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From: coller@utah-cs.UUCP (Lee D. Coller)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: UPC Scanners
Message-ID: <3599@utah-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 21-Dec-85 15:59:16 EST
Article-I.D.: utah-cs.3599
Posted: Sat Dec 21 15:59:16 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Dec-85 01:38:55 EST
References: <300@opus.UUCP> <942@terak.UUCP>
Reply-To: coller@utah-cs.UUCP (Lee D. coller)
Distribution: net
Organization: Univ of Utah CS Dept
Lines: 32
Summary: 


In article <942@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes:
>I find that scanner-equipped stores are actually significantly *slower*
>than the old manual methods (and it appears that they use as many or
>even more cashiers).

As a former grocery store clerk I can shed some light on this.  A person
who is fast on a ten-key cash register is faster than the fastest
scanner.  I would guess (I never actually used a scanner, but knew
people who did) that your average checker is faster on a scanner.

Actually, the key factor determining the speed of a checker is how good
the bagger is.  If the bagger is slow (the norm these days (1/2 :-)) the
checker will slow down as the order progresses.  A good bagger will keep
checked merchendise out of the checker's way.

>The retroactive price increases are a disadvantage to consumers, but
>they are one of the big draws from the supermarket's point of view.

Supermarket's have always done done price changes (either up or down)
"retroactively," with the exception of those in the few states where
this practice is outlawed.  I spent many Monday evenings doing just
that.  The only thing scanners do is make this practice easier (and
cheaper), especially when it comes to marking ad items.

The real savings with scanners is that supermarket's no longer have to
worry about marking prices.
-- 
-Lee
UUCP: {ihnp4, seismo, hplabs, decvax}!utah-cs!coller
ARPA: coller@utah-cs
"They say the mark of a good team is that it wins when it plays poorly."
	-- Jim Fassel, Head Football Coach, University of Utah