New Study Says Shoppers Prefer a Real Person Over Self-Checkout

About ten years ago grocery stores began implementing 'self-checkout' lanes and they were supposed to be the wave of the future ultimately replacing the real cashier. Ten years later according to a new study, people are staying away from self-checkout in record numbers. The lanes were introduced to move you throught the store faster and cut down on labor costs. It turns out that most people want want good old fashioned customer service from a real person according to the study. Customers feel like the machines are unreliable and it is very difficult to use coupons.

 Most people feel like it takes longer to get through self-checkout than it does a live checkout line. My experience with self-checkout has been a pain and way too time consuming. You scan an item and it says to place the item in the bag, which you have already done and it is still telling you to place the item in the bag and it will not scan the next item until that has been done. I know that has happened to you and in some ways, don't you kind of feel like you are doing something wrong or even illegal because the stupid machine keeps warning you? I hate that!!

 Accidental and intentional theft has been one contributing factor to  the problem as well. The study shows that people just like to have personal interaction and have someone say 'hello' as opposed to dealing with an unreliable machine. As well intended as this idea might have been at one time, some big grocery store chains have already begun the process of phasing out self-checkout. You can read more about the study from USA Today by clicking here.