Amber McKenna

Buckle up, because I am going to start ranting about my disdain for self-checkout machines. First of all, if I wanted to check groceries or other products out on my own, I would have shopped online. But I didn’t. I went to the store where I expected to have an employee ring up my items.
I understand that it may be faster when a person has only a few items, but why is self-checkout the only way to ring up your items when the store isn’t busy?
With the self-checkout system, only one cashier is required to attend, at most, four checkout machines. If you are a company trying to reduce costs, this is beneficial, but if you’re an employee who is fired and replaced by a machine, it is disadventageous. I, personally, would rather have an actual person checking me out and know that they are getting compensated, rather than doing it myself and becoming annoyed in the process.
Another frustrating aspect of self-checkout technology is its inconsistencies. The machine always begins to beep at you when it senses a weight difference between the pre-bagging area and the bagging area. This means every time you bring your own grocery bag or prefer a paper bag, the machine will repeat the same message louder and louder until an employee comes to help you.
Want to checkout fruit or vegetables? Don’t even think about it. With self-checkout, trying to pay for something that doesn’t have a barcode is a huge task. Also, for all those old-fashioned shoppers, you can forget about paying for your items with a check.
Where’s the small talk with the cashier and customer? Where’s the candy and magazines?
As much as I can’t stand waiting in line, I have come to the conclusion that I would rather wait a few minutes and have a pleasant experience than be forced to expend extra brain power and leave the store frustrated.