Self Checkout is Harder than it Should be

More on the use of the automated checkout process and related issues, with links to a survey and review:

Shoppers have a love/hate relationship with self-checkouts    by Tom Ryan in Retailwire

Consumers are increasingly favoring self-checkout because of the perception that it can be faster than using a cashier. Frustrations, however, with the technology persist.

A recent Wall Street Journal article — “Stores and Shoppers Agree: Self-Checkout Is Hard” — details how Walmart has quietly disabled or removed the weight sensors used to detect miss-scanned items because too many “wait for assistance” messages were being triggered, to the annoyance of shoppers. Walmart is making use of cameras in some cases as a solution.

Theft also remains an issue at self-service registers, with tricks such as scanning a less inexpensive item becoming popular. Retailers, however, typically have an aversion to having staff confront shoplifters directly.

A recent survey sponsored by weighing technology firm Shekel Brainweigh found that nearly: