Self-Checkouts Has Lead To Increase In Shoplifting

[Sherman A1]

Stores are increasingly adding self checkouts, which can make it more convenient for many people to shop and steal.

According to a USA Today Report, Walmart and CVS are among the chains adding self-scanning lanes. But at least two grocery chains Albertson's and New England-based Big Y have abandoned their self service moves. Both cited customer service as the reason, although Big Y says shoplifting played into the decision.

Theft intentional or not is up to five times higher with self checkout than when cashiers are working, says Malay Kundu, founder of Stoplift Checkout Vision Systems, which sells store video analytic software.


More at
http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=224176

[izquierdista]

1. Time to reframe this

If the stores want the public to work as cashiers, they can at least give them the employee discount.

[Cleita]

3. I kinda thought something similar.

I refuse to use them because I won't be an unpaid employee of the store unless they want to give me a discount equal to the wages they pay their checkers for the amount of time it took me to check out.

[IamK]

18. ahhhh.. thats not gonna happen.... n/t

[nanabugg]

69. I like it when screwing people out of jobs and decent wages costs companies money!

There just is no end in sight to greed and social indifference.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Nice.

[Junkdrawer]

9. And you don't even have to put it out in the garbage,,,,

Much cleaner.

[Tom Ripley]

2. But they will probably use this "shoplifting epidemic" as an excuse to actually jack up the prices

offset the loss and all

[Cleita]

6. You know they are going to do that anyway once everyone buys into the system.

That's how they sold self-service gas stations to us. The gas was cheaper than full service. Within a decade all gas stations became self-service and now look at the price of gas.

[ejpoeta]

5. well at our local Tops (WNY) there are self checkouts.

six checkouts for 1 clerk. Tell me how they are going to keep track of 6 full self checkouts!?!? I feel bad for them over there when every customer wants their attention. I go over there when I have multiple transactions so that I don't gum up a regular line, but generally avoid them otherwise.

oh I forgot... I wanted to mention that our local walmart had installed the self checkouts and then got rid of them almost immediately. Wonder if that was why... increased theft. wouldn't doubt it.

[baldguy]

21. I've never seen them at Wegmans.

And their service is much better all around.

[ejpoeta]

49. i don't get to wegmans much because it is about a half an hour to 40 minutes for me

to get there. I used to go there a lot when I went by there all the time. They are the best place to work for or something like that. I am sure that has something to do with the level of service. I liked it there other than having a hard time finding things.

[JHB]

7. Allow me to be the first in this thread to say...

Duh! What did they expect?

[Johonny]

24. +1

[banned from Kos]

8. they pulled them out where I live in Atlanta

many months ago.

[abelenkpe]

10. So many people I see attempting to use the self checkout

end up being frustrated and confused. And if no one is watching the store, of course it's easier to walk out with items. Went to a fresh and easy recently and there was one person minding the store. One! And four self checkout lanes. Every lane required this one worker to come help at one point or another.

[customerserviceguy]

34. On the relatively few times I have attempted to use self-checkout at my favorite supermarket

More often than not, it fails. Besides, I frequently find items that have coupons that say "must be removed by cashier" (like meats near pull date) and I just don't need the hassle.

[Daniel537]

57. I never even bother using those things.

I always figure there's going to be a problem and don't want to have to bring attention to myself when i have to call somebody over to help, lol.

[quinnox]

11. Albertson's has not abandoned self checkout

Hell, I use it all the time at my local Albertson's and that includes today as a matter of fact. At least in Oregon, self checkout is alive and well at Albertson's. Personally, I love it and always use self checkout.

[aquart]

15. So, robots haven't replaced you at work yet?

[ZombieHorde]

16. You should start using them for stealing stuff. Unless of course,

you already are using them to steal stuff.

[quinnox]

17. lol

yea, that is the main reason I use them actually, it makes it easier to steal things. But don't tell anyone, it will be our little secret.

(this post is sarcastic in tone, for the sarcasm impaired)

[Sherman A1]

23. A few years ago I read an article in a trade pub

by a guy doing a study on shoplifting & self checkouts. He stated he was able to get out of the store(s) on a regular basis through them without paying for item(s) in his cart or basket. I don't recall the where or when of the article but, that was the general tone of it.

[ZombieHorde]

28. Funny! nt

[daligirl519]

35. Thank you! n/t

[TheCruces]

36. The Albertson's by me pulled them out like a year ago.

[aquart]

12. HAH! So much for it being cheaper to fire the employee.

[Ian David]

13. My wife thinks that somehow she's faster than the professional check-out people...

... and keeps insisting we use the self-check-out.

And it always ends badly.

[JoeyT]

20. Yeah, every time I ever tried one they end badly for me too.

Something always fails to scan and I have to go find someone to fix it.

In my experience self-checkout takes about five to ten times as long as a cashier.

[Ian David]

22. And the ONE time everything goes perfectly well...

... you get chosen for a spot-check and they re-scan everything in your cart.

[JonLP24]

47. The ones at our local Fry's never fails

(that isn't saying they never do other places or addressing what you say, just adding a personal story to the general topic and felt this was a place I could add it)

though I don't use them anymore because it is job that someone could do that needs the money, but I have went through the checkout lines with other people I've walked to the store with. Other than the job thing(which trumps all other factors) it is really efficient, never seen it fail, but can be confusing if not familiar(like selecting certain payment options) but there is someone in the area to help you out right away. This is only at Fry's, other places I'm not familiar with.

[1StrongBlackMan]

14. You mean to tell me ...

people will fail to scan all of the items in their basket??? Who would have thought?

On another note ...

About 7 or 8 years ago, our local grocery store began installing the self-check outs (and cutting the number of cashiers). At the time, my daughter was about 7 or 8 years old and like most 7 or 8 year olds, found the idea of scanning stuff and listening for the "beep", fasinating.

Well, one day we were standing in the express check-out line because we had maybe 2 or three items and my daughter said, "Daddy, let's use the self-check out ... There's no one using it."

I responded, "No, BabyGirl. Let's stay in this line."

Of course, my daughter began with all the "whys?"

By this time, we were one person back in the line and close enough for the cashier to hear us. I said, "we're using this line because you see that lady right there (the cashier)? Well, she probably has a family or at least would like to eat every day."

My daughter looked at me with that "Why are you saying weird things about the cashier" kind of way ... and to be honest, so did the man in front of us.

So I went on to say, "What do you think would happen to that kind lady's job if everyone used the self-check out?"

It was wonderful to see my daughter's little light come on.

[Mimosa]

46. Wow, I think the exact same way!

I remember why I like you so much Strong!

[1StrongBlackMan]

60. I remember a similar situation at my (former) local bank ...

Every two weeks, when I got paid, I did the same thing ... I went into the bank, waited in line, deposited my pay check into my checking account and wrote a check for deposit into my savings accounts.

Since I did this every two weeks, the tellers came to recognize me and but particular youngish teller always seemed to serve me.

One day the teller told me, "You know ... You can accomplish the same thing without all the wait. All you have to do is drive up to the ATM!"

I smiled at her and said, "You're probably right; but using the ATM has two draw backs. First, it would deny me the benefit of seeing you. (Yes, I was a shameless flirt) But more importantly, if everyone used the ATM, then the bank would no longer need you!"

The teller just looked at me.

Fast forward two weeks ... I went into the bank and that teller was not there; nor was she there on my next three visits. Then, on my fourth visit I saw her ... she was in line, a couple of people ahead of me. When the line snaked back so we were next to each other, I chatted her up and she said to me, "Hey ... I wanted to thank you!"

I asked her for what? And she said, "After you told me about the bank not needing me if everyone used the ATM, I thought about how hard the bank management was pushing us to encourage customers to use the ATMs. I also noticed that the bank had slowed down hiring tellers. That got me to thinking. I'm now back in school studying cosmetology. Banks may not need people to be tellers, but people will always need people to do their hair!"

I smiled thinking "Mission Accomplished."

Then it struck me; but she was in the bank standing on line ... So I asked her about it. She just looked me in my eye and said, "You know ... If everyone used the ATM, the bank would no longer need tellers." We laughed about that ... then she got this mischevious look on her face and said, "Besides, if I used the ATM ... I wouldn't have the benefit of running into you."

We dated for the next year.

[Sherman A1]

67. Agreed

Well Done!

[Daniel537]

58. +1

[kestrel91316]

19. My biggest complaint about self-checkout (other than how it killed jobs and makes me work for free)

is that the "monitor" doesn't give me TWO EFFIN' SECONDS to figure out how to use the damned thing - they rush right over and are being annoying and solicitous and distracting me, when I just want to be able to read the instructions on the screen before randomly pushing buttons.

Won't use them AT ALL now. I don't care how long the lines get.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. My store has ONE self-checkout.........ONE.

And it is always staffed.

I spoke to a cashier I know, and she told me that they would never have more than just that one because the store people knew there were folks who would *never* use a self-checkout.

I used it once, but the cashier attending it did it for me! I would never use it by myself. Too complicated.

[quinnox]

27. its really not hard to do

If you can use a computer, you can self-checkout basically. I think those who say it looks complicated just need to try it a few times, they will get the hang of it.

[Retrograde]

66. I find them a pain to operate one-handed

When I'm using my cane I quickly run out of hands and space to move items from the shopping basket to the scanner without accidentally setting things down in some obscure "forbidden zone". The ones I've seen don't appear to have been designed with the mobility challenged - even mildly so - in mind.

[aspieextrodinare]

32. I go to Fresh and Easy all the time...

and that is all they have, mostly so they don't have to employ so many which seems to make prices slightly cheaper when you take into account their insane coupons (20% off, thank you). Generally though, they make sure that the weight at the end matches what you have put on it, and if it doesn't they come and check it (which they generally have to do to low weight things). But yea, I wouldn't be shocked if things do get stolen because of them every now and then.

[Codeine]

53. Fresh and Easy are union-busting assholes. nt

[marmar]

26. I once forgot that I had a package of bottled water on the bottom of my shopping cart......

....... and didn't ring it up at the self-checkout ...... and pushed the basket right out of the store with the water.

[goclark]

55. I'm laughing at your water story

because it seems just like something I would do.

I don't like Self Check out at all.

We need JOBS not machines to replace WORKERS.

[Sherman A1]

61. Indeed

It is very easy to do, when you are in a rush and trying to do something for which you were not trained.

[eppur_se_muova]

29. No one could have predicted that ... nt

[Snake Alchemist]

30. People just cannot be trusted. nt

[surrealAmerican]

31. "Theft intentional or not"?

Is it actually "theft" if it's not intentional? Wouldn't that just be "user error" or something of the sort?

I guess customers are more likely to notice being over charged than undercharged, but I imagine not all the mistakes people make using the self check out are costing the store extra.

[Sherman A1]

42. Good point

It would be operator error, the person making the statement in the article should have used the word "shrink" which means unaccounted loss. I think it would be easy for customers to unintentionally skip some items in their mix of products going through the self check outs simply because they are being asked to do work for which they are not trained to do.

[ecstatic]

33. I wonder how?

At Kroger, the machine keeps track of the weight of items placed in the bagging area. When someone attempts to put an item in the bag area without checking it, the computer calls him/her out (something along the lines of "Please take the last item out.&quot . And if someone doesn't use the bagging area, you'd think that would get the clerk's attention...?

[MadrasT]

56. Never take the items out of the cart

I have done it by accident. Scan stuff, bag it, once you get 3 or 4 bags done, put them in the (not yet empty) cart to make room for the new bags you still need to fill post-scanner.

I was on my way out last week and found 2 things that got buried that I never scanned. I went back and paid for them, but I could have just as easily just kept going to the car.

I only use self checkouts if the regular lines are really long. I feel bad about people losing jobs and I personally would rather work less, not more.

[Liberal_in_LA]

37. makes sense

[joshcryer]

38. All the Wal-Marts around here stopped using them.

[davsand]

39. Shocked! I am totally shocked by this information!

No, not really, but I wanted to say that anyway.

Seems to me that it'd be a pretty simple matter to throw a lighter high priced item directly into a bag if it was just you doing the checking. I bought a bottle of CoQ10 for my husband recently and it was something like $30 for a pretty small bottle. I can easily see how a larcenous person could simply drop it into a bag and never bother to scan it and pay for it. Yeah, I'm sure the store could audit your bags, but how often do they do that, really? That could add up to some pretty big losses pretty quick. At least with a checker and a bagger you got more than one pair of eyes keeping things kosher...

Plus, true confession here, I kinda enjoy being able to throw my stuff on the belt and not having to deal with bagging it myself. I'm willing to pay a bit more for that.



Laura

[Mimosa]

45. Probably couldn't pull it off at Costco.

I have never used self- checkout. But I imagine a shoplifter could get caught easily?

[Quixote1818]

40. So I am guessing the part about touching the product to the yellow pad to deactivate it

is just a red hearing put in place to make shoppers think it must be rung up to prevent the alarm, when in fact the yellow pad does nothing?

[kentauros]

44. Despite the fact that most people assumed that was the function

of the yellow pad, my own assumption was that was for the camera (and recognition software) to see that you were ready to bag it and nothing was on scanner any more. My guess is that the software has gotten better because my local 24/hr Kroger has new self-scanners that don't have the yellow pad. I've still caught myself stopping at the edge of the scanner when I don't need to any longer

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

41. I worked for a retailer that did a pilot project with self-checkout

Five locations: West Hollywood, Huntington Beach, San Diego, Scottsdale and Las Vegas.

We were robbed blind at all of them, organized theft rings would just print themselves their own barcodes for less expensive items and wander out the door as loss prevention obliviously looked on from CCTV which lacked the resolution to identify items from afar. They just watched to make sure every item was scanned.

I watched on in facepalm position watching CCTV tape as the security guard in Huntington Beach helped a shoplifter to her car with a home theater speaker setup that had been rung up as a $49 Honeywell Air Purifier.

The woman came back three more times and pulled the same stunt three more times but was never apprehended, after a meth addict nearly beat a security guard to death we pretty much took to just watching shoplifters and occasionally confronting them as they entered the store, giving them a trespass warning and telling them to fuck off.

[Behind the Aegis]

43. I like it.

I don't steal, but it is quicker than waiting in line. If a cashier is free, then fine. If not, then I use the self-checkout. I do look for the "red bar" which means it is an administrator screen, and I don't have to wait for someone to "approve" my beer purchase, and it also means I don't have to "bag" ever item.

[ejpoeta]

50. really? because when i am over at the self checkout with my

5 trasactions (usually do that at night when it's not busy) there is always someone with beer and they have to go show their id to the cashier watching over the self checkouts.

[FarCenter]

59. Beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks should be bought in the liqour store

Are you trying to cost the liqour store clerks their jobs?

[meaculpa2011]

48. Our local Stop & Shop...

has the Scan It system. Scan and bag as you take items from the shelf and then just pay as you exit. Great time saver and it gives a running total as you shop.

[RebelOne]

51. Whoever wrote that headline needs

to go back to school and learn proper spelling and grammar. It should read:

Self-Checkouts Have Led To Increase In Shoplifting or Self-Checkout Has Led To Increase In Shoplifting

[alcibiades_mystery]

52. Internets: the end of quality control in the newsroom

[Egalitarian Thug]

54. Refreshing to see all these Good Democrats really embracing the whole Act Liberally philosophy.

I know how much the unemployed appreciate it.

[Jennicut]

62. I pretty much use nothing but self checkouts.

At Walmart, Home Depot, Stop and Shop. I really, really dislike interacting with people and to not interact with a cashier helps me. I know I am socially phobic but oh well. I have had social anxiety since I was about 12 and at 36 it is just not going to go away anytime soon. Pretty much have had it my entire life. I have unintentionally not paid for something in the self checkout line when my 6 year old daughter slipped some gum in to the cart without me looking. I saw it when I got home and knew we didn't pay for it. Oops.

[DiverDave]

63. I've found cash in the change thing

I guess whoever used it last forgot.
I ONLY use them if I have just a couple of items and
the checkers are really busy.
And, no I didnt take the cash.
I gave it to the lady helping folks use them.

[Quantess]

64. When I want to use up all my nickels dimes and pennies

I go to a self-check out.

[Sherman A1]

68. Good idea

I usually just roll the coins, but that is a good idea!

[Raine]

65. I don't use them, for one thing I ususally write a check

so I need a cashier and a couple times when I used it for small items the thing malfunctioned. Plus I refuse to be an unpaid employee, that deprives someone else of the work they can be paid for.