Retail Watchers

brendenmoney wrote: ↑April 5th, 2024, 9:14 pm Interestingly, I visit the Stater Bros off Iowa Ave in Riverside, which is just a few blocks away from UC Riverside. This Stater is one of the stores that just got a major overhaul as part of their remodeling program, and to my surprise, they added 4 self-checkout stations as part of the remodel. This is the first instance I have seen Stater add self-checkout as part of a remodel, as the only Staters I have seen with self-checkouts have been their more recent new-builds, such as their new stores in Chino and Ontario.

I find this interesting, as I have always thought Stater has been more against self-checkout, and even remember a statement from them a few months ago, about how they may slow down implementation on them due to shrink concerns. Usually, most Stater locations I have been to do a good job of funneling customers through checkout really quickly, and have multiple Express checkout lanes going at once.

ClownLoach wrote: ↑April 5th, 2024, 10:39 pm

brendenmoney wrote: ↑April 5th, 2024, 9:14 pm Interestingly, I visit the Stater Bros off Iowa Ave in Riverside, which is just a few blocks away from UC Riverside. This Stater is one of the stores that just got a major overhaul as part of their remodeling program, and to my surprise, they added 4 self-checkout stations as part of the remodel. This is the first instance I have seen Stater add self-checkout as part of a remodel, as the only Staters I have seen with self-checkouts have been their more recent new-builds, such as their new stores in Chino and Ontario.

I find this interesting, as I have always thought Stater has been more against self-checkout, and even remember a statement from them a few months ago, about how they may slow down implementation on them due to shrink concerns. Usually, most Stater locations I have been to do a good job of funneling customers through checkout really quickly, and have multiple Express checkout lanes going at once.

They added them in the 2022 full remodel in Oceanside. Interestingly enough they don't appear to be putting them in the full remodel of Temecula which got all new checkstands and a unique new 4 pod express lane, but it isn't done yet.

storewanderer wrote: ↑April 6th, 2024, 12:36 pm

ClownLoach wrote: ↑April 5th, 2024, 10:39 pm

brendenmoney wrote: ↑April 5th, 2024, 9:14 pm Interestingly, I visit the Stater Bros off Iowa Ave in Riverside, which is just a few blocks away from UC Riverside. This Stater is one of the stores that just got a major overhaul as part of their remodeling program, and to my surprise, they added 4 self-checkout stations as part of the remodel. This is the first instance I have seen Stater add self-checkout as part of a remodel, as the only Staters I have seen with self-checkouts have been their more recent new-builds, such as their new stores in Chino and Ontario.

I find this interesting, as I have always thought Stater has been more against self-checkout, and even remember a statement from them a few months ago, about how they may slow down implementation on them due to shrink concerns. Usually, most Stater locations I have been to do a good job of funneling customers through checkout really quickly, and have multiple Express checkout lanes going at once.

They added them in the 2022 full remodel in Oceanside. Interestingly enough they don't appear to be putting them in the full remodel of Temecula which got all new checkstands and a unique new 4 pod express lane, but it isn't done yet.

I've never had a bad experience on a Stater front end; always quick and efficient. They clearly continue to require certain performance metrics for cashiers and also have baggers, unlike most other chains where baggers are few and far between, the cashiers range from very efficient to very slow, and there is little accountability. Same for Trader Joe's but their front end is efficient more due to the sheer number of cashiers, and 90% of the time for Grocery Outlet since they don't have as much PLU entry product and often have baggers.

babs wrote: ↑April 8th, 2024, 9:56 am The Home Depot in Tigard, Oregon went 100% self-checkout in the main part of the store. Pro is still staffed. Is this a test or a chain-wide trend?

ClownLoach wrote: ↑April 8th, 2024, 1:22 pm

babs wrote: ↑April 8th, 2024, 9:56 am The Home Depot in Tigard, Oregon went 100% self-checkout in the main part of the store. Pro is still staffed. Is this a test or a chain-wide trend?

This is just an equipment change, and implementation of a complicated strategy that they call Assisted Checkout which is not quite self service but not full service either. It works pretty well actually as more often than not you'll get full service when you were expecting it to be self checkout.

They have many stores in SoCal that have gone to 100% staffed checkout using the self checkout units, 1:1 staffing to register, and those have been that way for over a year now. One way or another the self checkout counters themselves are the replacement checkstands and POS units for Home Depot except for the Pro Desk. The 1:1 stores are a bit frustrating as they are usually opening 3 to 4 registers where they could have 7 or 8 if they used both kiosks, but I understand that they need to keep shrink under control. Home Depot and Lowe's both are really good with Loss Prevention strategies and have said that is what allows them to stay open even in high shrink neighborhoods where other stores are closing.

The equipment will change to these new Dell-Glory units with cash recycling, but the staffing approach is going to be different depending on many factors. If they see a big $$$ basket coming up it is going to get full service. If they see low dollar items it's going to be self checkout. Midsized transactions they are likely to scan everything for you then leave you to pay. Part of the strategy to reduce shrink is the fact that you will have an unpredictable experience. If you thought you could slide a few power tools past and not pay it isn't going to happen as they're going to ring you up and wait to see the receipt print. And the Glory cash recycler system is brilliant if you've ever seen it work, no more cash office in the store and no robbery risk or counterfeit acceptance. All money goes into the bill and coin accepter unit where it is counted and verified. The few registers with tills like Pro Desk and customer service are literally dumped into a giant funnel at the end of the shift and the machine sucks up all the money and counts it then stores by denomination inside. When the register is "opened" the machine spits out the cash by denomination for the till automatically. Armored Car carrier is only one who can open the unit which prepares it's own deposit. HD is moving the cash office workers to the front end to increase the staffing instead of eliminating positions, and reduced robbery losses are paying for the technology.

Home Depot and Lowe's are really the models for this assisted checkout model, and Target, Walmart and others should be studying their approach.

Back to the law issue, it will not work because retailers are cleverly mixing the job titles up. Target eliminated cashiers and sales floor workers altogether. They have one position, Guest Service Advocate. This is what created the issue where most would abandon their checkstand and go to the floor. If you're a retailer as long as you have one person working for each two self checkout units you'll be compliant. Even a skeleton model like CVS can comply. Once the legislators figure this out the law will likely fizzle or become another one that is regularly ignored like no straws and napkins. Cheaper to pay the meager fine than comply. And if they are charged with violations they have the timesheets to prove they were staffed, after all they cannot outlaw helping customers so they could claim they had less people up front because customers asked for help on the floor unlocking glass cases or whatever other excuse.

and 90% of the time for Grocery Outlet since they don't have as much PLU entry product and often have baggers.

babs wrote: ↑April 9th, 2024, 8:36 am

ClownLoach wrote: ↑April 8th, 2024, 1:22 pm

babs wrote: ↑April 8th, 2024, 9:56 am The Home Depot in Tigard, Oregon went 100% self-checkout in the main part of the store. Pro is still staffed. Is this a test or a chain-wide trend?

This is just an equipment change, and implementation of a complicated strategy that they call Assisted Checkout which is not quite self service but not full service either. It works pretty well actually as more often than not you'll get full service when you were expecting it to be self checkout.

They have many stores in SoCal that have gone to 100% staffed checkout using the self checkout units, 1:1 staffing to register, and those have been that way for over a year now. One way or another the self checkout counters themselves are the replacement checkstands and POS units for Home Depot except for the Pro Desk. The 1:1 stores are a bit frustrating as they are usually opening 3 to 4 registers where they could have 7 or 8 if they used both kiosks, but I understand that they need to keep shrink under control. Home Depot and Lowe's both are really good with Loss Prevention strategies and have said that is what allows them to stay open even in high shrink neighborhoods where other stores are closing.

The equipment will change to these new Dell-Glory units with cash recycling, but the staffing approach is going to be different depending on many factors. If they see a big $$$ basket coming up it is going to get full service. If they see low dollar items it's going to be self checkout. Midsized transactions they are likely to scan everything for you then leave you to pay. Part of the strategy to reduce shrink is the fact that you will have an unpredictable experience. If you thought you could slide a few power tools past and not pay it isn't going to happen as they're going to ring you up and wait to see the receipt print. And the Glory cash recycler system is brilliant if you've ever seen it work, no more cash office in the store and no robbery risk or counterfeit acceptance. All money goes into the bill and coin accepter unit where it is counted and verified. The few registers with tills like Pro Desk and customer service are literally dumped into a giant funnel at the end of the shift and the machine sucks up all the money and counts it then stores by denomination inside. When the register is "opened" the machine spits out the cash by denomination for the till automatically. Armored Car carrier is only one who can open the unit which prepares it's own deposit. HD is moving the cash office workers to the front end to increase the staffing instead of eliminating positions, and reduced robbery losses are paying for the technology.

Home Depot and Lowe's are really the models for this assisted checkout model, and Target, Walmart and others should be studying their approach.

Back to the law issue, it will not work because retailers are cleverly mixing the job titles up. Target eliminated cashiers and sales floor workers altogether. They have one position, Guest Service Advocate. This is what created the issue where most would abandon their checkstand and go to the floor. If you're a retailer as long as you have one person working for each two self checkout units you'll be compliant. Even a skeleton model like CVS can comply. Once the legislators figure this out the law will likely fizzle or become another one that is regularly ignored like no straws and napkins. Cheaper to pay the meager fine than comply. And if they are charged with violations they have the timesheets to prove they were staffed, after all they cannot outlaw helping customers so they could claim they had less people up front because customers asked for help on the floor unlocking glass cases or whatever other excuse.

Not really sure how it could be considered assisted checkout when HD had 8 self-checkstands lined up in a row with one person overseeing all of it. For small purchases, I love it but would be a challenge for larger purchases.