Supermarket Cash Registers

This is not just one idea, but two. Both deal with the supermarket checkouts at all of the big market chains. The first one s one I had many years ago, and I haven't seen it implemented yet, so here is the seed to see if it goes anywhere. The second one is something that is so simple it isn't even funny, but also is obvious in its usefulness.

For the first idea, consider that most supermarkets have eight or more checkout lanes. All of the lanes have identical equipment. Grocery items are scanned by the cashiers on their registers, and a very audible beep sound is heard each time an item is scanned. The beep serves to let you know that your item has been scanned. Every once in a while, a second beep will let you know that the same item was scanned twice, which can help you correct the problem before you ever leave the store. Every register emits an identical beep, so that when the store is really busy, all of the registers are going beep, beep, beep. Sometimes, you won't be able to hear the second beep that alerts you to a double scan, because of all the other beeps.

Now, wouldn't it be cool if each register had its own beep? I mean, the first on would be a certain tone, the next one would be a note higher in pitch, like on a musical scale. This could be extended to every register in the store, each successive register in the row having a note higher than the one before. The sound of the beep, beep, beep, would be almost musical. I think it would be quite pleasant. Pkus, it would allow the customer to detect a double scanned item much more easily.

It would also be an easy idea to implement. Since all computer sounds are generated by software, you could modify the code in every scanner to have a distinctive tone according to a software setting. Alternately, you could hardwire it into the scanner if you had to. I really would love to see this idea take off.

And the other idea relates to automatic checkouts. I don't like automatic checkouts, because all they do is make one person work harder by running four lines at once. They also save the store money on payroll, by eliminating one or two employees. If the food bills were lower in stores that had automated checkouts compared to stores in the same chain that didn't, I might think differently. Not only would the store be saving money, I would be, too. But, that is not the case. Prices at supermarket chains are consistent across all locations.

I also don't care for the impersonal nature of the machines. They don't have the conversational skills of a human being, which I really like when I am checking out with a basket full of groceries. The most annoying feature of automated checkouts is their speech abilities. They are always giving long, tedious and repetitive instructions. They prompt you in verbose terms on what to do next. I am sure the instructions are phrased as to be as unambiguous as possible. They are probably concerned that all of the verbal instructions are exact in their meaning, so that no misunderstanding will occur on the part of the customer.

Now, I consider myself a rather smart guy, which is why I have a blog of bright ideas. I bet lots of other people are pretty smart too. You would think that after three or four times through the automated checkout, people would learn how to work them. Some might need six or seven trips.

What I would like to see on automated checkout lanes is a simple silent operation button. It would speed thimgs up significantly if it wasn't always telling me to scan my next item. I could probably scan a whole basket of items just about as fast as a live cashier could. And it is so simple, I wonder why they haven't done it already.

So there you have it, my latest installment. I'll be back as soon as I can come up with another Earth-shaking innovation. And, like all my other ideas, if you use it and make a million bucks, all I want is ten percent.