There’s a lot of discussion swirling around self-checkout lanes in major retailers such as Walmart, Target, and the like. Enough discussion, in fact, that this seemingly non-controversial shopping experience is causing quite a stir.
For some, the self-checkout lane is a gift from the grocery store gods. The whole concept is revolutionary! We simply roll our carts to the cash register, scan our items, bag them, pay, and go. No idle chit chat with an unknown cashier required, AND we even can use coupons. It’s a retail breakthrough long overdue.
For others, the self-checkout lane is an automated nightmare. It’s one more example of people being replaced by machines in the workforce. Furthermore, if we scan something that requires identification to buy, or we need a security device removed from an item, the one attendant monitoring eight self-checkout lanes must be summoned to our check stand, which actually slows down the whole process. It’s technology for technology’s sake AND it takes DIY to an unnecessary level.
The controversial debate is real. Facebook posts encourage shoppers to boycott the self-checkout lanes, and I must admit, I have received some icy stares from fellow shoppers standing in the full service lanes as I have approached the self-serve check stands.
So, do self checkouts reduce retail jobs? From my view, I’d say, “No,” and according to a recent Forbes article found here, retail workers have nothing to worry about for a while.
I think it also is worth considering the new job positions appearing in retail stores which may employ some displaced cashiers. Personal shoppers provided by major retailers, fill customers’ orders (usually submitted online), bag their items, and even load them in the customers’ cars. Consumers love this service, and former cashiers no longer stand behind cash registers for hours on end.
But, to be fair, we need to look at the whole picture and notice what I think is the biggest handicap perpetuated by the self-checkout craze — the lack of human contact. Society becomes increasingly more introverted with each technological advancement; self-checkouts do nothing to encourage social interaction.
Still, for now, the conversation centers around loss of money and jobs. We can argue all day about the pros and cons of bagging our own groceries and whether retail jobs are safe, but the bottom line is most of the debate is happening on social media — a virtual space where our thoughts and opinions are delivered through high speed internet lines rather than the editorial section of the local newspaper.
Print news — now there’s an industry lost to technology. You remember newspapers, right? Actual humans — they were called paperboys or paper carriers, to be politically correct — delivered the daily news to your doorstep each evening. Of course, that was back in the day when you had to tell a live phone operator which number you wished to call.
Think about those lost jobs and similar others the next time you’re pumping your own gas. Yes, in case you’re wondering, there was a time when service stations employed workers to pump your gas, check your oil, and fill your tires with air. Now, there’s a job worth bringing back!