Study: self check-outs pad your wallet, make you thin
By Jason Buckland, Sympatico / MSN Finance
Please understand, I didn’t need an excuse to write about grocery store self-checkouts. I really didn’t.
I’ve long beamed that the devices are completely revolutionary, downright fun and – considering most have an attendant on-hand to help with any human error – incredibly efficient.
So when I stumbled across a new study all but suggesting self-checkouts can do no wrong, I scoured over the story with the smile of a proud father. To paraphrase Vince Vaughn in Swingers, my little baby’s all growns-up!
Apparently, self-checkouts at grocery stores can be attributed for money-saving and weight loss by significantly cutting down on the impulse purchases that rack up while customers wait for a traditional cashier.
No, seriously. The study, conducted by retail consulting firm IHL Group, found that impulse purchases dropped by 32.1% among women and 16.7% among men when the self-checkout was utilized.
And those numbers – according to the study – will translate to less money spent and the prospect of losing 3-4 pounds each year by resisting purchases when waiting in line.
Regardless of how IHL Group arrived at those numbers, it’s beside the point. It isn’t rocket science to suggest that the less time you’re in a grocery store, the less likely you are to spend money. I haven’t just blown you away.
So it’s with a little scratch of my head that I wonder why self-checkouts aren’t used a little bit more. I have never – not once – waited in line to use a self-checkout, and that includes during peak hours. Yet I always look over to see each cashier’s lane backed up into a nearby aisle.
I can understand a little hesitance with self-checkouts when they’re tested out at, say, a Tim Hortons. You’re used to your customer service from the local coffee shop and you want that to stay. I get that.
But with the concern self-checkouts steal jobs from working cashiers aside, I fail to see the downside of grocery stores going to more lanes of the do-it-yourself cash-out.
(Note to Price Chopper: splurge and install a few self-checkouts, please. They’ll pay for themselves in no time. Your cashiers are downright awful. Just trust me on this one.)
Posted by: cbrese | Jun 10, 2021 11:36:52 AM
the amount of theft through self check out is amazing. I had 1guy that always put a lower priced code on his items IE: he had bulk cashews but the code he put in was for peanuts. He did the same with the fruit and he scanned every 2nd item
It took 2 cashiers to catch him
Posted by: Braedon49 | Jun 10, 2021 4:33:46 PM
I can see why stores don't adopt more self checkouts. They're trying to balance the fine line between people having to wait in line too long and just leaving and people checking out quickly and not making those all important "impulse" purchases. But personally, I hate nothing more than being at a Wal-Mart that has 4 self-checkouts and 16 manned checkout lines but only 6 of those are actually open! Or even better, the Wal-Mart that are redesigned to have 6 "express" lanes but only 2 of them are open. If I promise to be more impulsive, can I please have more self-chekouts!
Posted by: CINDI | Jun 11, 2021 10:21:58 AM
I'm going to do what everyone hates and veer off the topic slightly. I want to lump self check out in with the new 5c bag charge. To the best of my knowledge, bring your own bag does not mean bag your own groceries. i was in a Toronto Metro Store last week. They have no self check outs. Although Loblaws entities now expect you to bag your own, Metro still bags, which I always appreciated, until now. I had just a few items, but mixed bakery, fresh meat and produce. I produced 3 bags. I placed them at the end of the counter. While I was debitting out, the cashier proceeded to toss all items into one bag, and then stuff my other 2 bags on top. I had to take to take everything to a vacant checkout and repack my order. Now back when they supplied the bags, everything would have been separated out. What's up with this new approach!!! Does bring your own bag mean we don't need to worry about how your order is packed, but pay for the bags and you get good service?
I'll take self check out, self bagging any time after that experience.