Self serve at Home Depot

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

6 hours ago, El Chapo said:

I hope I'm not the only one who likes self checkout.  I'm way better at it than the people they hire anyway and I don't have all day.

 

Maybe they can all switch to something like Sam's Club where I can just scan my stuff with my phone and leave.

I prefer it.

[Ozark Huckleberry]

16 hours ago, ShadowCatcher said:

Makes sense.  We seem to repeat a lot of topics like calibers, holsters, cars, trailers or mobile homes, etc. 

You'd almost think that there was an interest in those topics. 

Or that everyone forgets everything a few weeks after.

 

Yeah -- lots of interest. Two threads in, what -- a few years?

 

The forgetting part, I find more credible.

 

And it's obvious some folks feel as if they didn't get their full share of venting on the previous thread.

Edited May 9 by Ozark Huckleberry

[Ozark Huckleberry]

15 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

The reason I posted this was because some cashier actually told me why the self serves were closed! THEFT! 

 

Oh, I get that. 

 

Thanks for the heads up.

[Ozark Huckleberry]

14 hours ago, Texas Maverick said:

They aren't stealing, they are just taking their salary out in merchandise. Hope they shut them all down and go back to cashiers.

 

 

6 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

I just had a thought. Could this theft be done by the employees fearing the loss of their jobs?

Bravo! If that’s the case. 

 

Cheering theft? Really?

 

Wow.

[Ozark Huckleberry]

8 hours ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

When one gets to your area you'll LOVE the Amazon Store. Scanners track your items AS you pick them out, and when you leave, it automatically charges your card.

 

Amazon Go is a new kind of corner store

 

Stop by to grab a freshly-brewed coffee, pick up breakfast or lunch, browse a selection of snacks, alcohol, and local baked goods, or return an Amazon package. Plus, with Just Walk Out shopping you can get in and out quickly without scanning any items or waiting in a checkout line.

 

https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=s9_acss_bw_cg_FYS_3a1_cta_w?node=16008589011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-13&pf_rd_r=000M7C2VN2Y6DV1ZF4H4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=000601ae-cacd-445a-a839-fb047f73fcf0&pf_rd_i=17608448011

 

3 hours ago, El Chapo said:

 

I read an article recently where they were ending those stores because the technology just isn't there and I guess it's unreliable.  Maybe someday.

 

Until then I'm happy to check myself out.  I'm 100% better at it than they were anyway.

 

Amazon Go . . . 

 

 

Amazon Kills 'Just Walk Out' tech

 

Dig deeper into it, and what comes out is that there was a lot of surveillance video of customers' shopping being monitored in India.

[Rye Miles #13621]

When I went to Home Depot and the self serves were closed I was bummed out! I had two items and I had to wait behind people with lumber, doors, and paint etc. I could have been out of there in 3 minutes instead of 20! I’m a big fan of self serve especially when I only have a few items!

[Pat Riot]

1 hour ago, Ozark Huckleberry said:

 

 

Cheering theft? Really?

 

Wow.

Yes.

 

So what?

 

If it leads to getting rid of self checkout or at least diminish it. Yes. 

I predicted this years ago. 
The ultimate goal of self checkout is only one thing. Get rid of employees. Period
 

Don’t be so “Judgy”. 

[Ozark Huckleberry]

1 minute ago, Pat Riot said:

Yes.

 

So what?

 

If it leads to getting rid of self checkout or at least diminish it. Yes. 

I predicted this years ago. 
The ultimate goal of self checkout is only one thing. Get rid of employees. Period
 

Don’t be so “Judgy”. 

 

Won't apologize if you think it's being judgy, I just thought better of you than that.

 

A little law breaking if it serves someone's interests is what got us into 'mostly peaceful protests', political 'lawfare', campus 'occupations'.

 

I suppose stores should get rid of fork lifts, wheeled dollies -- any device for moving bulk product. That's just a way of getting rid of more employees. It sounds a bit socialist to condemn a business's use of technology to reduce labor costs.

 

Personally, I'd prefer not to help pay the salaries of multiple check-out people standing and waiting for a customer to come by their register, just as much as I'd prefer not to wait for an extra cashier to arrive when there's a long line, or to wait in line behind several people with full baskets when I can scan and go as fast or faster than the clerk. AND I get to make sure my stuff isn't crammed, smashed, dented, etc.

 

If you don't like self-checkout, fine. Don't go. Explain your objections. I'll absolutely respect your opinion and your choice.

 

But condoning theft because you don't like the policy of a store you either avoid or voluntarily go into? Is that really 'cowboy'?

[Texas Maverick]

6 hours ago, Ozark Huckleberry said:

 

 

Cheering theft? Really?

 

Wow.

Nope, just a bit of sarcasm. I don't like the self checkout and don't use them. Have  never condoned theft of any kind but am not surprised it is happening. You want to trust everyone to be honest is gonna cost you money. It just depends on how much they can afford to lose to offset them not having to pay cashiers. I will stand in line just to keep justifying the poor cashiers existence.  In this I guess we can agree to disagree. You will find that not everyone that uses self checkout are gonna be totally honest if they can get away with something for free. I spent over 12 years in law enforcement and learned not everyone is totally honest. I know, it was shocking. 

 

TM

Edited May 9 by Texas Maverick

[Cypress Sun]

40 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

Nope, just a bit of sarcasm. I don't like the self checkout and don't use them. Have  never condoned theft of any kind but am not surprised it is happening. You want to trust everyone to be honest is gonna cost you money. It just depends on how much they can afford to lose to offset them not having to pay cashiers. I will stand in line just to keep justifying the poor cashiers existence.  In this I guess we can agree to disagree. You will find that not everyone that uses self checkout are gonna be totally honest if they can get away with something for free. I spent over 12 years in law enforcement and learned not everyone is totally honest. I know, it was shocking. 

 

TM

 

I actually walked back in from the parking lot of a Super Walmart because I forgot to ring up a friggen taco seasoning packet in self-checkout. Got out to the truck, there it was on the bottom of the cart.  I'm not going to rip anyone off, person, greedy corporation or not.

 

Like some others, I like the self-checkout myself. The self-checkout machine is the most competent employee they employ most of the time.

[Texas Maverick]

1 hour ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

I actually walked back in from the parking lot of a Super Walmart because I forgot to ring up a friggen taco seasoning packet in self-checkout. Got out to the truck, there it was on the bottom of the cart.  I'm not going to rip anyone off, person, greedy corporation or not.

 

Like some others, I like the self-checkout myself. The self-checkout machine is the most competent employee they employ most of the time.

I understand. Your moral compass is in line with mine. I have gotten home and found that the checker didn't ring something up and actually went back to the store and let Customer Service know and paid for it. I want to always be able to look at myself in the mirror without seeing any guilt. You are probably right about being the most competent employee they employ but that is just my point, I am not their employee and don't want to be. They don't pay me to be an employee so I will always stay away from the self-checkout. That being said I understand others have a different opinion and that is what is great about being in the USA, at least for now (not sure where our country is headed). They don't mind checking themselves out and it is probably faster but I am an old dog and don't learn new tricks very well.

 

TM

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

40 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

I am not their employee and don't want to be. They don't pay me to be an employee so I will always stay away from the self-checkout.

TM

That's the way I look at it. The people that run the register get paid to do so. If I'm not getting paid, I'm not doing it. I've told them that at the store, and when I get the "Customer Satisfaction Survey", I say so there too. I will also tell the survey that I was glad to see a cashier on duty. 

Now if they were to offer a discount for running the self checkout, I'd be all over it. 

[Pat Riot]

7 hours ago, Ozark Huckleberry said:

 

Won't apologize if you think it's being judgy, I just thought better of you than that.

 

A little law breaking if it serves someone's interests is what got us into 'mostly peaceful protests', political 'lawfare', campus 'occupations'.

 

I suppose stores should get rid of fork lifts, wheeled dollies -- any device for moving bulk product. That's just a way of getting rid of more employees. It sounds a bit socialist to condemn a business's use of technology to reduce labor costs.

 

Personally, I'd prefer not to help pay the salaries of multiple check-out people standing and waiting for a customer to come by their register, just as much as I'd prefer not to wait for an extra cashier to arrive when there's a long line, or to wait in line behind several people with full baskets when I can scan and go as fast or faster than the clerk. AND I get to make sure my stuff isn't crammed, smashed, dented, etc.

 

If you don't like self-checkout, fine. Don't go. Explain your objections. I'll absolutely respect your opinion and your choice.

 

But condoning theft because you don't like the policy of a store you either avoid or voluntarily go into? Is that really 'cowboy'?

I’ll be honest here and say that I really don’t condone theft but when I talk to person after person that hates self checkout and we all say the same thing. We complain to management and they smile and say “It’s for your convenience”.  No it isn’t, it’s to save money on not having to hire minimum wage workers. 

If product loss gets more checkers at the registers that’s just the way it is. 
 

The Walmart near me was pushing everyone to use self checkout. They were hiring new people to fill orders via the internet, but leaving people hired to run registers cooling their heels at home. 
There were so many complaints that they now keep several registers manned all during business hours. 
 

I will not order food at a kiosk and I will not use self checkout. Period. 

[Pat Riot]

4 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

Like some others, I like the self-checkout myself. The self-checkout machine is the most competent employee they employ most of the time.

If you want to see a self checkout malfunction just let me try to buy something using it. It never fails. I think they have a disdain sensor or something.  

[Subdeacon Joe]

3 hours ago, Texas Maverick said:

I understand. Your moral compass is in line with mine. I have gotten home and found that the checker didn't ring something up and actually went back to the store and let Customer Service know and paid for it.

 

Just about every time I've done that,  or noticed there had been something I missed in self check (for small shopping trips i usually use my cloth shopping bag as my basket and often have 2 more bags in it so a small item might be missed),  the person at customer service usually waves me off.  

 

Re the California bill:

 

https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1446/id/2964634

 

Personally I like self check for just a few items.   It's often much faster.   I  don't like it for our major shopping trips.   We usually hit the Walmart  Neighborhood Grocery just after it opens so we beat the crowds,  but often only the self check stands are open.

 

 

[Texas Joker]

This is no different than the change from when you went to the general store and told Earl behind the counter what you wanted, And he picked it out tallied it up and charged you. supermarkets came along And people suddenly were able to pick out their own groceries. What a change.

[Cypress Sun]

52 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

If you want to see a self checkout malfunction just let me try to buy something using it. It never fails. I think they have a disdain sensor or something.  

 

Kind of like a cat. They seem to know who doesn't like them and won't leave them alone.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

11 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

Yes.

 

So what?

 

If it leads to getting rid of self checkout or at least diminish it. Yes. 

I predicted this years ago. 
The ultimate goal of self checkout is only one thing. Get rid of employees. Period
 

Don’t be so “Judgy”. 

The ultimate goal is cutting costs getting rid of employees is only a step in that direction.

 

or actually increasing profits and cutting costs is also a step in that direction.

Edited May 9 by Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

3 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

The Walmart near me was pushing everyone to use self checkout. 

There is a Walmart Grocery store near me that doesn't even HAVE manned check out anymore. If I go there, and the ONLY time I go there is if I can't find what I want at another store, I always ask one of the three or four "customer service managers" up there to check me out. They are always willing to. 

[John Kloehr]

I spent several hours going to a bunch of stores and not finding what I wanted even though I know Walmart has it.

 

I did find one the next day right where I left it so all good. I just do not like shopping at Walmart because the employees are obviously not happy working there.

 

I worked a "bog box" job for a while and learned a few things. First, my job as a sales associate did not directly involve "LP." LP is Loss Prevention and these are different employees. Not only was I not LP, cashiers were not LP and returns staff were not LP.

 

I also learned small losses were neither worth the stores time nor even LP. I also learned small losses add up to big losses and LP could, would, and did document and add up small losses. In one case, this was an associate in returns who was "refunding" bogus returns (stolen product barcodes) until it added up to the point where it was worth prosecuting. She was also "perp-walked" through the store so associates in the area could see her.

 

Because I had worked for a certain chain, I knew the protocols. Most big box stores are very similar because they have learned what works and what is worth it. So anyway, I noticed I had a tail in hardware so I put the two packets of screws in my shirt pocket. She saw me do it. I then headed to plumbing and pocketed some PVC fittings. Glue and primer did not fit in my pocket so I carried those. Then I grabbed a cart and pulled a few pipes and some other fittings. I put the glue and primer on the cart.

 

I still had the tail and was in no hurry so I did some "shopping" to get prices on a few upcoming projects. Still did not lose the tail, so I headed to checkout. I chose self-checkout. First I got assistance scanning the pipes on my cart, the thanked the checkout associate and proceeded to ring up the items on the cart, Then very carefully and methodically checked every pocket for the small items I stashed on me... Every pocket. Clearly, obviously, thoroughly.

 

And just before paying, I walked up to her, told here where I made her, and "I'm not the droid you are looking for." And a couple hints to avoid getting made in the future.

 

But none of this is complete without the back story...

 

A couple weeks earlier, I decided to replace my back porch. So I got string, stakes, screws, an bunch of other stuff. Among the other stuff was a few lengths of EMT (metal electrical tubing). I needed it for gauging a layer of sand over a gravel bed for the pavers. After using them, they were somewhat scratched up by sand. I had planned on recycling them as metal but decided to hose them off and try returning them for fun. The return was accepted. This was wrong (on me for attempting the return, on the store for accepting it). But falsely accusing a customer can cost far more.

 

I'm sure the two events are related, they were going to build the case to where it was worth prosecuting me even if it was a few dollars at a time just like the girl and her boyfriend in returns. I was not going to be stopped exiting the store even if I did steel a couple bags of screws, but i was on camera for future tracking. I know I was.

 

And in my defense, I have no doubt the actual real profit to the store from my purchases completely swamps my one experience taking advantage of the protocol just to see if I could. If you ring up your organic bananas from the grocery store as 4011 at self check, you will likely be fine. But never assume the lack of challenge for doing so means the event was not noticed by LP.

 

At some point, just a few more cents may cross the threshold of "worth taking action" to the store.

Edited May 10 by John Kloehr

[bgavin]

On 5/8/2024 at 2:57 PM, ShadowCatcher said:

Waiting two weeks to take delivery of a new gun after already having a CCW is a PITA though - that one really riles me up!

When I was getting started in SASS, I accumulated 170+ days of CA waiting period days.
PITA, indeed.

[Vail Vigilante]

When people make me check out on the self I always tell them I will be happy to, but give me a 1099 so I can invoice them for my time.

 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

1 hour ago, Vail Vigilante said:

When people make me check out on the self I always tell them I will be happy to, but give me a 1099 so I can invoice them for my time.

 

When they try to make check myself out, I tell them that I don't work here and they have two choices: Either THEY check me out or go put the stuff back on the shelves.