Current Events > self-checkout is proven actually slower than human checkout

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xcz4MoaUMak

wow this is crazy

turns out people only THINK it is quicker but scientifically is not

His explanation is nonsense

https://ixtenso.com/technology/the-self-checkout-paradox-faster-or-slower.html

The self-checkout paradox faster or slower?

Shopping experience feels faster and more efficient even if actual time takes a bit longer
One of the biggest benefits with self-checkouts is that the process feels faster and more convenient. The customers are more prone to leave the store with a smile after a few more minutes by the self-checkouts than after a shorter amount of time standing in line. Why is this?

The paradox with self-checkouts is that the shopping experience feels faster and more efficient than with traditional checkouts, even though the actual time at the self-checkout takes a bit longer. The feeling of a faster shopping experience makes them exit the store with a more relaxed attitude. This is very beneficial for retailers since the checkout experience is the last thing the customer remembers when walking out. And when you create positive feelings around the store, the customer is more likely to come back.
A faster shopping experience
While standing in line, customers usually feel like theyre wasting time. A big benefit with the self-checkout paradox, for both customers and retailers, is that it reduces the negative experience of lines and the feeling of spending endless time in the store. For customers, being in motion provides a faster and less frustrating experience. Instead of standing in line and waiting for other people, theyre in charge and in control of their own time while scanning items. Being in motion while self-scanning groceries for example is shown to create a feeling of calm, a more customer-friendly substitute for the feeling of stress that lines cause.
For retailers, fewer and shorter lines means less staff. You actually only need one cashier to handle up to eight (and in some environments even more) self-checkouts. This is not only cost effective a more attentive shopping experience occurs when the remaining staff is free to interact and establish real connections with customers. A problem with lines is that some customers, especially the ones purchasing smaller items, find them so irritating that they rather leave the store without making a purchase than waiting. With self-checkouts, retailers have a chance to meet these customers needs instead of risking to lose them to smaller corner shops nearby a clear transactional benefit with the Self-Checkout paradox.

The paradox with self-checkouts is that the shopping experience feels faster and more efficient than with traditional checkouts, even though the actual time at the self-checkout takes a bit longer.

Irony posted...

His explanation is nonsense

How so? Based on your feelings or you understand the psychological principle he explained?

It's way quicker because there's 6-8 self checkout kiosks in the same location 2 checkout aisle's would be meaning there's fewer people in line, fewer people ahead of you, and more open stations at any given time.

The time in line is far worse than the time standing in front of a cashier. It's the same idea as a restaurant. A normal food item only takes between 5-10 minutes to cook and serve. The issue arises when there's 10-15 of those food items for different people. Every new order lines up behind all the rest. If you have 100 different orders for the same 5 minute item, it won't take you 5 minutes to expedite all 100 items. It'll take you several minutes to set up and serve each individual item.

Both

WingsOfGood posted...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xcz4MoaUMak

wow this is crazy

turns out people only THINK it is quicker but scientifically is not

It's only faster because it lets you beat lines, the actual scanning isn't faster and I don't think anyone ever thought it was. If the self checkout has a long line then you're super wasting time.

Reminds me of the mythbusters airline boarding method episode.

Older people tend to avoid self checkout. Not being behind them when they decide to pay by a check or some other stupid shit makes self checkout faster.

Not in my experience.

"Anti-selfcheckout" isn't something I was expecting for 2023. Ever since self-checkout, I've never needed to wait longer than 5min at the register. In and out every time.

Cuticrusader09 posted...

Older people tend to avoid self checkout. Not being behind them when they decide to pay by a check or some other stupid shit makes self checkout faster.

"I have this expired coupon from a competitor, what do you mean you're not going to honor it!?!?!?!"

Tyranthraxus posted...

It's only faster because it lets you beat lines,

which is the point of the video and the article

timewise it is ACTUALLY slower and takes MORE TIME

but your brain is tricked into thinking it is faster because you aren't waiting in a line just doing the unpaid labor for longer than you would be waiting

Alteres posted...

Reminds me of the mythbusters airline boarding method episode.

Didn't see it. Can you give a tl;dr?

My guess is airlines trick people in some way?

Cuticrusader09 posted...

Older people tend to avoid self checkout. Not being behind them when they decide to pay by a check or some other stupid shit makes self checkout faster.

Seriously this. My first thought was They have never been behind someone elderly filling out a check.

It's purposefully ignoring that the checkout process usually involves waiting behind people. If you have an empty line with a staff member and an empty line with a self-checkout, then choosing the staff member is obvious, but that's rarely an option.

Sandalorn posted...

Not in my experience.

that is point of the video

your anecdotal experience is unreliable as your brain is tricked

Youre fighting against something that's been common for 20 years and will be phased out by superior replacements that are already being used now. Are you gonna fight for vhs over DVD next?

WingsOfGood posted...

that is point of the video

your anecdotal experience is unreliable as your brain is tricked

Cool.

Jiek_Fafn posted...

Youre fighting against something that's been common for 20 years and will be phased out by superior replacements that are already bring used now. Are you gonna fight for vhs over DVD next?

It's just his soapbox for the day. All he does is jump from soapbox to soapbox for self-affirmation. I find it adorable tbh.

Jiek_Fafn posted...

Youre fighting against something that's been common for 20 years and will be phased out by superior replacements that are already bring used now. Are you gonna fight for vhs over DVD next?

Not fighting against anything actually.
People need to be made aware how easily they are exploited and realize what is exploitation and what is not.
Just the idea to come to your brain that you are doing free work is enough whether you agree or not. As time goes on you will eventually get there. These corporations will continue to exploit worse and worse.

There were actually a number of different boarding methods that were significantly faster than the traditional section method, including the free for all (southwest) method. There were also methods faster than free for all.

The methods were timed as well as a satisfaction survey given, the faster methods all had much lower satisfaction scores.

The highest rated method was with order but not too much (traditional), as it still felt fast as you were boarding in chunks (people hate just standing in line) and it wasnt stress inducing (as you knew where you were supposed to go and when).

Sandalorn posted...

It's just his soapbox for the day. All he does is jump from soapbox to soapbox for self-affirmation. I find it adorable tbh.

corporate exploitation is something I discussed here since late 2020

finding out the reason people justify this particular instance of exploitation is not based in reality but a psychological trick is important
you are saying something is faster when it is actually slower but the corps love that cause it cuts wages

WingsOfGood posted...

which is the point of the video and the article

timewise it is ACTUALLY slower and takes MORE TIME

but your brain is tricked into thinking it is faster because you aren't waiting in a line just doing the unpaid labor for longer than you would be waiting

Nah man. It's definitely faster when I got like my $30 bachelor groceries for the weekend and the only other open register got some woman in the middle of scanning her $500 weekly haul for family of 8.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Nah man. It's definitely faster when I got like my $30 bachelor groceries for the weekend and the only other open register got some woman in the middle of scanning her $500 weekly haul for family of 8.

Still is not.

That is only true when store has cut down the lines of paid employee checkout to 1 or so.

Back in the day when every line had an employee, self-checkout couldn't even begin to compete with the speed.

No, it's definitely quicker. The average person is just a slow fuck

I posted the mythbusters thing @ #22

Alteres posted...

There were actually a number of different boarding methods that were significantly faster than the traditional section method, including the free for all (southwest) method. There were also methods faster than free for all.

The methods were timed as well as a satisfaction survey given, the faster methods all had much lower satisfaction scores.

The highest rated method was with order but not too much (traditional), as it still felt fast as you were boarding in chunks (people hate just standing in line) and it wasnt stress inducing (as you knew where you were supposed to go and when).

Very interesting.

So the basic principles is humans hate lines and would rather be given some sort of busy work instead?

Almost like you could force them to walk further rather than sit there.
I guess the idea is waiting in the line is wasting time even though realistically and truthfully it is saving time by being much faster.

crazy

what irrational beings people are

Everyone who has ever worked or known someone who has worked in the grocery store industry already knew this.

This just in: Checking yourself out is slower than someone whose job it is to check you out doing it for you

Tyranthraxus posted...

Nah man. It's definitely faster when I got like my $30 bachelor groceries for the weekend and the only other open register got some woman in the middle of scanning her $500 weekly haul for family of 8.

Just let it go man. He's the dude that will tell you your own experience is wrong. He just needs to be right in his own mind. You see them on the internet every day. Just save yourself some time, laugh then move on with your day.

DKBananaSlamma posted...

No, it's definitely quicker. The average person is just a slow fuck

False. You can't even mimic what a paid checkout person does how the quickly pickup the items from the belt and scan them.

The self-checkout is small space and you are forced to spin your body around and such things like that.

Literally physically impossible to compete with them.

Sandalorn posted...

Just let it go man. He's the dude that will tell you your own experience is wrong. He just needs to be right in his own mind. You see them on the internet every day. Just save yourself some time, laugh then move on with your day.

It is not me telling you that. It is psychological principles and such.

The only reason it's quicker is that a single Self-CheckOut Aisle usually has 2-8x CheckOut counters.

1x Attendent monitors 2-8x CheckOut counters.

VS.

1x Attendent & 1x Grocery Bagger handles 1x Customer at a time.

It's closer to a Single-Core vs Multi-Core analogy.

You aren't going at the fastest speed per customer, but you can handle far more Customers in Parallel usually assuming nothing has a "Blocking Issue" which screws multiple people up and halts progress.

WingsOfGood posted...

Not fighting against anything actually.
People need to be made aware how easily they are exploited and realize what is exploitation and what is not.
Just the idea to come to your brain that you are doing free work is enough whether you agree or not. As time goes on you will eventually get there. These corporations will continue to exploit worse and worse.

Then this is an awful example that you chose. The emerging technologies involving alternatives to current self checkout prove otherwise. They took a flawed solution that benefitted only them and started to work on alternatives that also benefit the consumer.

WingsOfGood posted...

False. You can't even mimic what a paid checkout person does how the quickly pickup the items from the belt and scan them.

The self-checkout is small space and you are forced to spin your body around and such things like that.

Literally physically impossible to compete with them.

Self checkouts with wands are easily faster than checking out in an aisle.

Loading and unloading your items takes time. Taking a gun and manually scanning each item is far quicker than lifting and swiping each item.

If you're buying 100 items, sure it may be quicker to make someone else do it. But if you're purchasing 10-15 items, you can scan those items far quicker with a gun than without.

WingsOfGood posted...

Still is not.

That is only true when store has cut down the lines of paid employee checkout to 1 or so.

Back in the day when every line had an employee, self-checkout couldn't even begin to compete with the speed.

Its obviously different where you live but even back in the day I NEVER witnessed any retail store where every line had an employee. Im almost 50 and from my earliest memories there would be like 10 checkout lines and only 2 open. They would only use the other lines when they were closing out a register and would shift lines.

My local grocery store has not adopted self checkout. They still do things old school and have said they will always have checkers. But for the last 40+ years of me going there they generally always have 2 checkers.

Kamen_Rider_Blade posted...

The only reason it's quicker is that a single Self-CheckOut Aisle usually has 2-8x CheckOut counters.

1x Attendent monitors 2-8x CheckOut counters.

VS.

1x Attendent & 1x Grocery Bagger handles 1x Customer at a time.

It's closer to a Single-Core vs Multi-Core analogy.

You aren't going at the fastest speed per customer, but you can handle far more Customers in Parallel usually assuming nothing has a "Blocking Issue" which screws multiple people up and halts progress.

which becomes irrelvant if there is enough paid human checkout lanes

but it is a self made problem with an inefficient solution

because it lower wages but doesn't make anything more efficient or faster just makes some people tricked into thinking it does

It depends on how many people are there and if the machines are working properly.

Lil_Bit83 posted...

It depends on how many people are there and if the machines are working properly.

oh ya

they are down a lot in some places

It is very rare that I go to check out at a store and there isnt at least one person I would have to wait behind in a cashiers line. One of the several self checkout machines, however, is almost always open.

And honestly, even if its a little slower I would rather bag my own groceries most of the time. Its more convenient and saves that little bit of time back when I get home.

Where I go there is always a self check station available and the lanes with a checker always have a line.

I never have many items because we primarily do curbside for our main order.

There is no way that I'd be better off going to a checker

infact I used self-checkout the other day

I had 2 items with a coupon from the shelf

I scanned coupon, didn't go through

had to wait for the supervisor of my unpaid work to come over and put in a code

meanwhile a line had formed behind me

yet I did nothing wrong, it just wasn't designed to accept the coupon without the supervisor authorization

WingsOfGood posted...

which becomes irrelvant if there is enough paid human checkout lanes

but it is a self made problem with an inefficient solution

because it lower wages but doesn't make anything more efficient or faster just makes some people tricked into thinking it does

It's faster for the store to process more customers, not necessarily faster for the individual customer to process their order since you yourself are the determining factor for checkout speed. That speed will vary drastically between individuals.

Remember, the store is doing what's best for it's interest.

That means (Min/Max)-ing it's resources while processing you at a decent speed on a individual basis while Maximizing the Total # of customers moving through the CheckOut per hour.

While we're on it, you're likely better off checking out at guest services than in a line. There's at worst, 1-2 people in line there, while there's routinely a fuck load of people in the various checkout lines, and those standing in the guest line, are likely buying cigs, lotto, cashing a check, or whatever else you have to exclusively do there.

WingsOfGood posted...

yet I did nothing wrong

Wrong. You tried to use a coupon at a self check lane

ClayGuida posted...

While we're on it, you're likely better off checking out at guest services than in a line. There's at worst, 1-2 people in line there, while there's routinely a fuck load of people in the various checkout lines, and those standing in the guest line, are likely buying cigs, lotto, cashing a check, or whatever else you have to exclusively do there.

so human over the machine right?

Dat_Cracka_Jax posted...

Wrong. You tried to use a coupon at a self check lane

excuse me?

Kamen_Rider_Blade posted...

It's faster for the store to process more customers, not necessarily faster for the individual customer to process their order since you yourself are the determining factor for checkout speed. That speed will vary drastically between individuals.

Remember, the store is doing what's best for it's interest.

That means (Min/Max)ing it's resources while processing you at a decent speed on a individual basis while Maximizing the # of customers moving through the CheckOut per hour.

Stores do not min:max for time, they min:max for cost. Something being faster doesn't matter if the slower option costs them less and people are still going to go with them.

ellis123 posted...

Stores do not min:max for time, they min:max for cost. Something being faster doesn't matter if the slower option costs them less and people are still going to go with them.

so true

and that is why we have self-checkout and waning employee paid checkout lanes

so sad

and people actually let themselves think it is faster is sad