[noodlesUK]

I think the error of self-checkout was installing self-checkout terminals as a replacement for traditional checkouts as opposed to a speedy option. Particularly in grocery stores, I really enjoy scan-and-shop style self checkouts, as I am able to pack my bags as I go through the store. I can then present myself at a till, pay, and leave. That actually saves me time.

What I don't enjoy are paranoid self-checkout machines with scales that are constantly complaining about unexpected items, or self-checkout machines in locations where pretty much every customer is making an age-restricted purchase or a large portion of the items have security tags. There needs to be a sensible attempt to understand the purchase habits of the people using a particular store and tailor the checkout experience accordingly.

On a related note: I was in a Boots (similar to Walgreens) earlier today and I witnessed a truly crazy amount of shoplifting: 3 times whilst I was there. Partially that was down to the layout of this particular store, which had a number of different exits and an insufficient amount of staff. The self checkouts don't help at all, because they cause far more false positives with the exit alarm, where a security tag doesn't get removed.

It would be straightforward for an inventory system to hook up directly to the security tags, rather than having them be totally separate from the SKUs which are actually scanned into the POS. You'd then have item-level tracking of stock, which I'm sure would help from more than just a shrinkage perspective.

[BobaFloutist]

Costco is so annoying about this, it's not even that it complains about unexpected items, it requires you to put every scanned item on the scale, and if you're shopping at Costco, you probably have some pretty bulky, heavy items that you'd really rather just put back in the cart instead of building the Leaning Tower of Palettes of Toilet Paper and Tuna.

I get why they do it that way, but they already check your receipt before you exit, you're supposed to have a membership that they supposedly check at the door before you shop there (I know they don't really) which they could presumably revoke if you got caught trying to steal, and self-checkout receipts already have the turquoise bars to prompt them to check closer, so it feels a bit absurd.

[kenny11]

The Home Depot stores near me do this really well. Since they also sell a lot of bulky and/or oddly shaped merchandise, their self checkouts each have a wireless, handheld barcode scanner that you can use to scan each item, often without even taking it out of your cart.

[farmdve]

Almost my sentiment. Quite often pre-packaged items that need to weight a certain amount are slightly more or slightly less resulting in the terminal err-ing out.

The self checkouts over here are regularly supervised by employees and regularly they need to intervene especially for alcohol.

[sunflowerfly]

Our local Walmart has given up weighing items post scan. It helps a lot.

In the UK many of the small grocery stores limit shopping to what fits on the scale at one time. While highly annoying, it mostly fits the shopping habits. That would not work at all in the US.

[asimpletune]

Here in Italy there are huge super markets that are scan and shop. My 80 year old family members go and do it without any issues. It’s actually kind of nice.