Presse-Citron published an article on July 24, 2025, at 09:34, titled “‘It’s a huge failure!’: Why self-checkout machines risk disappearing.” The piece delves into the growing concerns and significant drawbacks associated with self-checkout systems, suggesting a potential decline in their widespread use.
According to the article, a primary driver of this potential shift is the increasing recognition of self-checkout’s “huge failure” in fulfilling its initial promises. While envisioned as a way to improve efficiency and customer experience, many shoppers and businesses are finding the reality to be quite different.
One of the key issues highlighted is the customer experience. Despite the appeal of speed, the article points to a rise in customer frustration. This is often attributed to technical glitches, the necessity for staff intervention for various issues (such as age verification for certain products, or resolving scanning errors), and the feeling of being left to perform tasks previously handled by trained cashiers. This can lead to longer wait times and a less pleasant shopping journey, negating the intended benefits.
Furthermore, the article discusses the financial implications for retailers. While the initial investment in self-checkout technology was expected to reduce labor costs, the reality has proven more complex. The article suggests that the cost of maintaining and troubleshooting these machines, coupled with increased instances of shrinkage (loss of inventory due to theft or errors), may be offsetting any savings. The article implies that the systems, while seemingly advanced, are not always foolproof in preventing customer mistakes or deliberate pilfering.
The piece also touches upon the impact on employment. The promise of reallocating staff to more customer-facing roles is being questioned. Instead, some retailers are finding themselves needing more staff to oversee the self-checkout areas, manage issues, and prevent losses, rather than fewer. This can lead to a situation where the technology doesn’t deliver the expected labor-saving efficiencies.
Finally, the article posits that the market might be reaching a point of saturation or oversaturation with self-checkout options. As more stores implement them, the novelty wears off, and the inherent limitations become more apparent to a broader consumer base. This growing awareness of the drawbacks, combined with the potential for more innovative and personalized checkout experiences in the future, could indeed signal a period of decline for self-checkout machines as we know them.
In conclusion, the Presse-Citron article presents a compelling argument that the current implementation and operational realities of self-checkout machines have led to significant challenges, prompting a reassessment of their role in the retail landscape and raising questions about their long-term viability.
« C’est un énorme échec ! » : pourquoi les caisses automatiques risquent de disparaître ?
AI has delivered the news.
The answer to the following question is obtained from Google Gemini.
Presse-Citron published ‘« C’est un énorme échec ! » : pourquoi les caisses automatiques risquent de disparaître ?’ at 2025-07-24 09:34. Please write a detailed article about this news in a polite tone with relevant information. Please reply in English with the article only.