Self-checkout and receipt checks

[aznsx]

Cash is going the way of the phone booth and the newspaper stand / box (self-serve type); albeit perhaps for different reasons. I can love it or hate it, but neither will change it.

The part of this thread addressing the matter of 'cash vs electronic' payment methods is confusingly morphing into 2 fundamentally different and incompatible things. What I wrote was a statement of observation of what I see has occurred in recent history, is becoming (or has become) current reality, and is likely the continued, inevitable direction - vs opinion regarding whether or not this trend was and is a good one or one which is desirable. Whether or not things should have moved / are moving in the best direction vs how one might wish they had gone and were moving are very different things. My second sentence underlined that distinction. This is almost like debating at this point whether or not e-mail should have largely replaced postal mail for personal communications; like recognition of what is now current and likely future reality vs wishful thinking. I don't think there's much to be gained by the latter at this point. That second sentence was the key here. In other words, I think this train has left the station.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Dog whistles are fun, I guess.

Well, okay, I was exaggerating a bit. But, you have to imagine what it is like not living in a big city, and then seeing looting on store security cam video on the news. You get a distorted image of big city life, I guess. I say I guess, because I don't know if that is a distortion, or an accurate representation of day to day life in the big cities. I have seen video after video of that kind of entitled theft on newscasts. I have no other way of knowing what is going on there. Are the newscast store surveillance videos of blatant theft inaccurate?

 

[idleprocess]

Well, okay, I was exaggerating a bit.

Appreciate that concession.

I say I guess, because I don't know if that is a distortion, or an accurate representation of day to day life in the big cities.

In my experience, no.

I have seen video after video of that kind of entitled theft on newscasts. I have no other way of knowing what is going on there. Are the newscast store surveillance videos of blatant theft inaccurate?

TV news is about stirring anxiety and nothing stirs anxiety like the thought of disorder - spreading disorder.

Mid 2020 seems to have been the peak of these vivid events and they seem to have been concentrated in cripplingly expensive metros such as NYC and SFO - which had long-simmering issues with shrinkage. Toss in a decent slice of the population already living on the edge furloughed with no notice and no consideration and it was largely inevitable.

Remember all the excitement over thefts from freight trains? While also exasperated by the economic impacts of lockdowns it's been an issue due to the facts on the ground practice of Precision Scheduled Railroading which - contrary to the claimed customer-focused optimization running trains as needed - optimizes the railroad's costs with trains longer than rail infrastructure is designed to handle:

In particular, Precision Scheduled Railroading is impacting safety due to increased train length, up to three miles (5,000 metres) in many cases.

This has lead to large portions of trains parked outside of the perimeter of switchyards, greatly increasing patrol distances - much of which will be in unlit areas without easy access from the switchyard.

As the previously economically dispossessed returned to work as the worst of the pandemic wound down this largely returned to the prior normal. But retail has continued to beat that drum, possibly as a prefix to justify ongoing priceflation, harassing customers, and other self-serving policies.

The future in areas that do have significant ongoing issues with shoplifting and outright robbery may well be giant vending machines.

 

[bykfixer]

I see people leaving Wal Mart without paying for stuff every time I go there. They walk out real fast in packs as the alarm rings and the receipt checker just stands there knowing he/she cannot catch them (as they are probably not allowed to anyway).

 

[aznsx]

Much of what I see in the news appear to be 'flash robs', largely fueled and enabled by the combination of telecommunications advances (relatively new), and lowlifes (which have always been with us). These are often technologically-enabled lowlife scum you're seeing. They can communicate as never before.

I spent >25 years in communications technology, but don't blame me. Often technology advances serve the interests of such lowlifes, but also the rest of us. Very few things with 'upsides' are without 'downsides' (unfortunately). We cannot, however be limited by the 'lowest common denominator' or we'd never advance, although such downsides should perhaps be anticipated, considered, and mitigated better to the degree possible (if any).

I'm very glad I'm not in retail. The 'costs of doing business' are rapidly rising. I visit retail locations only infrequently now, largely fueled by 'viruses', but I may be benefiting in other ways from that shift in my behavior.

Yeah, what you're seeing in the news is very real (although it is subject to being either emphasized or downplayed), but does tend to be concentrated in particular locales; but I won't 'go there' - I don't think I need to, as the stats do an adequate job of that. I'm fortunate not to live in such a locale (yet), but it's likely destined to spread.

 

[Got Lumens?]

I remember several months ago the local Home Depot had a guy that loaded a cart full $900 worth of items.
Low and behold, several private individuals customers surrounded the guy in the parking lot called police and kept the guy there, poof he was caught.
There still are good samaritans out there, his self Checkout(walkout) did not go his way, and made the local 6 and 11PM news.

 

[idleprocess]

Low and behold, several private individuals customers surrounded the guy in the parking lot called police and kept the guy there, poof he was caught.

A risky gambit but assuming an arrest and successful prosecution I doubt an attorney would bother taking the case on contingency, and even if they had the benjies to fund litigation themselves it would probably be futile.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

As the previously economically dispossessed returned to work as the worst of the pandemic wound down this largely returned to the prior normal. But retail has continued to beat that drum, possibly as a prefix to justify ongoing priceflation, harassing customers, and other self-serving policies.

The future in areas that do have significant ongoing issues with shoplifting and outright robbery may well be giant vending machines.

I can't see that over--pricing merchandise beyond affordability and harassing customers, is self-serving, actually, such behavior would be self-defeating. Retailers/b&m merchants spend a lot of money on advertising/marketing to get customers into their stores, and they have to keep them happy with the experience to keep them coming back. You don't stay in business long by pissing off your customers.

As for the financially distressed, or however you phrased it, we have a welfare system to support people specifically so that they do not resort to crime to survive. In fact, much of Kommiefornia's predicaments are self-inflicted. They have had the greatest welfare state in the nation, which they could not afford, and are now reaping the results. I do not believe any of that theft is justified, not when there is a generous welfare state in these big cities, plus the billions, no, trillions of dollars that the federal government threw away during the pandemic. IMO, the largest contributor to all the crime is the defund the police movement, and the Liberal politicians, judges and DA's that do not prosecute and incarcerate the criminals, thereby enabling crime and encouraging criminality.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I remember several months ago the local Home Depot had a guy that loaded a cart full $900 worth of items.
Low and behold, several private individuals customers surrounded the guy in the parking lot called police and kept the guy there, poof he was caught.
There still are good samaritans out there, his self Checkout(walkout) did not go his way, and made the local 6 and 11PM news.

Bravo for the witnesses!

In societies in which there is no law enforcement, you will see citizens/subjects take the law into their own hands.

 

[idleprocess]

I can't see that over--pricing merchandise beyond affordability and harassing customers, is self-serving, actually, such behavior would be self-defeating. Retailers/b&m merchants spend a lot of money on advertising/marketing to get customers into their stores, and they have to keep them happy with the experience to keep them coming back. You don't stay in business long by pissing off your customers.

The bulk of the complaints about self-checkout I've seen involve Wal-Mart, many of whose customers aren't necessarily there by choice; I wouldn't be either but the SO insists ... because reasons ... thus I get to observe the processes in action. You're not going to see these sort of impositions at the likes of Whole Foods nor Neiman Marcus. Even Target - whose similarities to Wal-Mart are obfuscated by the thinnest sheen of marketing - knows better and goes to some effort to both make the self-checkout experience pleasant and also tends to staff registers.

Priceflation has been happening throughout the economy for a few years now as evidenced by rising corporate profits.

As for the financially distressed, or however you phrased it, we have a welfare system [...]

You may be confusing analysis of the situation as I saw it for rationalizing it. I am not doing the latter.

Worth noting that welfare systems were ill-equipped to deal with the speed and breadth of the problem in mid-2020.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

The bulk of the complaints about self-checkout I've seen involve Wal-Mart, many of whose customers aren't necessarily there by choice; I wouldn't be either but the SO insists ... because reasons ... thus I get to observe the processes in action. You're not going to see these sort of impositions at the likes of Whole Foods nor Neiman Marcus. Even Target - whose similarities to Wal-Mart are obfuscated by the thinnest sheen of marketing - knows better and goes to some effort to both make the self-checkout experience pleasant and also tends to staff registers.

Priceflation has been happening throughout the economy for a few years now as evidenced by rising corporate profits.


You may be confusing analysis of the situation as I saw it for rationalizing it. I am not doing the latter.

Worth noting that welfare systems were ill-equipped to deal with the speed and breadth of the problem in mid-2020.

That was by design of the ones who created the problem.

 

[Monocrom]

The bulk of the complaints about self-checkout I've seen involve Wal-Mart, many of whose customers aren't necessarily there by choice; I wouldn't be either but the SO insists ... because reasons ...

My best friend who is a bit of a steak snob, recently shocked me when he admitted that Wal-Mart's Choice cuts are some of the best steaks he's ever eaten. And, reasonably priced for what you're getting.

So yeah, if you want some delicious steak; go to Wal-mart for their Choice cuts. Also, it's a good place for certain survival/outdoor gear. No credit card or PayPal needed. No waiting for a package to arrive at your door. Just don't buy pens or electronics from Wal-Mart.

 

[orbital]

+

Last time I bought any meat, other than some summer sausage, was winter of '22
NO, I'm not a vegetation. Meat is just overly expensive I feel.


My protein::
Milk, yes I buy whole milk
Eggs
Nuts
Cheese
Beef jerky couple times a year
Protein powder on sale

 

[Monocrom]

+

Last time I bought any meat, other than some summer sausage, was winter of '22
NO, I'm not a vegetation. Meat is just overly expensive I feel.

Like Chris Rock said, "If you're fortunate enough to live in a part of the world where you can get you some steak.... Bite the sh.. out of it!!!"

 

[knucklegary]

I see people leaving Wal Mart without paying for stuff every time I go there. They walk out real fast in packs as the alarm rings and the receipt checker just stands there knowing he/she cannot catch them (as they are probably not allowed to anyway).

Same thing goes on at my Walmart. When I asked security why they don't stop them. He said all we can do is follow them into parking lot take down auto license numbers..

Did y'all see the motorcycle heist on TV? A gang of thieves broke into a motorcycle dealership (with a large overhead) Then what appeared to me the thieves were after specific bikes. After taking, or cherry picking, the m/c they rode them off.

It's not the same (safe) world we use to live in.

 

[orbital]

Same thing goes on at my Walmart. When I asked security why they don't stop them. He said all we can do is follow them into parking lot take down auto license numbers..

Did y'all see the motorcycle heist on TV? A gang of thieves broke into a motorcycle dealership (with a large overhead) Then what appeared to me the thieves were after specific bikes. After taking, or cherry picking, the m/c they rode them off.

It's not the same (safe) world we use to live in.

+

Simply because there's no penalty it seems,, Why not do it, right.
Every time it's allowed to happen, it encourages it even more.

Entitlement mentality grows & grows.

Merchants of every size & scale should be able to do more,, alot more.
Then, all those involved lose their ability to vote = forever.

^ this will help offset,, sorry the truth hurts

 

[Dave_H]

While buying some beer, before I could ask the cashier for the printed receipt, she tore it up. Not upset or anything, just accustomed to many (most?) customers not wanting to take a receipt; and disposing of it to prevent possible misuse if the wrong person gets a hold of it. I always take a receipt, and asked for another.

I am not pleased with arbitrary checking by security when there is no evidence of suspicious activity, but it has not happened to me yet, not sure how I would handle it. However, for this and possible return purposes, having a printed receipt could simplify things though I have had little need to do so.

Dave

 

[Monocrom]

Everyone at this point knows the deal with Wal-Mart.

I don't mind the quick security check of the receipt. Literally takes a second. Folks who don't like it on moral grounds. Okay, I can respect that. Best solution, don't shop there. Speak with your wallet. Businesses that I find morally disgusting, I don't buy from. For example: I'll never buy another Benchmade knife, ever! And, you won't find a single review of one on my YouTube channel.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

My best friend who is a bit of a steak snob, recently shocked me when he admitted that Wal-Mart's Choice cuts are some of the best steaks he's ever eaten. And, reasonably priced for what you're getting.

So yeah, if you want some delicious steak; go to Wal-mart for their Choice cuts. Also, it's a good place for certain survival/outdoor gear. No credit card or PayPal needed. No waiting for a package to arrive at your door. Just don't buy pens or electronics from Wal-Mart.

IIRC, somewhere I read or heard that Walmart is hooked-up with FEMA as a distribution system during emergencies/disasters. Regardless, I think eventually amazon is either going to a) buy out Walmart, or b) just put them out of business with competition. I think the writing is on the wall--amazon got the jump on Walmart with internet sales, and even though Walmart offers web sales, I don't think they are anywhere near amazon with online buying, and that is where the market has pretty much shifted to. In addition, amazon is opening auto checkout brick and mortar stores that Walmart will have to compete with. I just think Walmart has been out-Walmarted! They are going to go the way of all those Mom and Pop brick and mortar stores that they killed off.

 

[Monocrom]

I think Wal-Mart won't go down without a fight. Not a fan of Wally World nor Amazon. But at least when my C.C. info. was stolen years back, Wal-Mart didn't send me a threatening email demanding I contact my credit card company and have them put through all the fraudulent charges. Amazon did that. Nevermind the fact that all of the legit charges came to one particular address, while all the fraudulent charges went to countless other ones.

Amazon locked me out of my account when I told them to go pound sand as a response to their email. Big Whoop.... I simply contact Amazon sellers/businesses direct, and buy from them if there's an item listed on Amazon that I really want. Or, I buy something similar from a competitor.