self checkout

A customer-operated point-of-sale (POS) station. Also called a "self-scanning checkout," customers pay for and bag their own merchandise without interacting with a human cashier, although a support person is typically nearby and available.

The station includes a touchscreen display, barcode scanner, weighing scale, credit card reader and cash reader and deposit unit. After the customer scans the item's barcode, the item is placed in the bag, which is hanging on a scale. If the weight of the additional item does not jive with the item just scanned, the customer is asked to rescan it, otherwise an alarm will notify the attendant. See point of sale.

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point of sale

References in periodicals archive

IBM, in conjunction with Premier IBM Business Partner STCR, helped Man-Dell Food Stores deploy seven IBM SurePOS 700 systems and four IBM Scan-and-Bag Self Checkouts, making it the first New York area independent grocer to offer such self-checkout.

Key Food Stores to Deploy Self-Checkout Systems at 5 NYC Units

* "Self checkout usually doesn't handle produce or coupons without store employee intervention which is not convenient."

* "Self checkout is only good when it works correctly.

Time obsession

Information technology company IBM (NYSE:IBM) announced on Tuesday (6 December) its next generation of IBM self checkout solutions.

These new checkout solutions include new models and lane design improvements designed to help make self checkout faster and easier for shoppers.

IBM announces new self checkout systems

The design also allows retailers to change the bagging area size and configuration as needed, eliminating expensive "rip out and replace" resets associated with non-modular self checkout designs.

In addition, Fujitsu will combine Metrologic's VoyagerBT Bluetooth handheld scanning technology with Fujitsu's U-Scan Genesis self-checkout family, allowing customers to scan large items that are too heavy or too bulky to place on the self checkout security scales

Self checkout heats up

IHL has recently released the results of its report, Retail Self Checkout in North America.

Automating the front end: increasingly, shoppers are doing the work of cashiers, as more U.S. supermarkets install self-scanning equipment to help speed patrons through the checkout lanes. (Equipment & Design)

Food Lion began testing PSI's self checkout system in one store in April 1999.

Self-checkout shows promise: propelled by a labor shortage, self-checkout is gaining loyal customers and providing hard savings for retailers. (Tech Solutions)

The Self Checkouts are already in use at the Sainsbury's-owned Shaw's chain of supermarkets in the US, where they process more than one billion transactions a year.

Check it out for yourself, later

RATHER THAN ALIENATING SHOPPERS IN THIS SEGMENT BY MAKING THEM FEEL INEPT, RETAILERS WOULD BE WISE TO POSITION THE SELF CHECKOUTS AS A CONVENIENCE FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY USING MACHINES.

Self-checkout growing pain