Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Self Checkout shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Self Checkout offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Self Checkout at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Self Checkout? Wrong! If the Self Checkout is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Self Checkout then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Self Checkout? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Self Checkout and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Self Checkout wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Self Checkout then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Self Checkout site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Self Checkout, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Self Checkout, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
self checkout at a
Wal-Mart store.
Self checkout machines are automated alternatives to the traditional
cashier-staffed
checkout at retailers.
Description
Some
retailers have introduced self checkout machines, where the customer is permitted to scan the
barcodes on their own items, and manually identify items such as fruits and
vegetables (usually with a
touchscreen display), which are then weighed where applicable, and place the items into a bagging area. The weight observed in the bagging area is checked against previously stored information to ensure that the correct item is bagged, allowing the customer to proceed only if the observed and expected weights match, although not all machines do this.
In some self-checkout systems, rather than weighing items in the bagging area, a
conveyor belt is provided to move items from the barcode scanner to the bagging area. In such a system, the item is checked while it is on the conveyor belt, reducing the confusion and limited working space sometimes associated with "bag-as-you-scan" systems.
There is normally an attendant watching over several self checkout machines, to provide assistance, prevent theft through exploitation of the machines' weaknesses, and to enforce payment. Attendant assistance is also required for the purchase of age-restricted items such as
alcohol and tobacco.
Payment on these machines is accepted by card via
EFTPOS,
cash via
coin slot and bill validator, and in-store gift cards where applicable. In addition, many stores also allow customers to pay via cheque with attendant assistance. Most
coupons also have barcodes and can be scanned the same way that items are scanned.
Benefits
The benefit to the customer is in the reduced checkout time because stores are often able to efficiently run two to six self checkout units where it normally would have had one cashier.Some customers appreciate the ability to not have to deal with anyone, giving an illusion of privacy and anonymity, when in fact the self checkout attendant can track the progress of customers on all machines via a separate terminal.
The benefit to the retailer in providing self checkout machines is in reduced staffing requirements since one attendant is all that is required to run 4 to 6 checkout lanes at one time.
Challenges
The time efficiency requires that the customers using the machine be reasonably competent. An inexperienced customer can cause the same sort of delays as an inexperienced cashier on a conventional register.
As the weight observed in the bagging area is checked to allow the customer to proceed only if the observed and expected weights match, it is difficult to reconcile with the use of
environmentalism preferable alternatives to shop-provided
bags, for example,
baskets, rucksacks, and other reusable (but heavier) carriers.
Some self checkout installations seem to suffer from system integration problems and user interface design issues that limit the productivity rate of the checkout station. Often, this makes the cycle time much longer than the time actually needed for a competent customer to ready the next item for scanning. This results in the customer being interrupted after every item to wait for the system. In many cases, the systems appear to have inadequate processing hardware for the degree of user interface
graphics they are attempting to display, resulting in substantial lag whenever the screen needs to update or change. The minimum achievable cycle time for these systems as implemented seems to be in the range of one item every 5 seconds or so. These problems limit the maximum theoretical throughput of the self-check stations to far less than the normal throughput of a regular register with a clerk, which has a cycle time of less than 1 second per scan.
Another problem which frequently occurs is the bagging
scale failing to properly register the weight of the items purchased. The systems often falsely report that unscanned items have been bagged, or that scanned items were not placed in the bag. These false alerts stop the checkout process and require the store attendant to come unlock the system, often eliminating any time savings that could have been realized by using self-checkout instead of waiting in line for a regular register. This issue sometimes occurs because of weight fluctuations on the bag scale caused by the platter being improperly positioned. It also occurs because the store has placed these lanes in an area that has drafts of wind causing the weight fluctuations such as ventilation systems or being near the door which has wind going through it when it opens as customers enter or exit.
Alternative system
An alternative system consists of a portable barcode scanner that is used by the customer to scan and bag items while shopping. When the customer has finished shopping, the scanner is brought to a checkout kiosk, where the information from the barcode scanner is downloaded to the kiosk, usually in conjunction with a Loyalty program. The customer pays and receives a receipt at the checkout kiosk. The integrity of the system is maintained through the use of random audits or
RFID. The system was in use at many larger Safeway (UK) stores in the
United Kingdom until the stores were rebranded as
Wm Morrison Supermarkets after the chains merged.
Waitrose uses this system under the name
Quick Check. This system is also used at some Martin's Food Markets and
Tops Markets stores in the United States as
EasyShop, So I went and checked out the competition today..., Ben Schumin, The Schumin Web. Accessed May 1, 2006.,
Pak'n Save in
New Zealand and
Superquinn in
Republic of Ireland, where it is branded
SuperScan.
Theft on these services is reduced by a combination of a high barrier to entry (Waitrose for example requires users of its service to have one of their
credit cards, which in itself requires a credit check and the provision of identification) and occasional audits of customers' shopping, where customers chosen at random are taken to a specialised till and have their shopping scanned in the usual way.
See also
- Cash register
- Point of sale
- RFID
- Smartstores
References
External links
- Self-Service World - News portal concerning Self-Service Technology
- KioskMarketplace.com - Industry news site devoted to kiosks and related technology
- IBM Self Checkout - IBM self checkout overview of portfolio, whitepapers and additional resources.
self checkout at a
Wal-Mart store.
Self checkout machines are automated alternatives to the traditional cashier-staffed checkout at retailers.
Description
Some retailers have introduced self checkout machines, where the customer is permitted to scan the barcodes on their own items, and manually identify items such as
fruits and
vegetables (usually with a
touchscreen display), which are then weighed where applicable, and place the items into a bagging area. The weight observed in the bagging area is checked against previously stored information to ensure that the correct item is bagged, allowing the customer to proceed only if the observed and expected weights match, although not all machines do this.
In some self-checkout systems, rather than weighing items in the bagging area, a conveyor belt is provided to move items from the
barcode scanner to the bagging area. In such a system, the item is checked while it is on the conveyor belt, reducing the confusion and limited working space sometimes associated with "bag-as-you-scan" systems.
There is normally an attendant watching over several self checkout machines, to provide assistance, prevent
theft through exploitation of the machines' weaknesses, and to enforce payment. Attendant assistance is also required for the purchase of age-restricted items such as alcohol and tobacco.
Payment on these machines is accepted by card via EFTPOS,
cash via
coin slot and bill validator, and in-store gift cards where applicable. In addition, many stores also allow customers to pay via cheque with attendant assistance. Most coupons also have barcodes and can be scanned the same way that items are scanned.
Benefits
The benefit to the customer is in the reduced checkout time because stores are often able to efficiently run two to six self checkout units where it normally would have had one cashier.Some customers appreciate the ability to not have to deal with anyone, giving an illusion of privacy and anonymity, when in fact the self checkout attendant can track the progress of customers on all machines via a separate terminal.
The benefit to the retailer in providing self checkout machines is in reduced staffing requirements since one attendant is all that is required to run 4 to 6 checkout lanes at one time.
Challenges
The time efficiency requires that the customers using the machine be reasonably competent. An inexperienced customer can cause the same sort of delays as an inexperienced cashier on a conventional register.
As the weight observed in the bagging area is checked to allow the customer to proceed only if the observed and expected weights match, it is difficult to reconcile with the use of
environmentalism preferable alternatives to shop-provided bags, for example, baskets,
rucksacks, and other reusable (but heavier) carriers.
Some self checkout installations seem to suffer from system integration problems and user interface design issues that limit the productivity rate of the checkout station. Often, this makes the cycle time much longer than the time actually needed for a competent customer to ready the next item for scanning. This results in the customer being interrupted after every item to wait for the system. In many cases, the systems appear to have inadequate processing
hardware for the degree of user interface graphics they are attempting to display, resulting in substantial lag whenever the screen needs to update or change. The minimum achievable cycle time for these systems as implemented seems to be in the range of one item every 5 seconds or so. These problems limit the maximum theoretical throughput of the self-check stations to far less than the normal throughput of a regular register with a clerk, which has a cycle time of less than 1 second per scan.
Another problem which frequently occurs is the bagging
scale failing to properly register the weight of the items purchased. The systems often falsely report that unscanned items have been bagged, or that scanned items were not placed in the bag. These false alerts stop the checkout process and require the store attendant to come unlock the system, often eliminating any time savings that could have been realized by using self-checkout instead of waiting in line for a regular register. This issue sometimes occurs because of weight fluctuations on the bag scale caused by the platter being improperly positioned. It also occurs because the store has placed these lanes in an area that has drafts of wind causing the weight fluctuations such as ventilation systems or being near the door which has wind going through it when it opens as customers enter or exit.
Alternative system
An alternative system consists of a portable barcode scanner that is used by the customer to scan and bag items while shopping. When the customer has finished shopping, the scanner is brought to a checkout
kiosk, where the information from the barcode scanner is downloaded to the kiosk, usually in conjunction with a
Loyalty program. The customer pays and receives a receipt at the checkout kiosk. The integrity of the system is maintained through the use of random audits or
RFID. The system was in use at many larger Safeway (UK) stores in the United Kingdom until the stores were rebranded as
Wm Morrison Supermarkets after the chains merged.
Waitrose uses this system under the name
Quick Check. This system is also used at some
Martin's Food Markets and Tops Markets stores in the United States as
EasyShop, So I went and checked out the competition today..., Ben Schumin,
The Schumin Web. Accessed
May 1,
2006.,
Pak'n Save in New Zealand and
Superquinn in
Republic of Ireland, where it is branded
SuperScan.
Theft on these services is reduced by a combination of a high barrier to entry (Waitrose for example requires users of its service to have one of their
credit cards, which in itself requires a credit check and the provision of identification) and occasional audits of customers' shopping, where customers chosen at random are taken to a specialised till and have their shopping scanned in the usual way.
See also
- Cash register
- Point of sale
- RFID
- Smartstores
References
External links
- Self-Service World - News portal concerning Self-Service Technology
- KioskMarketplace.com - Industry news site devoted to kiosks and related technology
- IBM Self Checkout - IBM self checkout overview of portfolio, whitepapers and additional resources.
Self checkout - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Self checkout machines are automated alternatives to the traditional cashier-staffed checkout at retailers.
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