Comments on: Self-Checkout Gets Extra Set of Eyes With Video Software

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:17:52 +0000

As more and more of these self check out lanes pop up, there is another American in the unemployment line.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:12:00 +0000

They had that at one of the Wal-Marts in Ala. some 4 yrs ago. It would show number of items in the cart and how many scanned. So this is not new.

By: Carl

Carl — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:42:22 +0000

For the record, I love the automatic checkout lanes. Especially with food, there’s nothing worse than a cashier with a bad cold who came to work anyway snotting and sneezing and touching the food you have to eat. Yuck. I never go in the manual lanes anymore if I have a choice.

By: Carl

Carl — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:32:50 +0000

In watching some people use these things, it becomes very obvious that about 60% of the populace is so stupid that they don’t know that the table you set the items on is actually a scale with a huge dynamic range from like an ounce to 50 lbs or more. You see people’s kids sitting on them all the time and the parent wonders why they have a hard time ringing up. The scale is what generally monitors the transaction. What you scan is compared to a standard weight; when you put the item in the bag, the weight had better compare within tolerance; otherwise you get a voice, “unknown item in bagging area”. It’s going to be hard to defeat a system when the average person has no clue how it works. They just assume it’s monitored by cameras. In general, they are not. You see those in the aisles where people will put stuff in their coats; etc.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:27:45 +0000

Self checkout sucks anyway. Half the time you need assistance. So they may as well open another lane or two.

By: michael

michael — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:53:09 +0000

The system will notify an employee that there is trouble? Yeah right,as soon
as he gets back after placing the stolen steaks in his car! LOL!!!!!

By: GWP

GWP — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:51:07 +0000

I agree with another poster that this video system might lead to false accusations when customers have purses, hats, etc. in the cart. Items that they had when they’d walked into the store.

I’m very surprised these thefts are happening when some stores are using other means to combat theft. Like the bagging-weight system. It detects an unknown object in the bag that was not scanned. It will not allow you to pay or go forward with the unknown item in the bag.

By: Pauline

Pauline — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:36:02 +0000

Self check outs are an attempt to do away with paid help. But they just seethe of steal me.

Man is a very opportunistic hunter,, a few free blackberry’s, an apple a box of nails. or an upgrade on what they can afford are natural.

People are stupid, management too stupid. and Many just believe they will not be caught.

Do not covet thy neighbors property. It is the top ten for a reason.

Temptation is everywhere, but forgiveness is only for God.

By: Babs

Babs — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:25:51 +0000

You don’t suppose they would ever consider hiring a couple more cashiers and trying a little customer service; I guess not. When you report on how much the theft hurts the economy, please include how self-service in every area has cost many jobs. I envy the people who still have someone to pump gas. I have arthritis in my hands, and it’s really painful in the winter. Customer service is gone in most every business.

By: Ray Allen

Ray Allen — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:14:14 +0000

I think it’s amazing that this story has come to light during a down economy in which retailers have employed self scan systems to save money on hiring cashiers. Maybe retailers will wake up and scrap the “on your honor” self service machines.