Technology...

[crokett]

Anything that speeds up the checkout line is fine by me.

Yup. That is why lowes annoys me - they still don't have self-checkout. HD does and I can always get out much faster. They both staff with the same 3 cashiers but HD also has 4 self-checkout kiosks.

[Handy Al]

Same story at our local library. 10 people in line. No one at the self serve machine. I don't get it?

[Tom Miller]

There's always some barrier to using "the machine" for the first time. Once you've done it, assuming it went well, you wonder why others don't. But if you've never done it before, you don't know it's going to go well.

Even if the human clerk you're dealing with isn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier, you know you'll get through the transaction. But if you get in a p|ssing match with an unattended machine, who knows if it'll charge your card incorrectly or not.

I sometimes use the self-checkout at HD, but I get tired our interaction:

It: "Please place your scanned item in the bagging area."
Me: "I did, it's right there."
It: "Unknown item in bagging area."
Me: "Yeah, that's my kid. Get used to it."

Regards,
Tom

[Thalermade]

Plus, at the PO self-check-out, if you use cash, as a bonus, you get change in dollar coins!!!!!!!

[MilDoc]

Personally, I LOVE self-serve, but the only stores with it here are Wal-Mart. I always use the self checkout, no problems. I wish the PO, HD, Lowes, the grocery store, etc all had the same.

My wife OTOH doesn't even have an ATM card and wiats in line to cash checks (unless she takes the cash out of my wallet.)

[DJehlik]

Personally, whenever I'm in a line hearing the gripes I usually say that I'm retired and I enjoy having a chance to do nothing!

[Kristofor]

Post office? I think that's the place where I registered for selective service when I turned 18... Otherwise I think that's just where they keep the stone age junk mail before someone brings it to me to put in the trash...

But for all of the other places mentioned I much prefer self service. The folks that can be hired to do menial labor jobs tend to not be real invested in thrilling the customer (me) with their friendly attitude and job efficiency.

Self service seems faster nearly always, and better quality more often than not... "you put a 12 pack of soda on top of the bread which you put on top of the eggs, along with 10 cans of soup in that bag? Great, thanks." or "Uh, thanks for the grease on my credit card after a 5 minute wait, why does the state of New Jersey think I'm too dumb to fill my gas tank again?"

On the saving jobs angle, washing machines and dishwashers put domestic help out of jobs. Tractors and combines cleared the fields of farm workers. The automobile significantly reduced the number of blacksmiths, ferriers, and tack and harness manufacturers... Time and technology march on. In this case the actual user experience is improved (for a significant number of consumers) which only makes it more unavoidable.

Kristofor.

[BigguyZ]

Maybe I'm a little anti-social, but there are times I've been to HD twice before that day and I just want to grab what I need and go. Everyone I see annoys me, and if I had to wait in line behind the grandma who is paying for her $100 in tile in $1s I'd assualt her. Self-sheckout saves lives.

However, I may be willing to wait in line if I'm not in a hurry and the checkout girl is attractive.

One last thought- yes auto checkout takes away the job of someone. However, it's a low-paying unskilled job. Instead, auto checkout creates job for the designers who make the electrical and mechanical layout, the programers who write the software, the assembly technicians who build the machines, and the installers who deliver and place the device.... and those jobs are skilled positions paying more than a cashier. Something to think about.

[JoeyGee]

Another off-shoot of this conversation--I get mad (wrong, I know) when someone in front of me is writing a CHECK and taking FOREVER to do it--I know, always in a hurry... I have not written one in YEARS. Of course, back before debit cards, I usually started to fill my check out while waiting in line as not to hold anyone up...