Some Walmart employees say customers are getting hostile at self-checkout — and they blame anti-theft tech::When Walmart’s anti-theft self-checkout tech alerts an employee of a missed scan, it can cause some uncomfortable situations.

  • garretble@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    You force me to check out my own groceries. Fine.

    But don’t get pissed when I have a lot of groceries and have to move my bags because you gave me one square foot of space to bag everything. That’s often my biggest frustration. The robot thinks I’m trying to do some shady stuff, and I’m not.

    • IrrerPolterer@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      The ‘robot’ isn’t the problem. This design is intentional and human made. Here in the Netherlands self checkout is the norm, even in very small grocery stores. However, it’s super easy and not frustrating at all, because the stores TRUST their customers. The self checkout is super simple, you scan a product and put it on your bag, or backpack or whatever you have. No need to weigh the scanned products or anything. Nothing overcomplicated.

      Now there are some control measures, but they are designed in a way to not be too intrusive or create unnecessary frustration: First, most places have a gate at the exit that only lets you leave by scamming your receipt (or if you go paperless, you scan your membership card on your phone). Also, some places do random inspection. But that’s frustration free too - a worker comes up to you with a hand scanner, scans like four or five random items of yours and leaves. Boom, done.

      • shiroininja@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Yeah, you can’t trust Americans. They’ll steal your own land out from under you and Rob your grandma and call it good business sense. Saying this as an American.

      • Thymos@lemm.ee
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        11 months ago

        Also, some places do random inspection. But that’s frustration free too

        Yeah, I’m gonna disagree with that. They’ve recently ramped up those checks because of increased theft due to inflation. They also scan more items now. After having been checked 4 times in a row and them completely emptying my bag each time, I no longer use the self checkout.

        • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          A third of these are people who are either disabled or in medical crisis. They’re marked “funny”. And this is where you go for entertainment? Well, when people tell you who they are, believe them.

    • just_another_person@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Honestly, those weight systems are so easily defeated, I don’t even get the point. Anything that is measured by unit vs weight can easily be stolen.

    • Stabbitha@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      I use reusable bags. I have to be very slow and deliberate getting the bag ready in the bagging area or it’ll flag me.

      • Fushuan [he/him]@lemm.ee
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        11 months ago

        I use reusable bags too, I first scan and rest the products on the weighting area, and after paying quickly introduce all the products into my bag. It takes a bit longer but it’s way less problems for the workers and me, and it’s still faster than going through the regular checkout.