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This isn't automation. Shoppers are performing the labor that cashiers performed previously and they aren't getting paid for it. The real automation will come o

by sidlls 8y ago

This isn't automation. Shoppers are performing the labor that cashiers performed previously and they aren't getting paid for it. The real automation will come out of things like Amazon's work in this area.

mikl 8y ago
The customer does some of the work (scanning and handling the goods), and other parts are automated (payment, tallying, etc.). It's a bit like using an ATM instead of visiting the bank to withdraw cash, or pumping your own gas instead of having an attendant do it. The end result is the same, though. Society becomes slightly more efficient, since the time I used to spend waiting for the cashier to scan my goods is now spent productively, and usually the lines get shorter, so I can get my groceries quicker, spending less time overall, even if I have to take active part in the process instead of just standing around.
- tzs 8y ago
  > Society becomes slightly more efficient, since the time I used to spend waiting for the cashier to scan my goods is now spent productively That was probably true 20 years ago, when your time waiting for the cashier to scan your goods was just idle time for you. But now we've got smartphones with internet access. We can be productive on our phones while we wait. We can manage investments, research things for work, read email, read news, and so on. I would not be surprised if doing our own manual labor of scanning and bagging groceries is a net loss of efficiency for society, at least for a large fraction of HN's readership when buying more than just a few items.
  - mikl 8y ago
    > We can be productive on our phones while we wait. Theoretically, sure. In practice, it's going to be pretty rare that anyone accomplishes anything of note during those couple of minutes. Especially since you can't just zone out while the cashier is doing his thing, if you're not super rude, you'll probably greet them, and you've gotta listen if they ask you a question, and get ready to pay once they're done.
turtlegrids 8y ago
> Shoppers are performing the labor that cashiers performed previously and they aren't getting paid for it Many will claim that shoppers are indirectly 'getting paid for it' by either lower grocery prices or annual increase in prices which is less than it would be with the antiquated meat-based checkout system.

by sidlls 8y ago

mikl 8y ago

The customer does some of the work (scanning and handling the goods), and other parts are automated (payment, tallying, etc.). It's a bit like using an ATM instead of visiting the bank to withdraw cash, or pumping your own gas instead of having an attendant do it. The end result is the same, though. Society becomes slightly more efficient, since the time I used to spend waiting for the cashier to scan my goods is now spent productively, and usually the lines get shorter, so I can get my groceries quicker, spending less time overall, even if I have to take active part in the process instead of just standing around.

tzs 8y ago
> Society becomes slightly more efficient, since the time I used to spend waiting for the cashier to scan my goods is now spent productively That was probably true 20 years ago, when your time waiting for the cashier to scan your goods was just idle time for you. But now we've got smartphones with internet access. We can be productive on our phones while we wait. We can manage investments, research things for work, read email, read news, and so on. I would not be surprised if doing our own manual labor of scanning and bagging groceries is a net loss of efficiency for society, at least for a large fraction of HN's readership when buying more than just a few items.
- mikl 8y ago
  > We can be productive on our phones while we wait. Theoretically, sure. In practice, it's going to be pretty rare that anyone accomplishes anything of note during those couple of minutes. Especially since you can't just zone out while the cashier is doing his thing, if you're not super rude, you'll probably greet them, and you've gotta listen if they ask you a question, and get ready to pay once they're done.

turtlegrids 8y ago

> Shoppers are performing the labor that cashiers performed previously and they aren't getting paid for it Many will claim that shoppers are indirectly 'getting paid for it' by either lower grocery prices or annual increase in prices which is less than it would be with the antiquated meat-based checkout system.