Self check out lanes?

[thundley4]

Ruby the Liberal   (1000+ posts)             Mon Sep-12-11 06:27 PM
Original message
Just got back from the grocery store. They are doing some massive remodeling.
   
When I got to the front, I noticed that the self-checkout lanes were gone, so asked the cashier. Yep - its permanent. Bub-bye!

Good on Weis. Using local labor to do a complete renovation of the store AND going to cashier only checkout for this 24/7 location.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1926551

JoePhilly (1000+ posts)             Mon Sep-12-11 06:39 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. Me too ... I tend to hit the grocery store every other day ... to get fresh
   
fruits and veggies ... so I rarely have more than 10 items.

I can zip through self check out with my eyes closed.

Does this DUmmie seriesly think that fruits and vegetables are restocked every day? 

Randypiper (463 posts)         Mon Sep-12-11 07:16 PM
Response to Original message
12. Local kmart had them for two months
   
then they took them out, said there was too much being stolen.

You live in a "blue area", don't you?

[Rugnuts]

original post says it is good that they got rid of it.

#4 claims how great they are.


 

[JohnnyReb]

They should label them.....

EXPRESS LANE FOR SHOPLIFTERS

[longview]

They should label them.....

EXPRESS LANE FOR SHOPLIFTERS

No kidding! 

[LC EFA]

Only one of the supermarkets I go to has installed these things. From what I saw observing in the queue to useone of these new fangled gizmos - they actually consume more staff resources than a regular checkout.

This might have been because they were "new" and every customer had to be shown how to use them, and a staff member was still required for any large or heavy purchase (like boxes of cola). Most of the customers fumbled and farted about for at least twice as long as normal and had to bag their own stuff.

That task is what I pay some register jockey circa $15 an hour for ; added piecemeal to the shelf price I pay.

[Gina]

original post says it is good that they got rid of it.

#4 claims how great they are.


 

  

[GOBUCKS]

Self checkout is the best invention since debit cards.

[franksolich]

Self checkout is the best invention since debit cards.

Maybe; I haven't paid attention.

But it seems to me supermarkets need to do something about the way they sell cigarettes.

It used to be that one could pick up a package from any of several display cases located throughout a store and go to the cashier.

As 90% of my supermarket purchases are cigarettes, this is important.

As it is now, they keep the cigarettes behind only one or two cash-registers, never the "12 items or less" counter, and so one's compelled to stand in line a long time, twiddling the thumbs, because by coincidence, the cashiers who have the cigarettes behind them are exactly, precisely, those same cashiers mobbed by people with overflowing grocery carts.

[thundley4]

Maybe; I haven't paid attention.

But it seems to me supermarkets need to do something about the way they sell cigarettes.

It used to be that one could pick up a package from any of several display cases located throughout a store and go to the cashier.

As 90% of my supermarket purchases are cigarettes, this is important.

As it is now, they keep the cigarettes behind only one or two cash-registers, never the "12 items or less" counter, and so one's compelled to stand in line a long time, twiddling the thumbs, because by coincidence, the cashiers who have the cigarettes behind them are exactly, precisely, those same cashiers mobbed by people with overflowing grocery carts.

Our Walmart only has one lane for tobacco products, and at the grocery stores they are at the service desks.   I always buy them at the nearby gas station.

[LC EFA]

Maybe; I haven't paid attention.

But it seems to me supermarkets need to do something about the way they sell cigarettes.

It used to be that one could pick up a package from any of several display cases located throughout a store and go to the cashier.

As 90% of my supermarket purchases are cigarettes, this is important.

As it is now, they keep the cigarettes behind only one or two cash-registers, never the "12 items or less" counter, and so one's compelled to stand in line a long time, twiddling the thumbs, because by coincidence, the cashiers who have the cigarettes behind them are exactly, precisely, those same cashiers mobbed by people with overflowing grocery carts.

Cigarettes are only available from the "express" 12 item or less checkout here.  Usually 3 or 4 registers on the store side and one or two that you can access without entering a turnstile - but this checkout also doubles as their "service desk" etc.  So the queue is longer but processed faster.

Some stores will allow their other cashiers to call up this checkout and have a lackey bring a pack up but that's getting more uncommon year to year.

[Rugnuts]

It used to be that one could pick up a package from any of several display cases located throughout a store and go to the cashier.

As 90% of my supermarket purchases are cigarettes, this is important.

As it is now, they keep the cigarettes behind only one or two cash-registers, never the "12 items or less" counter, and so one's compelled to stand in line a long time, twiddling the thumbs, because by coincidence, the cashiers who have the cigarettes behind them are exactly, precisely, those same cashiers mobbed by people with overflowing grocery carts.

i remember when i was a kid they had cig vending machines. put in your money (prolly 1.25 then) pull the handle and your smokes dropped out the bottom. i believe it was the rampant use of these machines by minors that led to the laws that require the smokes be sold from behind the counter nowadays.

[franksolich]

Our Walmart only has one lane for tobacco products, and at the grocery stores they are at the service desks.   I always buy them at the nearby gas station.

Now, at the local grocery store (as compared with the big city supermarket), the cigarettes are accessible to the customer, but alas less than 10% of my purchases at the grocery store involve that.

I think selling "age-restricted" products at the customer-service counter is an excellent idea, but I don't see it being done anywhere around here.  Oddly, however, most seem to sell lottery tickets only at the customer-service counter.

[thundley4]

Now, at the local grocery store (as compared with the big city supermarket), the cigarettes are accessible to the customer, but alas less than 10% of my purchases at the grocery store involve that.

I think selling "age-restricted" products at the customer-service counter is an excellent idea, but I don't see it being done anywhere around here.  Oddly, however, most seem to sell lottery tickets only at the customer-service counter.

And Illinois sells Instant Lottery tickets from vending machines.

[franksolich]

And Illinois sells Instant Lottery tickets from vending machines.

Is there an age-restriction on them in Illinois?

In Nebraska, it's 19.

[Celtic Rose]

Maybe; I haven't paid attention.

But it seems to me supermarkets need to do something about the way they sell cigarettes.

It used to be that one could pick up a package from any of several display cases located throughout a store and go to the cashier.

As 90% of my supermarket purchases are cigarettes, this is important.

As it is now, they keep the cigarettes behind only one or two cash-registers, never the "12 items or less" counter, and so one's compelled to stand in line a long time, twiddling the thumbs, because by coincidence, the cashiers who have the cigarettes behind them are exactly, precisely, those same cashiers mobbed by people with overflowing grocery carts.

I was recently in the 12 item of less lane, and the customer in front of me wanted a pack of cigarettes.  The Cashier had to leave the lane, find the pack at the customer service desk, and walk it back, adding a significant amount of time.  I was not happy.

[NHSparky]

Is there an age-restriction on them in Illinois?

In Nebraska, it's 19.

18 for tickets here. And the reason smokes are "centralized" is because of the high dollar cost associated with them. A lady here stole a dozen lobsters from one of the markets. She would have been better off had she been able to steal a couple of cartons of smokes....they're worth more.

[Tucker]

They should label them.....

EXPRESS LANE FOR SHOPLIFTERS

Some cost study is going look and see if the value of the shoplifted items are less than than the expenses of wages and benefits of the clerks to replace them. If so, they aren't going anywhere.

As an added bonus, they aren't insubordinate, don't come in drunk and don't demand excessive wages.

[GOBUCKS]

In Japan, you can still buy cigarettes and beer from sidewalk vending machines.

Of course, young democrats would make short work of such machines here,
even if our nanny state socialists allowed them to exist.

[thundley4]

Is there an age-restriction on them in Illinois?

In Nebraska, it's 19.

18 for lottery tickets and cigarettes, but only one is easily accessible to minors.  I have never heard of anyone being charged with selling tickets to minors though.

[Rugnuts]

And Illinois sells Instant Lottery tickets from vending machines.

same here.

the best is liquor store drive-up windows though.

[Chris_]

Some cost study is going look and see if the value of the shoplifted items are less than than the expenses of wages and benefits of the clerks to replace them. If so, they aren't going anywhere.

Most stores, especially large retail ones, already have loss figures as a cost of doing business and track it on a monthly basis.

[zeitgeist]

18 for tickets here. And the reason smokes are "centralized" is because of the high dollar cost associated with them. A lady here stole a dozen lobsters from one of the markets. She would have been better off had she been able to steal a couple of cartons of smokes....they're worth more.

And they are easier to stick down your pants.

Here in NH there are plenty of beer, lottery, and smoke stores that can beat most supermarkets.   

[vesta111]

And they are easier to stick down your pants.

Here in NH there are plenty of beer, lottery, and smoke stores that can beat most supermarkets.   

Well you see we are a sea port up here and the long time out fisherman buy enough of everything to supply 6 people for 2-3 weeks on the waters.

This makes a problem for the stores that sell cigarettes.    Some person comes in to a grocery store and buys $500.00 worth of food and $180.00 of cigarettes as they are headed out for a few weeks fishing, we a small town know most of our people that ply the seas.

However since cigarettes go for over $10.00 a pack in NY, some stranger comes in and wants to buy
$180.00 worth of cartons, this is really no ones business but the buyers, yet the idea that they may be boot legging them in NY does occur to the seller.

We live in the land of a supermarket every 2 miles, a Short Stop every mile, 2 people can come into our State and in 24 hours buy up $ 20,000 worth of cartons and rent a truck and be on the streets selling them for cut rate prices and make a 80% profit.

I know of no other job the average Joe or Jane can make that kind of profit even in the drug trade.

Much safer if caught, penalties are probation at most, and the return is much higher then any kind of drugs.





   

[Rebel]

Well you see we are a sea port up here and the long time out fisherman buy enough of everything to supply 6 people for 2-3 weeks on the waters.

This makes a problem for the stores that sell cigarettes.    Some person comes in to a grocery store and buys $500.00 worth of food and $180.00 of cigarettes as they are headed out for a few weeks fishing, we a small town know most of our people that ply the seas.

However since cigarettes go for over $10.00 a pack in NY, some stranger comes in and wants to buy
$180.00 worth of cartons, this is really no ones business but the buyers, yet the idea that they may be boot legging them in NY does occur to the seller.

We live in the land of a supermarket every 2 miles, a Short Stop every mile, 2 people can come into our State and in 24 hours buy up $ 20,000 worth of cartons and rent a truck and be on the streets selling them for cut rate prices and make a 80% profit.

I know of no other job the average Joe or Jane can make that kind of profit even in the drug trade.

Much safer if caught, penalties are probation at most, and the return is much higher then any kind of drugs.





   

 

[Erasmus]

I like the self check-out lanes, too.  A friend had once told me that the registers, scanners, and converyors at Wal-Mart cost around $60,000 a piece at the time.   The store installs 40 of them and then hires two toothless crack whore democrats to man 2 registers.  They might have 4 lanes open during the holidays.  So I stopped going to Wal-Mart about 8 years ago.  Local grocery store actuall mans their registers, plus the employees know the system and don't have to call a manager every three minutes to figure out how to take food stamps from the degenerate democrat in front of me.  The grocery store seems to hire young kids to work the registers, not democrats who think that being a Wal-Mart cashier is a long-term career choice.