The past few days have been sad for me. Sad watching customers that is. Sad to watch people can’t afford the basics, or their food stamps ran out because prices got higher. People in Barrington (small rich town in RI) are now on foodstamps, while people who scraped by are now homeless. It is amazing how people react.
People no longer get mad at me, but rather start screaming at the price of food. One guy yesterday “$70. I bought basics, and nothing special. $70 on what?!” I looked at his order, and he was right. He bought the basics for a barbecue, just some chips, hot dogs, rolls and condiments. Also some drinks. He didn’t even buy deli stuff like macaroni salad, which that alone can get expensive. Many complaints about food and gas. People cursing at George Bush. My green bag that holds coupons now overflows on a daily basis as people are being more frugal. People are now bringing in green bags to save the 5 cents off for each bag they use. More and more people putting back unnecessary things they don’t need, or taking out necessary things because they don’t have enough money for it. More people on foodstamps, more bottle returns and coinstar slips for extra cash. People are now looking for second and third jobs, including married couples who each already have a full time job. Another couple came in a few days ago, both had jobs, and now are jobless, living off foodstamps and unemployment. They used foodstamps for the first time; themselves and their kids looked ragged obviously from financial stress. You can see it in their faces.
I remember 9/11, and how America acted then. But I never lived long enough or been old enough to understand America’s economic problem until now. I feel like I stepped into the ’30’s during the Great Depression era, but the 21st century version of it. Though what annoys me more is people using those damn self scans and easy shoppers. That bothers me the most. Do people realize every time someone uses them it takes away a job? Last month it was reported that unemployment went up 5.5%. Retail was one of the victims of it. Not only that, those things steal money. Believe or not, even if the customer does not steal, the machine is faulty. Those machines are set up so bad it is like having a bad cashier who weighs things wrong every single time. So people either benefit from it because the scale is set wrong so it makes the product cheaper, or it’s set to let the company benefit because it overcharges. At least as a cashier I can make sure the scale is set right, unlike the easy shopper which allows customers to use the scale for produce to scan in on the machine, or self scan, where I tend to find the tares set wrong. It really irritates me.
I have come close to tell every customer who ever uses either thing that that is their kids/grandkids job every time they use those things. Those machines are the kids jobs they will never have because retail is going to cut back on hiring and instead rely on machines. It will be tougher and tougher for young kids or people who need second jobs for more income to get jobs because we depend on faulty technology. Humans aren’t perfect and neither are those machines. Those machines are built by humans and they are going to screw up. It costs $10,000 for ONE selfscan. That is my average salary at Stop and Shop, so I don’t understand how it is cheaper to have one of those instead of me. Besides, if those machines break, it costs money to replace or fix, when it it’s actually cheaper just have someone else in to run a register. Never mind the cost factor of using them. My manager tried to tell me cashiers are more likely to screw up. Well, even if it is true, a cashier can fix a problem. If a customer catches an error in their favor at self scan, we can’t catch it as easy, and it also leads to customers arguing with us. At least at a register we can tell if it is human error or computer error or the customer is just plain stupid.
All this helps the recession as well. Technology is great, and it is costly on everyone.
Also, if you want tips to save money, visit http://cantcallmenormal.blogspot.com and read the post labeled “How to Survive the Shitty Economy thanks to George Bush” parts 1 and 2.
12 responses so far ↓
A // July 17, 2008 at 4:38 pm |
As long as these machines still screw up and as long as old people still exist, there will be cashiers.
sportygal85 // July 20, 2008 at 5:38 am |
I agree, but with a slight exception. Unfortunately, many old people use self scans, or our managers force us to show them how to use it. Managers and the “big wigs” don’t use these machines much or watch how they function, so they think these are the best inventions ever. Not only that, the only time a cashier may be needed at somepoint is for WIC orders and buying gift cards.
livingoncouches // July 20, 2008 at 5:10 pm |
Hey, just wanted to let you know I stumbled on your blog today and I am officially a fan
You’ve been favorite’d!
What’s slightly awkward though is that I think I might go to your Stop and Shop. haha.
Great post.
sportygal85 // July 21, 2008 at 3:37 am |
thanks, and feel free to introduce yourself. Also, pass this blog around. Thanks!
Melissa // August 5, 2008 at 6:12 am |
Even if the machine screws up, it’s still much less expensive than a cashier. Your average salary per year is $10,000. The machine costs a one time fee of $10,000, which is likely to include repairs for several years. So, unless you’re willing to work for that, you’re more expensive.
Don’t worry, even if you’re not a cashier, you can still stock shelves or mop.
sportygal85 // August 5, 2008 at 5:53 pm |
Ah, but do you know how often those machines need to be repaired? How about at least one every week breaks down to a point that it needs a tech. One of those machines screws up everytime a customer goes through with an item that isn’t set at the right price. If it is a common item, the company is losing thousands by the day, because the more people buy the product that’s price isn’t set right by the machine in the favor of the customer, much money is going out the door. Less money goes to employees. And with technology constantly being updated, stocking shelves and mopping may be out too. They are already coming up with ways to cut out meat cutters, deli people and bakeshop people by having everything prepackaged. When they cut people, no more customer service. So if a customer wanted something in particular, if everything is prepackaged and there’s nothing left, tough shit on the customer. Customer no longer shops there for lack of service because there is no one working, again company loses money. I hardly think you pay any attention to the things around you. It all adds up, and $10,000 a year for a cashier is cheaper than a machine, that if it breaks down all the time, I’m sure it’s at least somewhere between a couple hundred to $1000 each time it needs to be fixed. Therefore, let’s say worst case scenerio $1000 a week in repairs, times that by 52 weeks in a year (if only one breaks down a week) that is $52,000 the company lost. Might as well hired four cashiers instead, it would’ve only costed them $40,000 a year, savings in $12,000.
sportygal85 // August 5, 2008 at 5:56 pm |
By the way, they invented robovacuums for people at home. I wouldn’t be surprised if some idiot invents a machine that could clean a whole store, leaving again a loss in jobs. If no jobs, no one can afford to go to school and learn job skills in a part time job before a full time job, making it impossible for employers to hire young people because they will be a bunch of inexperienced bimbos.
Melissa // August 7, 2008 at 5:07 am |
I hate to break it to you, but no store actually pays for repairs on any of those machines. Every single one is under warranty and your Stop and Shop pays absolutely nothing each and every week it breaks down.
Also, I don’t mourn the loss of “customer service.” You may be an excellent cashier that really respects your customers. However, (1) given that you have a blog on which you make fun of customers, I doubt it. (2) You are one of a million cashiers who would. I have lived all over the country and few cashiers take their jobs seriously.
Also, I pay very good attention to everything that goes around me. I have worked in a grocery store before and I know exactly what goes on. That’s why I already know that the picture you paint is not quite so bleak. I respect that you speak out against what you feel is a looming problem, but the fact of the matter is that the situation is not as dire as you think. There is not a single store that has a completely automated checkout system. Stores are probably learning that you just can’t replace real people on a larger scale, because customers need the person-to-person contact.
Don’t worry, your job will still be there when you graduate with your degree in English.
sportygal85 // August 7, 2008 at 11:25 pm |
Haha I don’t plan to work anymore at Stop and Shop once I leave when I graduate. And actually, there is a store (not Stop and Shop) that is all self scan in Masschusetts. There are people who just stand there to keep people from stealing and to help the idiots that can’t listen to a machine or use common sense.
sportygal85 // August 7, 2008 at 11:27 pm |
And I believe Stop and Shop pays for the warranty? To some degree? I mean if I pay for a computer warranty isn’t always free, it comes with a price.
sportygal85 // August 7, 2008 at 11:30 pm |
I’m sure this warranty wears out at somepoint. And to extend it costs money.
Melissa // August 9, 2008 at 2:58 am |
The cost of the “warranty” is likely included in the $10k they pay for it at the beginning. Also, even if the warranty wears out in three years, that’s still $20k less they paid an employee.