So you use a cashier every time?Unless I'm buying alcohol, Always. I'm not there to socialize, Just get in and out ASAP.
At my Trader Joe's, Pitbull could find lots of extras for his videos. But that's not what I'm taking about. It turns out, the Hemingway look-alike and I went to the same high school, 5 years apart. Always a good conversation. And at Publix, I convinced one of the cashiers to try a vegan Beyond Burger Bogo when she asked about my purchases. Now she tells me she eats less meat. At Publix, one of the special needs employees and I would joke about his cashier pretend girl friend who was also in on the joke. I would tip him and he remembered. I see fewer Bag Boys with the self-checkout.You're a wildman.Grocery stores is a part of my social life!
No, because self checkout takes away jobs.
Does it necessarily take away jobs, or does it just mean that the labor force is/can be retrained for other roles in the organization that in theory could lead it to be more efficient?
Instead of having 6 checkers, I can have say 2 people checking, 1 person monitoring the self checkout area to provide assistance and repurpose 3 others to other duties in the store - perhaps stocking the produce section or working in the bakery area - who can double as overflow checkers in periods of heavy activity. Perhaps that's a bit altruistic, but changes don't necessarily mean losing jobs - it may mean changing jobs.
People aren't going to take jobs that are just retrieving shopping carts and bagging because companies dont pay a living wage for this work. I assume cashiers make living wage but they arent going to pay these same people the same to retrieve shopping carts.
No, because self checkout takes away jobs.
Does it necessarily take away jobs, or does it just mean that the labor force is/can be retrained for other roles in the organization that in theory could lead it to be more efficient?
Instead of having 6 checkers, I can have say 2 people checking, 1 person monitoring the self checkout area to provide assistance and repurpose 3 others to other duties in the store - perhaps stocking the produce section or working in the bakery area - who can double as overflow checkers in periods of heavy activity. Perhaps that's a bit altruistic, but changes don't necessarily mean losing jobs - it may mean changing jobs.
So get them to do the work that is normally carved out for others? So a bunch of Jack of all trades?
No offense, but everything you wrote sounds like corporate playbook of what’s being fed to the public for decades now.
The cost of shipping is x
The cost of goods is x
The only place for companies to save money is labor and it’s been a battleground for over 100 years.
People aren't going to take jobs that are just retrieving shopping carts and bagging because companies dont pay a living wage for this work. I assume cashiers make living wage but they arent going to pay these same people the same to retrieve shopping carts.
Again with this (not directed at you, this came up in the wait staff salary thread…..)
Being a courtesy clerk is not for people to have a living wage! it’s a entry level position. You’re not supposed to work it for the rest of your life and support a family.
Hilarious. Just because people lack the initiative to better their lot in life doesn’t mean we (the tax payers and working class) should finance a higher minimum wage.
Work crappy job for crappy pay:
A -realize it sucks and do something else
B - give up and complain how CEOs make gobs of money and it’s not fair that I can’t work at Dollar General and drive a Benz.
ETA - The only people who want a higher minimum wage is the big box stores. Unfortunately there’s a large contingent group of folks in this country who lack any foresight.
Not around here. Better than minimum wage, but not by a ton.I assume cashiers make living wage …
soooooooo.........you would say you are a _ _ _ _ _ _I’ve realized from all these What’s Normal polls that I don’t put nearly as much thought in to my life as others. I’m apparently a drooling moron living life on autopilot or haphazardly - I can’t figure out which.
Occasionally when I don't have much. I avoid it when I have produce and have to weigh things.
This part is a breeze at our local grocery self-checkouts.
I have noticed that when people discuss this topic online, there are vast differences between self-checkout experiences place to place. It seems self-checkout was adopted very late in some parts of the U.S. (maybe the Northeast, with unionized grocery labor?). People will talk about the problems they have with self-checkout, right now in 2023, and they're problems that were technologically solved with self-checkout 10-15 years ago.
For instance -- problems with the bagging scale and "please put item in the bag!" warnings -- these days, those scales are normally still used, but the software can be (and usually is) set to ignore bagging-scale input. Bagging scales were a technological dead end -- packages aren't of uniform enough weight to make reliable weighing at the bagging area practical. If your store still has a lot of issues with frequent bagging-area warnings at the self-checkout, they're doing it wrong.
The skip bagging button is clutch.Occasionally when I don't have much. I avoid it when I have produce and have to weigh things.
This part is a breeze at our local grocery self-checkouts.
I have noticed that when people discuss this topic online, there are vast differences between self-checkout experiences place to place. It seems self-checkout was adopted very late in some parts of the U.S. (maybe the Northeast, with unionized grocery labor?). People will talk about the problems they have with self-checkout, right now in 2023, and they're problems that were technologically solved with self-checkout 10-15 years ago.
For instance -- problems with the bagging scale and "please put item in the bag!" warnings -- these days, those scales are normally still used, but the software can be (and usually is) set to ignore bagging-scale input. Bagging scales were a technological dead end -- packages aren't of uniform enough weight to make reliable weighing at the bagging area practical. If your store still has a lot of issues with frequent bagging-area warnings at the self-checkout, they're doing it wrong.
At a lot of places I've been, even when it seems they expect you to use the bagging scale, there's a "Skip Bagging" button that lets you turn it off. Or you just use the price gun if one is available and it automatically turns that requirement off.
Speaking of the price guns, I use those all the time. We don't get plastic bags here in NY anymore, and often not even paper bags, so the gun is even more valuable. Leave my reusable bags in the car, keep everything in the cart at self checkout, scan each item with the gun and move it over to the other side of the cart. It's so much quicker than using the main scanner, but I rarely see other people using the gun for some reason. Then I bag it all up when I get back to the car, where I'm not holding anyone else up.
terrific callback to the internal monologue threadI’ve realized from all these What’s Normal polls that I don’t put nearly as much thought in to my life as others. I’m apparently a drooling moron living life on autopilot or haphazardly - I can’t figure out which.
I'd like to see a Venn diagram of the people that complain about self checkout and the people that still write out checks at the grocery store.
My guess is that it is pretty close to just a circle.
Does it necessarily take away jobs, or does it just mean that the labor force is/can be retrained for other roles in the organization that in theory could lead it to be more efficient?
Instead of having 6 checkers, I can have say 2 people checking, 1 person monitoring the self checkout area to provide assistance and repurpose 3 others to other duties in the store - perhaps stocking the produce section or working in the bakery area - who can double as overflow checkers in periods of heavy activity. Perhaps that's a bit altruistic, but changes don't necessarily mean losing jobs - it may mean changing jobs.
We can't completely hinder all progress just because someone might lose their job over it. Yes, cashiers might lose jobs over the convenience of self checkout, but now there are jobs for people to repair said self checkout machines, and also security jobs for monitoring shoplifting at the self checkouts.
Besides, all of our jobs are getting replaced by AI in a few years anyway, so why even worry about this. I cant wait for ChatGPT to give me a 30 day timeout and tell me to have a good season, guy.
We can't completely hinder all progress just because someone might lose their job over it. Yes, cashiers might lose jobs over the convenience of self checkout, but now there are jobs for people to repair said self checkout machines, and also security jobs for monitoring shoplifting at the self checkouts.
Besides, all of our jobs are getting replaced by AI in a few years anyway, so why even worry about this. I cant wait for ChatGPT to give me a 30 day timeout and tell me to have a good season, guy.
We're working on that Footballguys Forum AI...
Seriously though, I think the real question is the bolded and how to define "progress".
I'm a capitalist entrepreneur. But I'm not always comfortable with the endless pursuit of optimization and maximizing profits for companies. More profit for the company is not necessarily "progress" for society.
We're (posters) all going to be replaced here by bots. Seems like some of us already have been.We're working on that Footballguys Forum AI...
This. To the company, the progress might be judged by the bottom line, but for the consumer it's usually judged by the experience.We can't completely hinder all progress just because someone might lose their job over it. Yes, cashiers might lose jobs over the convenience of self checkout, but now there are jobs for people to repair said self checkout machines, and also security jobs for monitoring shoplifting at the self checkouts.
Besides, all of our jobs are getting replaced by AI in a few years anyway, so why even worry about this. I cant wait for ChatGPT to give me a 30 day timeout and tell me to have a good season, guy.
We're working on that Footballguys Forum AI...
Seriously though, I think the real question is the bolded and how to define "progress".
I'm a capitalist entrepreneur. But I'm not always comfortable with the endless pursuit of optimization and maximizing profits for companies. More profit for the company is not necessarily "progress" for society.
I don't disagree if the sole benefit is corporate profits. But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
That’s an interesting question. Message board posts are a form of online communication where people can share their opinions, thoughts, and experiences on various topics. They are often used for social, educational, or professional purposes.We're (posters) all going to be replaced here by bots. Seems like some of us already have been.We're working on that Footballguys Forum AI...
Damn, looks like we've lost jamny to a bot. #pours1outThat’s an interesting question. Message board posts are a form of online communication where people can share their opinions, thoughts, and experiences on various topics. They are often used for social, educational, or professional purposes.We're (posters) all going to be replaced here by bots. Seems like some of us already have been.We're working on that Footballguys Forum AI...
Some people might wonder if message board posts will be replaced by AI in the future, as generative AI becomes more advanced and capable of producing human-like content. Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create original text, images, software code, and other forms of content from a simple prompt. For example, ChatGPT is a generative AI application that can write coherent and engaging texts on any topic1.
However, generative AI is not perfect and has some limitations. For instance, generative AI can sometimes produce inaccurate, biased, or false information, as it relies on the data it has been trained on. It also lacks the human touch and emotion that message board posts often convey. Moreover, generative AI cannot replace the human interaction and feedback that message board posts provide. People use message board posts to connect with others, learn from different perspectives, and express themselves in a meaningful way.
Therefore, I don’t think message board posts will be replaced by AI anytime soon. AI can augment and assist message board users, but it cannot replace the human element that makes message board posts valuable and enjoyable. Message board posts are more than just content; they are a form of social and cultural exchange that AI cannot fully replicate.
“Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last. Not the game. We talkin' 'bout epoxy floors, man!”We already have bots doing things like making posts irrelevant to the topic at hand or to the purpose of the site. And bots searching through google and upon finding a key word or phrase, create an account there and bump up usually a very old thread and make a canned response.
Does it necessarily take away jobs, or does it just mean that the labor force is/can be retrained for other roles in the organization that in theory could lead it to be more efficient?
Instead of having 6 checkers, I can have say 2 people checking, 1 person monitoring the self checkout area to provide assistance and repurpose 3 others to other duties in the store - perhaps stocking the produce section or working in the bakery area - who can double as overflow checkers in periods of heavy activity. Perhaps that's a bit altruistic, but changes don't necessarily mean losing jobs - it may mean changing jobs.
I think only the most naive employees would think this doesn't mean they're headed toward being replaced.
I'm sure Uber tries to tell their drivers the self driving car testing their doing will actually be good for them as well.
But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Self-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
Depends on number of itemsBut self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
For me it depends if I have a giant cart full or notSelf-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
Agree, this is interesting. I understand why you may choose self check out 100% of the time, but certainly someone else scanning/bagging items requires less effort when you have more than a couple things?Self-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
Self-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
Better? Debate. Then I'd have to interact with them.Self-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
I choose clerk. Self checkout is convenient when the lines are long, but having someone else do the work is better.
We're (posters) all going to be replaced here by bots. Seems like some of us already have been.We're working on that Footballguys Forum AI...
Nope. I've read some of your stories (MIL) and there's no damn way AI could replicate that.We're (posters) all going to be replaced here by bots. Seems like some of us already have been.We're working on that Footballguys Forum AI...
I hate small talk more than most, but this is a little over-the-top. All it takes is a smile/Hi, loading the conveyor, rapid scanning of cc, and grabbing your bags/receipt when they’re through.Better? Debate. Then I'd have to interact with them.Self-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
I choose clerk. Self checkout is convenient when the lines are long, but having someone else do the work is better.
I would choose the clerk-assisted line as I don't have a computer yelling at me to put the item in the bag or unexpected item.But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
Self-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
I'm a capitalist entrepreneur. But I'm not always comfortable with the endless pursuit of optimization and maximizing profits for companies. More profit for the company is not necessarily "progress" for society.
Not everyone enjoys "forced" social interactions if it can be avoided..... right or wrong it's a thing with some people, whether it's anxiety or whatever other " issue" people have (me included)Self-checkout... 100%But self-checkouts don't just exist for the sole purpose of increasing corporate profits. They are also highly convenient for consumers.
Question: If you have the option of a self-checkout with no one in line or a clerk-assisted checkout with no one in line, which one is more convenient?
Why?
terrific callback to the internal monologue threadI’ve realized from all these What’s Normal polls that I don’t put nearly as much thought in to my life as others. I’m apparently a drooling moron living life on autopilot or haphazardly - I can’t figure out which.
same. the microanalysis of every decision is too stressful. too much wasted energy.terrific callback to the internal monologue threadI’ve realized from all these What’s Normal polls that I don’t put nearly as much thought in to my life as others. I’m apparently a drooling moron living life on autopilot or haphazardly - I can’t figure out which.
Good point but I do have an internal monologue- I guess my internal monologue doesn’t care about several of these things - I find them interesting that people do care or have strong opinions and on some of them I do. However, I don’t care which way the toilet paper rolls, don’t care if I use hot or cold water to brush my teeth, will use or not use self checkout with no rhyme or reason to when.