Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. No non-grocery posts.
Super S
Posts: 2690
Joined: April 1st, 2009, 9:27 pm
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Status: Offline

Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by Super S »

https://boisedev.com/news/2022/08/11/al ... eckstands/

An interesting note is that the Five Mile and Ustick store mentioned in the article is a former Buttrey location. The article does not mention the other location though.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by storewanderer »

This is probably not a good idea for a high priced chain. It sends the wrong message. The customer segment who is willing to pay Albertsons prices has a lot of people in the group who want service and will not tolerate being forced to use a self checkout. They will just shop elsewhere.

This is different than, say, the Wal Mart customers who are basically forced to use self checkout (or wait in a long line at one or two cashiers), gripe about it, but keep going back multiple times in a week.
Super S
Posts: 2690
Joined: April 1st, 2009, 9:27 pm
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by Super S »

storewanderer wrote: August 12th, 2022, 10:04 pm This is probably not a good idea for a high priced chain. It sends the wrong message. The customer segment who is willing to pay Albertsons prices has a lot of people in the group who want service and will not tolerate being forced to use a self checkout. They will just shop elsewhere.

This is different than, say, the Wal Mart customers who are basically forced to use self checkout (or wait in a long line at one or two cashiers), gripe about it, but keep going back multiple times in a week.
The thing about self checkout though is that it is becoming more accepted and is already present not only at both Albertsons and Safeway, but other higher priced stores have it. I will also add that the Fred Meyer near me has gone to forced self checkout most of the time on the GM side of the store. They do still have a couple regular checkstands but they are never open.

I agree though that 100% self checkout doesn't exactly give a good impression about service, but I would rather shop somewhere that has self checkouts instead of a store which lacks them and has only one or two registers open and long lines when busy.

There might also be difficulty in hiring people. Staffing issues seem to be present at nearly all retail establishments these days. Although it is worth noting that Idaho still has a low minimum wage compared to other west coast states.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by storewanderer »

Super S wrote: August 13th, 2022, 8:23 am
The thing about self checkout though is that it is becoming more accepted and is already present not only at both Albertsons and Safeway, but other higher priced stores have it. I will also add that the Fred Meyer near me has gone to forced self checkout most of the time on the GM side of the store. They do still have a couple regular checkstands but they are never open.

I agree though that 100% self checkout doesn't exactly give a good impression about service, but I would rather shop somewhere that has self checkouts instead of a store which lacks them and has only one or two registers open and long lines when busy.

There might also be difficulty in hiring people. Staffing issues seem to be present at nearly all retail establishments these days. Although it is worth noting that Idaho still has a low minimum wage compared to other west coast states.
If you go into upper end stores, there isn't a self checkout in sight. By this I am talking the upper end type chains like Gelsons, Bristol Farms, etc. in SoCal. Also no self checkout at Trader Joe's. In places like Boise, Albertsons is the "upper end" store.

Maybe we are moving to a situation where the type of customer who is so opposed to using a self checkout, also doesn't shop at the store physically at all, and instead uses a delivery service, so that will help self checkout become more accepted.

I just keep falling back to this- if you are a full service store, you cannot force your customers to use a self checkout. And I say this as someone who will ALWAYS use self checkout if it is an option. I am actually upset when I go into a store and self checkout is closed (like WinCo who is supposed to close it at 10 PM, but lately has been closing it early).
Super S
Posts: 2690
Joined: April 1st, 2009, 9:27 pm
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by Super S »

storewanderer wrote: August 13th, 2022, 10:17 am

If you go into upper end stores, there isn't a self checkout in sight. By this I am talking the upper end type chains like Gelsons, Bristol Farms, etc. in SoCal. Also no self checkout at Trader Joe's. In places like Boise, Albertsons is the "upper end" store.

Maybe we are moving to a situation where the type of customer who is so opposed to using a self checkout, also doesn't shop at the store physically at all, and instead uses a delivery service, so that will help self checkout become more accepted.

I just keep falling back to this- if you are a full service store, you cannot force your customers to use a self checkout. And I say this as someone who will ALWAYS use self checkout if it is an option. I am actually upset when I go into a store and self checkout is closed (like WinCo who is supposed to close it at 10 PM, but lately has been closing it early).
I am not so sure Albertsons is always viewed as upscale in Boise, as they are by far the dominant grocery store and have a well established presence. Yes they could be considered upscale compared to WinCo or Walmart, but to many there they are just the local grocery store. Yes you have the nicer Broadway and Meridian stores as well as the main store on State Street, but many locations don't have the amenities of those three locations. I guess it depends on the location.

I sometimes wonder what D'Alessandro's would be like today if they were still around.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by storewanderer »

Super S wrote: August 18th, 2022, 8:55 am

I am not so sure Albertsons is always viewed as upscale in Boise, as they are by far the dominant grocery store and have a well established presence. Yes they could be considered upscale compared to WinCo or Walmart, but to many there they are just the local grocery store. Yes you have the nicer Broadway and Meridian stores as well as the main store on State Street, but many locations don't have the amenities of those three locations. I guess it depends on the location.

I sometimes wonder what D'Alessandro's would be like today if they were still around.
They're definitely upscale compared to WinCo or Wal Mart. Fred Meyer in Boise is not great. I'd put them a level below Albertsons, in Boise (far different assessment than I'd make in Portland or Seattle). Albertsons really elevated itself with the two Market Street format stores, combined with the nicer State Street original store rebuild, combined with a real nice store up in Eagle, and also a quite nice store on Parkcenter near the HQ. The worst Fred Meyer (Garden City) is comparably lacking to the worst Albertsons (the store a couple miles west of the Meridian Market Street). Even the "worst" stores are generally clean, orderly, and have reasonably good execution.

URM seemed to think there was an opening in Boise for something more upscale and fell flat on their feet with that Rosauers.
VibeGuy
Cashier
Cashier
Posts: 97
Joined: January 19th, 2010, 2:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 3 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by VibeGuy »

The last truly upscale grocer in Boise was D’Alessandros.
Greggo
Stock Clerk
Stock Clerk
Posts: 43
Joined: September 30th, 2019, 7:24 pm
Been thanked: 3 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by Greggo »

Stores are going to have to have at least 1 or 2 regular ones open. I was at a Kroger in the Oak Lawn neighborhood in Dallas recently. They have gone 100% self checkout. The younger people seemed to be doing relatively well but the older folks were really struggling. They were repeatedly calling the attendant over. And they were overwhelmed by having to sack their own groceries … especially large orders. I don’t see them coming back regularly. This store has also done away with cart attendants. They have large signs posted that tell shoppers to be sure to grab a cart from the parking lot. This really taints the Kroger name. People have a certain expectation of service and with this arrangement they’re offering even less service than a budget grocer. If you’re going to do this, at least lower the prices to make it worthwhile.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by storewanderer »

Greggo wrote: August 23rd, 2022, 3:17 pm Stores are going to have to have at least 1 or 2 regular ones open. I was at a Kroger in the Oak Lawn neighborhood in Dallas recently. They have gone 100% self checkout. The younger people seemed to be doing relatively well but the older folks were really struggling. They were repeatedly calling the attendant over. And they were overwhelmed by having to sack their own groceries … especially large orders. I don’t see them coming back regularly. This store has also done away with cart attendants. They have large signs posted that tell shoppers to be sure to grab a cart from the parking lot. This really taints the Kroger name. People have a certain expectation of service and with this arrangement they’re offering even less service than a budget grocer. If you’re going to do this, at least lower the prices to make it worthwhile.
This seems to be the future of Kroger. Kroger seems to forget there is competition, lots of it. Enough stores converted to this format and next thing you'll hear is Albertsons is growing market share in Dallas. Kroger historically learns from its mistakes and listens to customers but they seem to be drifting further and further away from both traits. I often spend time thinking if this sort of experience is better, worse, or at par with Wal Mart. I usually come out with that it is worse at Kroger, because you pay more, you have to deal with a loyalty card/digital coupon app, and it does not have a full non food assortment.
TW-Upstate NY
Shift Manager
Shift Manager
Posts: 421
Joined: May 11th, 2009, 6:09 pm
Been thanked: 4 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons 100% self-checkout pilot program at two locations

Post by TW-Upstate NY »

Greggo wrote: August 23rd, 2022, 3:17 pm Stores are going to have to have at least 1 or 2 regular ones open. I was at a Kroger in the Oak Lawn neighborhood in Dallas recently. They have gone 100% self checkout. The younger people seemed to be doing relatively well but the older folks were really struggling.
Very true and it can even happen in a regular lane. Case in point-I was in a local Hannaford this morning in the express lane and there was an elderly gentleman ahead of me who kept putting one more digit on his PIN on the keypad. The cashier must've came out from behind the register 3 or 4 times before he finally realized what he was doing incorrectly. Personally, if any store goes 100% self checkout I WILL NOT shop there. It serves a purpose I guess but if you get in a situation like I just described and there's no one around and it's busy it could really gum up the works.
Post Reply