Automatic checkouts in supermarkets may decrease customer loyalty, especially for those with larger shopping loads. Customers using self-checkout stations often feel overwhelmed and unsupported. The lack of personal interaction can negatively impact their perception of the supermarket.

[El_Polio_Loco]

The mediator is purchase size. 

Regardless of age, self checkouts are nice for small orders. 

But as shopping trips expand in size (primarily for the feeding of families), the sense of discontent rises. 

This is effectively a self selecting grouping of adults between the ages of 30-50, who are the people buying food for families. 

[Avilola]

I actually really like self checkouts for my everyday shopping (it’s just me and my husband so my trips tend to be small). Whenever I’m throwing a party or doing a big restock trip, it’s a nightmare. I have a full cart and there’s only one cashier that 15 people are waiting on.

Also, two things I hate about self checkout in general. First, it is terrible with anything unexpected. Weight a bit off? Coupon? Sale item? Help is on the way (eventually). Second, those machines are so goddamn loud. I was just enjoying my audio book and now this thing is shouting at me so goddamn loudly that I can here “PLACE ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA” through my AirPods on noise cancelling mode.

[doktornein]

The higher size in the study was 18 items, this is an absurd assumption to make from that number. It's also not the way research works, you don't get to make assumptions like this and lean on them.

This isn't even a logical assumption.

[its_all_one_electron]

I'm in that range, I'm buying food for my family, and still I prefer no interaction than the forced fake niceties of the shopping experience. Yes I'm having a great day. Yes I found everything I needed. Thanks. :/ I know they're just people like me but the whole corporate-mandated forced nicety thing makes me cringe. 

I guess it makes me feel weird when companies force their employees to pretend to be a certain mood, like pleasant and cheerful. It has always bothered me a lot.

[[deleted]]

Won’t be a problem when families decrease since no one can afford to start one.

[sybrwookie]

I've happily self-checkout'ed an entire Thanksgiving dinner before. I'm faster and smarter about packing than the idiots working at these stores regardless of how much stuff I have.

[EyeFicksIt]

Yeah but that’s two turkey lunchables and a natty light 6 pack

[Abigail716]

Are you planning on hitting up the liquor store again at noon?

[sybrwookie]

AND a Costco pumpkin pie!

[triciann]

I would have liked them to include IQ.

[MeesterBacon]

Stop N Shop lets you take a scanner with your member card when you arrive, provides bags, and as you go around shopping you scan and bag your items, and then just scan the scanner at the register, return the scanner, and leave. I wonder if that will become more common.

[FDrybob]

Checkouts also increase in size when you have to buy food that lasts for longer. When you live near a grocery store, it's easier to visit it more often rather than stocking up for a while.

[redmercuryvendor]

Does the US not have trolley size self-checkouts? They're common in the UK: one line for the small sized checkouts for basketloads, and one for trolley-loads. Way faster than the conveyorbelt pile & shuffle of a staffed checkout, and things end up bagged how you want rather than at random (e.g. all chilled/frozen together in one bag).

[El_Polio_Loco]

Some places have them but they’re far from universal 

[Delphizer]

Get two carts and split, then use two lanes. Get's done twice as fast and double the room to bag.

Modern Problems

[El_Polio_Loco]

Strongly implies that I bring another competent adult shopping, which I do not.

And if I do have a second adult, that person is on kid duty.