I delivered one of those self checkout machines to a Walmart in Ohio. Then I got to see it installed. It wasn't a 24 hour Walmart, and they were closed when I arrived at 1am, but they were waiting for me. After pumping the installer with enough questions, he finally asked if I wanted to see the install. Takes about 3 hours, most of which involve programming the computer for the store's location. The installer team (3 of them) were from Ft. Worth, and they travel around the country installing these things.
I know some people, apparently a lot of people, really like self checkout. I hate, hate hate it.
Not only are self checkouts taking a job away from somebody, but they're giving that job to me, and making me do the job for free. When I go to Walmart, or Kroger, or that Pilot in Lebanon, TN, I go there to buy stuff, not to work.
I went to my local Kroger at home one time about 2 in the morning and ir was self checkout only. I complained and the manager checked me out. But I said it might be different if I got 10% off for self checkout. He said self checkout enables them to keep prices low.
I said, "Yeah, on the back of my free labor. I'm literally donating my time and labor so Kroger can keep prices low. Why would I do that?"
He said, "When you put it that way, I don't know."
So, yeah, not a fan of self checkout. Those who like it, more power to ya.
