This weekend I had to journey to a Big Box Construction Store (Choices here are either the Orange One or the Blue One) to procure some wood screws (# 14 2.5", in case you were wondering) for building out cage bases. The way the trip worked out, the Orange One was closer. I walked in, looked for the items in question (Sadly, they were out), and then started walking back towards the exit.
And stopped in amazement. They had completely ripped out the checkout lines.
All that was now present was two rows of four station self-checkout lines. The rest had been absorbed by additional floor space. A single employee stood at a station, watching the progress of the stations and helping where needed.
Now, given the choice I am likely to use a self-checkout stand, mostly because (on the whole) I do not enjoy making small talk or being asked about my personal information ("Sir, have you considered our Customer Loyalty Program?"). But I may be a minority there - lots of people use them very regularly. But it appears that The Orange Big Box is forcing everyone's hand.
Most people will adapt - they will get there, perhaps be initially offended, but decided going somewhere else is too much work and buy whatever they have come to get. The next time, it will be simpler.
Which made think: what about a world completely without cashiers?
We are going that way, you know. The Golden Arches are more than piloting a program which involves ordering from a kiosk and then picking up your order (if you have ever been to a revolving sushi restaurant, it is really not all that dis-similar). Most large grocery stores have had self-checkout for years.
Imagine a world where, upon entering a store, you are greeted by a customer robot that greets you, asks what it can help you with, and either give you directions or escorts you to the item. Checkout is self-checkout. There are a few employees to handle returns and make sure everything is running correctly, but the majority of operations is done automatically. Even restocking is handling by robots at night (Do not laugh. Amazon manages their warehouses this way). Instead of a crew of 50-60 over the course of a day, you have a crew of 10 to 15.
The people currently filling those jobs - the unskilled, the in-betweeners, the retired, the starting out - will be competing for less and less of a job market. Where does that leave them?
I am not sure that I will be back to the Big Orange Box. But then again, if I insist on using self-checkout, am I really not forcing the same thing?
Things are definitely going in that direction. All of the stores here have those self checkouts too, though most of them still have a few cashiers. I have to admit, I prefer the self checkout so I can keep an eye on the prices and handle my own packing.
ReplyDelete$15 an hour will do that.
ReplyDeleteI do understand the conundrum of self checkout. I use them at Wally world because there have never been enough cashier's.
But the low wage earners are suffering from worthless education and liberal... social.. I don't know; but they've been conned onto "you deserve $15 an hour to take orders and flip burgers, etc; and those of us who predicted this would happen are being proven right.
My husband & I hate the Orange Box store. Everytime we decide to go there we kick ourselves in the rear for wasting our time even entering the doors. No one ever wants to help, and if you do run across someone, they really don't know their product. Nor do they want to know. They just are working for the dollar.
ReplyDeleteBut there are quite a few people who do like cashiers and clerks... especially if they are friendly and helpful. In the few stores that do have 'customer service' and actual people to assist them, the customers will be repeat customers. Thankfully, I do work at a store that does try to provide good customer service and it makes it a nicer environment to work in. Not that I'm patting myself on the back... I have my moments ;^) ..... but without the customers we wouldn't have a job and they should feel like they are appreciated for their patronage. Being a small community people talk, and we do get comments from customers regarding other stores and how they will only shop there if they have to because we either don't carry the product or it is out of stock.
Oh, and don't forget to support your local community butcher, if your area is lucky enough to have one. That's another craft that serves a quality product that is going by the wayside with the rise of box stores and outlets.
~hobo
Rain, I just inherently hate making small talk (and really, talking to people at all), so self checkout for me is fine. I am just completely surprised that they have eliminated the option.
ReplyDeleteLinda, people just do not learn economics any more. It is supply and demand.
ReplyDeleteAnd some level of understanding the difference between "entry level" and "career." People can work at jobs for lots of reasons - first job, retirement job, second income - but the thing that has changed dramatically in my lifetime is that people expect those jobs to the their primary job - and have it pay accordingly.
Hobo,perhaps part of the issue is the fact that I live in a large urban area and there is a general perception that the customers will always be there.
ReplyDeleteNow that you make me ponder (thanks for that), I wonder how much of my shopping is actually a thought based choice rather than an avoidance of the lesser of two evils?
Interesting post with interesting comments. As a social klutz I'm ambivalent toward the self-checkout. They're usually faster, but I can't help but think we ought to get a discount for checking ourselves out. The bad part is that they are replacing jobs. That bothers me. Our walmart now has cameras at the self-checkout focused directly on the customer. That bothers me! They say it's to keep theft in check, but wouldn't they have to be looking at your hands and cart to determine that???
ReplyDeletehate self checkouts and will not use i use checks and self checkouts don't take them
ReplyDeletewe have an excellent real hardware store nearby campbell hardware and we go there
Leigh, it is a bit of a conundrum, is it not? I am making it more convenient for the employer and for them to hire less people as well as making it more convenient for myself.
ReplyDeleteThe cameras are so terribly hard to get away from anymore. Just another reason I hate going anywhere anymore.
Deb, I wish we had more local sorts of stores we could access like that - being in an urban area that is rapidly becoming like the rest of urban areas, it is harder to do anymore.
ReplyDelete