EDITORIAL: People replace machines at Big Y (local supermarket chain)!

[CTyankee]

"Big Y picked a good time to end its self-service checkout lanes. With the state unemployment rate at 9 percent, the supermarket’s move means more jobs for checkers and baggers to address the loss of the self-service lanes.

As with pump-your-own gasoline and ATM machines, the arrival of self-service checkout lanes at groceries meant eliminating jobs to save money. It is unlikely that most service stations will return to wiping windshields and filling up your vehicle’s tank, but the self-service concept has not worked as well for supermarket chains because more is expected of their customers than just swiping a credit card."

Entire editorial here: http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/09/21/opinion/doc4e7905cb68bd5750392314.txt

It seems that theft is one of the biggest problems. It gets very frustrating to figure out the machines sometimes and people give up and walk out without paying for their items. Supermarkets are also seeing that they have to have staff to help customers with problems at checkout, which causes long lines to form and makes customers mad. So they're really not saving by cutting back on staffing.

I use the self service when I don't have produce to weigh. Often, you have to have the product number to key in the correct item and you get to the checkout counter and realize you don't have that number to key in. My husband won't deal with them after having a frustrating time with one of his orders.

I'm glad that more people will be hired. That's the best part of all of this...

[madrchsod]

1. it`s really easy to cheat the machines

i won`t use them because they are a pain in the ass.

[CTyankee]

2. I think I did once. I couldn't find the icon for shallots and had to use the "onion"

category, which I knew was cheaper. But no help in sight and I was in a hurry.

I like my supermarket because it is unionized and also because they hire people with mental retardation to bag. I think they'll follow suit and replace some of the machines with people after the Big Y change. I hope so.