Community Chat

[scatcat]

With the minimum wage increase I'm not surprised there are so many self check out stations replacing humans.

People complain grocery prices are increasing - how are workers paid their wage increase?

Can't have it both ways 

[Greeneyedlady21]

This is what I found in just one article on Google from USA Today

"Walmart, the largest employer in the United States, employing about 1.5 million Americans, has been at the center of controversies over its low wages for years. In 2020, the average wage of an hourly worker in a Walmart store in the U.S. was $14.76, which comes to between $25,000 and $30,000 annually for a full-time employee."

Many other sources say that the average starting pay for a Walmart cashier is 11 dollars and change, of course that would vary according to state minimum wage laws.

I'm sure they have had to raise pay in some individual stores in order to attract applicants, and that's a good thing.

[MG Chris]

---

@deeva wrote:

@Greeneyedlady21 

This is not true. My granddaughter works at Walmart and makes $18 an hour. 

---

They also offer a lot of benefits to employees and do a ton in their communities but no one ever talks about the positive. 

[Sweet Kitties]

The closest grocery store to me usually only has one or two cashiers. I hate self checkout at the grocery store. It's such a bother to checkout produce because it often dosen't have a barcode. You have to look it up on the touch screen. I'm so much slower checking out than the professional cashiers are. 

[Boehm Collector]

---

@catter70 wrote:

It's been slowly happening over the past few years, but from just last week when I shopped they are down to only 4 checkout aisles with a person to check you out. They've put in all new self check aisles. I'm an early bird so I usually had to check my stuff myself anyhow as that was all that was available. My sister goes later in the day and complains about the long lines for checkouts with people as she doesn't like to self check. I spoke to the lady who overlooks the self checks in case siomeone needs help and she said for them, it's all different and they don't even know how to work them if there is an issue as they've gotten no instruction. 

---

@catter70 .. I like going to the self check aisles when I go to Walmart.  However, lately the vast majority of the self check out machines at my local Walmart don't work.  

[Greeneyedlady21]

---

@scatcat wrote:

With the minimum wage increase I'm not surprised there are so many self check out stations replacing humans.

People complain grocery prices are increasing - how are workers paid their wage increase?

Can't have it both ways 

---

The federal minimum wage hasn't increased since 2009. States can increase it by amounts that hardly require large hugely profitable grocery stores to increase prices by those amounts. It's price gouging and inflation these days.

Grocery store employees literally put their lives on the line during the worst days of covid, they more than deserve to be paid more. The largest grocery chain store where I live pays $15/hr, and they got that only because they're unionized and went on strike once many years ago to get it. 

[Boehm Collector]

---

@catter70 wrote:

It's been slowly happening over the past few years, but from just last week when I shopped they are down to only 4 checkout aisles with a person to check you out. They've put in all new self check aisles. I'm an early bird so I usually had to check my stuff myself anyhow as that was all that was available. My sister goes later in the day and complains about the long lines for checkouts with people as she doesn't like to self check. I spoke to the lady who overlooks the self checks in case siomeone needs help and she said for them, it's all different and they don't even know how to work them if there is an issue as they've gotten no instruction. 

---

@catter70 .. I like going to the self check aisles when I go to Walmart.  However, lately the vast majority of the self check out machines at my local Walmart don't work.   I don't buy much at Walmart.  I do my grocery shopping at Stop & Shop.  

[Maggie Nolia]

---

@PinkyPetunia wrote:

I use the self checkout in Walmart and other stores.  I don't buy tons of merchandise at one time.  I live alone.  I am fine with the procedure as it is fast now that I am familiar with the way it's  done. 

---

Me, too.  Self checkout is always faster for me.  I don't mind it.

Frequently at my store, you've got to bring a cart in with you, which I often did anyway since there's usually a stray near where I park, but seems they may be phasing out those people who used to collect them from the parking lot and take them inside.  Often there are none inside.

I wouldn't be surprised if we're eventually getting merchandise that we want to buy directly out of delivery trailers.

[deeva]

I like self checkout when I have a fewer than twenty items. 
I really like the Scan and Go system that Sam's Club has. 

Our Fry's used to have Scan, bag and go before Covid. 

[pinkcrystal]

---

@San Antonio Gal wrote:

---

@pinkcrystal wrote:

I honestly prefer self checkouts.  I hated going through lines with checkers who asked questions about how I was doing or were super slow, or worst of all the ones who would stop while checking to look at something I was buying and say things "wow I love this, where did you find this" or "I use this all the time too" etc.  

Maybe I'm in the minority though.

---

I like the self checkout also unless I have a ton of products.  However, when using a cashier, I don't mind interacting with the cashier like you do.  Nothing wrong with friendly conversation.  Why would it bother you if the cashier asks how you are doing @pinkcrystal ?

---

I don't mind if they ask questions like "did you find everything you need?" but sometimes you get ones that just feel the need to converse with you the whole time and I just feel awkward I guess.  I am shy by nature so that could be why.