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From: ron@brl-sem.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Re: UPC Scanners
Message-ID: <598@brl-sem.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 23-Dec-85 14:48:06 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-sem.598
Posted: Mon Dec 23 14:48:06 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Dec-85 03:25:32 EST
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> > 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).
> 
> 	I don't know where YOU shop, but I vehemently disagree.  A cashier
> can make as little as three key operations on the cash register: (1) start
> transaction; (2) end transaction; and (3) enter remittance amount for making
> change.
> 
The Giant Foods in Baltimore have had scanners for a long time.  They
took to them like a charm.  They set two grocery bags on a small shelf
directly in front of the scanner and start loading them up with both hands.
The items are scanned as fast as they are put into the bags.  Cuts down
on waiting for things to be bagged and it is a whole lot faster than even
the fastest manual cashier.  There are hardly ever lines at Giant.

When King Super in Denver got them, they refused to speed up.  They dragged
items slowly one at a time across the window.  I tried to demonstrate to a
manager that the two handed "directly to the bags" approach would make things
go like lightning.  He mentioned, that it was all very nice, but he didn't
want to put the baggers out of jobs.

=Ron