally disagree with them!  
Next they will be wanting us to stock the shelves! Will not use them I would rather have a cashier ring my items through.

lynus said "Several times at Home Depot I've had the cashier tell me to go through the self checkout. What do you suggest people do then?!     I've also had a clerk in WM try to move me to a longer line up.     While I don't mind self checkouts when they work properly, many times they don't and you end up needing a cashier anyway.     I don't mind a bit of small talk but I don't need commentary on what I'm buying. "

When they ask me to use the self checkout I say "No Thanks". When they offer to help me I say "Thats OK I don't need help, I'm just not using those"

i had it in my mind that i do like using them self checkouts,then it hit me,i work downtown,and everyday,and i mean everyday, i walk by quite a few of the same people sitting near or at 8th and rosser,and it just occurred to me that those poor unemployed people ,maybe they lost their jobs to automation,its sad,i now dont ever want to use one again,so now i hope they remove them all and maybe that will clear up some of the congestion for us who walk between buildings downtown for work.  
I say to heck with them automated checkouts,lets get our citizens back at work!  
Good luck to all you job hunters and i truely wont use one again,i never thought of it that way.

I don't mind self check out and some stores cashiers are so slow plus I don't hear from check out machines what time they are off work and can't wait. Machines do not complain.  
Jobs! Some people may whine for jobs but actually don't want to show up at work to work only get a cheque.

I like the self checkouts and will continue to use them. At Walmart I usually have more than 20 items so am out of luck there but I use the ones at Home Depot and Superstore