By: Manal Kashif, SFU Student
People use self-checkout during their grocery hauls for various reasons, including saving time. Self-checkouts became popular around a decade ago to promote efficiency in the checkout process. However, it’s now being brought to light that this cost-cutting method fails to lead to better experiences for customers, especially when it’s the only option available.
Many Canadians prefer regular checkouts over self-checkout because of the ease of having someone else scan their groceries. Engaging in friendly conversation can also be a highlight during a busy day of errands. For disabled customers like Linda Hause, the lack of cashiers at chains like Walmart can mean it’s difficult to receive assistance. CBC reported on her experience. When all the cashier lanes were closed, Hause asked the self-checkout attendant to scan her items. When they refused, she was forced to get out of her mobility scooter to do it herself. Of course, this isn’t the case at all stores, but this example shows how disabled people get left behind in the name of efficiency.
Many self-checkouts also aren’t suited for blind or visually impaired shoppers, as they don’t have audio guidance, according to Canadian Affairs. A study in the Journal of Business Research found the rise of self-checkout “shifts the work to customers, [making] them feel less rewarded,” and eventually, less likely to visit stores with more self-checkouts.
A small conversation in the rush of everyday life or even a smile can go a long way.
Trying to make the grocery shopping experience “self-sufficient” is not only bad for business, but also isolating. The type of conversations people have with their cashiers are known as “low-stakes interactions.” While they might seem insignificant in the moment, University of Michigan professor Toni Antonucci claims they’re “a critical tool for maintaining emotional well-being later in life as social circles shrink.” In a world where online shopping has quickly taken over, implementing machines like self-checkouts in public places is the nail in the coffin. By walking away from regular checkout, we are further falling into the hole of less communication and more individual experiences, contributing to a rise in isolation.
Speed becomes the overall goal and is most imminent in Gen Z shoppers, who tend to prefer self-checkout. A study showed that those aged 18 to 34 prefer self-checkout over cashier interaction, but the opposite is true for folks aged 55 or older. The appeal seems to decline as there’s an increase in age groups. Still, that does not mean self-checkout is the future, as many stores have started ditching self-checkout options due to technical issues, customer feedback, and theft.
As someone who almost always uses a regular checkout, I find the interaction between the cashiers and I to be part of what makes us all functioning members of a society. A small conversation in the rush of everyday life or even a smile can go a long way. Humans shouldn’t function like robots or AI; we should engage meaningfully with each other in the pursuit of our daily activities.
