The Last Standing Knight
Member
I have had to use them when no other options are availible at the time. I find them to be tedious and annoying and often the line is as long as the regular check outs.
The fact is that many of the big box stores WANT their customers to use them and will strongly direct you to them. In addition, many stores are starting to strongly discourage the use of hard currency or checks in favor of debit and credit cards and will try numerous offers to get you to get one. Perhaps someone here knows, but I read a few months back of a store that was replacing its cashiers with an automated self-check out system that was tied directly into a smart phone app.
The cashiers are no better for a myriad of reasons. All of them want my ZIP code/phone number/would you like to sign up for our special program/...etc. all the time you are wanting to get your business done and get out of the store.
The trend is honestly to move away from the customer/employee interaction toward a cheaper (for the store) electronic alternative. This is going to increase and the cashier as we know it will be all but a thing of the past in the next 25 to 30 years. There are some stores where the employees want little or nothing to do with their customers and will go out of their way to avoid them. Those that do help are usually poorly trained and don't even know anything about the store's products.
What the big box stores don't yet seem to realize in their business model (except for lip service) is that on line shopping services are slowly but surely eating away at the business. Stores like Wal-Mart have taken steps that direction, but at this point they pale in comparison to established services like Amazon.
Welcome to the 21st century.... (rolls eyes)
The fact is that many of the big box stores WANT their customers to use them and will strongly direct you to them. In addition, many stores are starting to strongly discourage the use of hard currency or checks in favor of debit and credit cards and will try numerous offers to get you to get one. Perhaps someone here knows, but I read a few months back of a store that was replacing its cashiers with an automated self-check out system that was tied directly into a smart phone app.
The cashiers are no better for a myriad of reasons. All of them want my ZIP code/phone number/would you like to sign up for our special program/...etc. all the time you are wanting to get your business done and get out of the store.
The trend is honestly to move away from the customer/employee interaction toward a cheaper (for the store) electronic alternative. This is going to increase and the cashier as we know it will be all but a thing of the past in the next 25 to 30 years. There are some stores where the employees want little or nothing to do with their customers and will go out of their way to avoid them. Those that do help are usually poorly trained and don't even know anything about the store's products.
What the big box stores don't yet seem to realize in their business model (except for lip service) is that on line shopping services are slowly but surely eating away at the business. Stores like Wal-Mart have taken steps that direction, but at this point they pale in comparison to established services like Amazon.
Welcome to the 21st century.... (rolls eyes)
As for creating jobs, why not refuse to return your shopping carts/ drop items on the floor/ leave items in the wrong aisles etc. that would create more work, no? AND bag-BOYS???, some of them are looking a little long in the tooth. 
