One of the Interesting Things About Self Checkouts
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (78761)
United States
April 13, 2021 11:41am CST
I observe things. Or at least I try to. And I try to understand things. For me it just helps to keep things in a bit of perspective when I view the world around me, and helps to guide what I do to make the best contribution to the world that I can.
Which brings me to self checkouts, and something I have observed about them.
A very large percentage of the people who use self checkouts also are the same people who complain that there are not enough jobs out there.
Yes. It saves time. Sometimes. And that's part of the reason people use them. BUT, most people I talk to, who have means make one very important consideration when they choose to wait in a line or use a self checkout lane...
The value of the cashier's job.
The simple, sad truth is that there are a lot of people in this world who value their own jobs, but have little interest in saving one.
9 people like this
8 responses
@RebeccasFarm (86755)
• United States
13 Apr 21
I come from a time when I recall the job of cashiering was a very in demand high paying union job and you could not be slow at ringing stuff up.
4 people like this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
13 Apr 21
I will openly and honestly admit that the cashier should ALSO be concerned about the value of their own job. So, to that end, being "slow" is not in the best interests of the customer, and may actually serve to cut their own job just as much as the self checkout since it encourages the customer to seek out a faster, more convenient alternative.
Most cashiers to me seem to move at a good pace. Walmart is one of those places where I swear cashier's who are the slowest are given bonuses, because it never ceases to amaze me the time gaps between scanning beeps whenever I go through the line at Walmart.
But I do still go through the line. I use a self checkout only about 1 in 10 times I shop.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86755)
• United States
13 Apr 21
@porwest Oh yeah it is a different time altogether now. One would wonder if they can add 2 and 2 even. I will refrain from degrading further.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95165)
• Marion, Ohio
14 Apr 21
I always stand in line and wait. I might consider checking myself out when they start paying me to do so.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95165)
• Marion, Ohio
15 Apr 21
@porwest It is coming if they can get us trained to do this
1 person likes this
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
13 Apr 21
I don`t like self check outs. Good thing is that it was not a success here in our place because they bring back the cashiers 
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38652)
• Midland, Michigan
13 Apr 21
That is a perspective I've not heard before. And right now there are jobs a plenty but not enough people that would rather work than get handouts.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38652)
• Midland, Michigan
14 Apr 21
@porwest I'll try not to, lol. Although it's not really a laughing matter. We went from kids not being taught too work to them not wanting to work and now their being paid not to work.
2 people like this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
14 Apr 21
@MarshaMusselman Eventually the gravy train will have to come to end, and all of these louse's are going to have to face a dose of reality.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (43074)
• Staten Island, New York
13 Apr 21
I would not be surprised if soon we will come down to this: all registers at the store will be self-checkout only. That would save stores a heck of a lot of money. But it would leave many without work. Not that that is the only job out there one can get without a degree but still...
Going to a self-checkout doesn't mean a faster checkout because enough times people have no idea what the heck they are doing, especially those that are not tech savvy. And that can be a bit frustrating if you are actually in a hurry.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43074)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Apr 21
@porwest I guess if a job pays say $10/hr and a person is not okay with that they don't have to apply and should just look for another job that pays more. But at the same time, without a national higher minimum wage companies that can pay more (say $15/hr) will choose not to because they are not obligated to do so.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
17 Apr 21
@lovebuglena That is not true and that is not at all how it works, and unfortunately that is the part that so many people tend to miss the point of.
If the economy is strong and booming, it FOSTERS job creation, and it expands competition in the workforce. When there are more jobs than people to apply, it means people have more choices and options and it also means companies are FORCED to pay higher wages to both attract and retain good employees.
It is part of what Trump was saying when he was chastised for not supporting the $15 an hour minimum wage. What he said very basically was "We won't need to be talking about a $15 minimum wage. If the economy is good, you'll make $20 an hour."
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
15 Apr 21
It is a double edged sword, because most of us kind of understand that the fight for the $15 minimum wage is part of what drives this, but at the same time people do need to work. I do not support the automatic $15 wage. If a business can afford it and the job justifies it, fine. Do it. But if it does not make economic sense according to the balance sheet, a company should not be forced to do it. What I DO support are jobs.
In some ways it MIGHT be why I still prefer to shop in bricks and mortar stores rather than shop online. Lots of workers are supported by the purchases I make in a physical store.
Granted, jobs are supported from online purchases too. But I think the impact is greater in the bricks and mortar stores AND more of my money stays local.
1 person likes this
@much2say (53959)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Apr 21
True. I never use self checkouts even if I have just a couple of items. I have realized from a long time ago that this was meant to cut the cost of having to pay an employee . . . jobs were going to be lost for sure.
Not too long ago, my favorite go-to grocery store installed these self checkouts - and on that day there was only 1 cashier. I told her I was surprised by this, and she said so were they . . . the employees found out about it only the weekend before. I asked about existing cashiers - some would be relocated but she didn't know about the rest. I said I would only come into the cashier lines there . . . she replied with a big thank you.
I know I could easily go through self checkout. But I won't. Besides, I can't chit chat with a self checkout machine 
.
.
@LindaOHio (156159)
• United States
14 Apr 21
We refuse to use the self checkouts and take someone's job away.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
17 Apr 21
I am very much the same way. I may think that these people need to work a little harder—you know, ring people out faster and be more customer friendly. But I still want them working as opposed to not working, which in that case I have to pay higher taxes to support them.
1 person likes this
