“Thank you for shopping with us.” The bright text blares at a customer sweeping the last of his groceries off the conveyor belt and into a plastic bag. A sigh, eye roll or pleased smile is thrown at the automated self checkout machine.
Self checkout machines have become ubiquitous in most large chain grocery stores. They make the simple task of buying goods more efficient than before with a personal cashier. Although the negative arguments towards self checkout machines about cashiers, whose jobs are now replaced by no wage machines, have an element of truth; the robots have an economic advantage too.
Self checkout lanes leave less room for human error or irritated interactions between customers and clientele. Checking food out becomes a pleasurable experience. As a result, customers will most likely return. The fast and automated system, while expensive to buy, quickly makes up the difference and keeps adding its benefits.
Cashiers, whose jobs have been replaced by the automated system, are often pushed towards another job in the store like stacking shelves or keeping aisles tidy. These small components further drives more people to prefer the grocery store using the public image. Moreover, there will always be customers that prefer a friendly face to purchase their food and send them off.
While a few jobs may decrease in retail stores, job growth increases in other areas. A new market of repair equipment, distribution, and installation towards these machines is imperative as they become more widespread. As the the demand for these jobs increases, more individuals will shift their focus to the tech world. This natural progression accounts for the jobs lost and further creates more.
The robots have helped understand and revise the code behind the self checkout machines. Further, Lydia DePills, writer for The Washington Post, advocated how “6 percent of U.S. supermarket suffered self- checkout lanes in 1999, and by 2007, 95 percent had them.” The steady increase in self checkout machines pushes society to become more progressive and in tune with technology especially among the older, less qualified customers. Although workers who had been replaced may not be thrilled with their loss, they are able to focus on the tech world where virtually everyone can use.
Self checkout machines have been constructed and edited it until the machine has been created in its best capacity. While self checkout machines may drive a large controversy today, unlimited self checkout lanes make pleasurable shopping through their efficient procedure.
