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Lies They Feed Us: "Wild," "Crab," Etc.

Lies They Feed Us: "Wild," "Crab," Etc.
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  • Post #241 - January 4th, 2023, 10:35 pm
    Post #241 - January 4th, 2023, 10:35 pm Post #241 - January 4th, 2023, 10:35 pm
    Some stores implemented self checkout because they could not find enough checkers. One of the Evanston Whole Foods has self checkout, but it does not have it if the store is not super busy. I thought I heard Sunset Foods implemented some self checkout lanes too? I have not been in a Sunset in years, but I remember when they used to unload your cart for you.

    When I was in both the Walmart's on Touhy last week, one of them only had self checkout. It might have been the one in Niles.
  • Post #242 - January 4th, 2023, 11:21 pm
    Post #242 - January 4th, 2023, 11:21 pm Post #242 - January 4th, 2023, 11:21 pm
    A Costco in a nearby city took out the self-check, as there was too much being stolen through the lines, and goods moved through them too slowly for them to afford the space. The new Costco here in Salem has 9 of them. One of the people at Costco told me that they work in some stores in some areas, but not all. So where they work, they will have them. If they don't work, they don't hesitate to take them out.
    The thing about quotes on the internet is you can not confirm their validity. -- Abraham Lincoln
  • Post #243 - January 4th, 2023, 11:55 pm
    Post #243 - January 4th, 2023, 11:55 pm Post #243 - January 4th, 2023, 11:55 pm
    At Sam's Club, they have somebody at the door where you exit checking your receipt to make sure it matches what you have in your cart. I could see somebody going to the self checkout at Jewel or Walmart and stealing something.
  • Post #244 - January 5th, 2023, 10:06 am
    Post #244 - January 5th, 2023, 10:06 am Post #244 - January 5th, 2023, 10:06 am
    NFriday wrote:I could see somebody going to the self checkout at Jewel or Walmart and stealing something.

    At the Highland Park Jewel, there is always someone standing there ready to help in the self-checkout area.

    I finished checking out the other day, when the Jewel staff member pointed to the O-oranics tomato paste in my cart. I went back to pay for it, while apologizing for missing this. I was impressed by this and glad, because who wants a bad rap for ultimately a 49-cent purchase.

    Occasionally, this same person has chased me down to handover something I left behind.

    If you have a raincheck, they prefer you do not go through self-checkout.

    Regards,
    CAthy2
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #245 - January 5th, 2023, 11:11 am
    Post #245 - January 5th, 2023, 11:11 am Post #245 - January 5th, 2023, 11:11 am
    A few more opinions and experiences with self checkout: Ron, I think your assessment of retailers' motivations is slightly off. If consumers like self checkout enough that it increases sales higher than the required investment, it's worthwhile to a business owner to install it. Or the flip side of the coin, if consumers avoid a store because it lacks self checkout, ditto. This is definitely true now that consumers seem eager to use self checkout. No different than installing anything that generates more revenue than its cost, a sushi station or fresh tortilla bar, whatever. The reduced labor cost is a bonus. It's also possible that consumers perceive the cost saving measure as lowering prices, much like Sam's or Costco not providing bags.

    On the theft issue, I suspect the main modus operandi for grocery shoplifting is simply dumping products into a large coat or stroller, or bolting for the exit, rather than sneaking them through the self checkout. For self checkout theft, it's much easier at stores like Walmart or PicknSave where purchases don't need to be put on the scale compared with Woodmans or Jewel where they do. But I assume Walmart studied their decision and found it worthwhile to forgo the scale to make the system work more smoothly. And I'm not surprised that the chaos that characterizes Costco is particularly vulnerable to theft, given the variety of small high priced items.
  • Post #246 - January 5th, 2023, 12:17 pm
    Post #246 - January 5th, 2023, 12:17 pm Post #246 - January 5th, 2023, 12:17 pm
    tjr wrote:A few more opinions and experiences with self checkout: Ron, I think your assessment of retailers' motivations is slightly off. If consumers like self checkout enough that it increases sales higher than the required investment, it's worthwhile to a business owner to install it. Or the flip side of the coin, if consumers avoid a store because it lacks self checkout, ditto. This is definitely true now that consumers seem eager to use self checkout. No different than installing anything that generates more revenue than its cost, a sushi station or fresh tortilla bar, whatever. The reduced labor cost is a bonus. It's also possible that consumers perceive the cost saving measure as lowering prices, much like Sam's or Costco not providing bags.

    Please understand, I see nothing wrong with businesses implementing programs to increase their profitability and sustainability (directly or indirectly). Such is the nature of business and capitalism. What I see as deceitful is when such programs are characterized as being solely for the benefit of the consumer. They never are. That's just not how business works.

    I remember when Tock first came on the scene. It was characterized as a great innovation for both operators and diners. Restaurants would be able to more accurately forecast their costs, manage their expenses, reduce waste and pass those savings onto consumers. Really?

    Thinking about it now, are there any consumers who really find an advantage in paying in advance for a non-refundable meal that's extremely difficult if not impossible to reschedule? If there are, I'm sure the list is quite short. There's no tangible upside for the consumer that making a simple reservation wouldn't accomplish. My point is, we're all better off understanding why businesses really do the things they do, even when we're fed ostensible reasons by the businesses.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #247 - January 5th, 2023, 1:40 pm
    Post #247 - January 5th, 2023, 1:40 pm Post #247 - January 5th, 2023, 1:40 pm
    If there was no improvement for their bottom line they wouldn't adopt/implement it. There's a cute moment in the new series 1923 (Yellowstone spin-off) where the ranch family is in the "city" (1923 Bozeman) and pass an electric company storefront with a number of convenience appliances in front. They view the washing machine and refrigerator with some skepticism because they don't see an immediate need and correctly surmise that the "rental" option is merely a way for the company to electrify homes and bill in perpetuity. Some innovations offer mutual benefit but there would be no buy-in at the retailer level if there wasn't a clear financial incentive.

    Mark Kurlansky's biography of Clarence Birdseye had a similar story about the difficulties encountered in getting frozen foods to market when few homes and even fewer retailers had freezers. They had to create incentives to get the freezers in stores and convince the public that frozen was superior to commercially or home-canned.

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