Self-Checkout Isn't Progress: How We Can Help Bring Back More Cashiers

Have you noticed that many stores now have very few cashiers and a sea of self-checkout machines? In this episode, I'm sharing why I believe we've gotten the balance wrong. From accessibility and community connection to jobs, customer service, and even retail theft, we're exploring what happens when convenience becomes the priority over people, and why consumers have more power than we think to shape the future we want to see.

Transcript

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Hi there, welcome back to the Insider Mom Podcast. Today I want to talk about something that probably seems pretty ordinary on the surface, but the more I've thought about it, the more I realized it's connected to something much bigger. So weeks ago I was running errands across town and I decided to stop at a grocery store I hadn't been to in a while. What shocked me was that when I went to buy a few items and check out, I realized there was only one checkout designated to have a cashier and all the rest were self-checkout machines. Naturally, the line for the cashier was long, so I went to the self-checkout line. Yes, there was a line because it was a busy day. But not only was it busy, I noticed the line was being held up because there was only one staff person helping people at the self-checkout. And there were a couple of seniors that were having difficulty with the machines. There were also parents with little kids struggling to check out their groceries. I watched as a pregnant mother was trying to scan and bag items while also keeping an eye on her two children, a toddler and her other child that seemed to be only a couple years older. This really bothered me. Most people at the checkouts had no one to help them scan and bag their groceries. They had to do it themselves, and several people were struggling with the checkout machines at the same time. As I watched, I found myself thinking, why are we doing this? Why have we accepted this as progress? The more I thought about it, the more I realized this conversation isn't really about self-checkouts. It's about the kind of future we're creating. I want to pause here though before we dive deeper into the solutions. So if you've been enjoying the Insider Bomb podcast, I'd love for you to hit subscribe. Every week I share honest conversations about business, motherhood, creativity, marketing, and the bigger ideas shaping the world around us, with a goal of helping you feel less alone and supported so you can create a life and business that actually works for you. Subscribing is the best way to make sure you don't miss future episodes. And it also helps more people discover the show. So if there's something in today's conversation that resonates with you, I'd love it if you'd subscribe and join me for future episodes. Okay, so back to the topic. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think self-checkout itself is a problem. I think we've gotten the balance wrong and I think companies have gone way too far with it. I actually think there is a place for it. If you have one or two items and you're in a hurry, great. If you prefer it, fine. But what I don't think makes sense is walking into a grocery store, home improvement store, or big box retailer and seeing one lonely cashier trying to help a line of customers while 12 self-checkout machines are doing the rest of the work. In my opinion, we've got the ratio backwards. It should be one or two self-checkout lanes for people who want them, and the majority of checkout lanes staffed by actual human beings. Because this isn't just about scanning groceries, it's actually about what kind of society we're creating. One thing that gets overlooked in these conversations is that self-checkout doesn't work for everyone. It works best for a very specific type of shopper. If you're healthy, mobile, tech savvy, shopping alone, and only have a small handful of items, it can be really convenient. Though, side note, even then you might still prefer having a human cashier. But what about everyone else? What about seniors? What about people with disabilities? What about parents shopping with toddlers, babies, and overflowing carts? What about someone who has mobility challenges or arthritis or vision impairments or chronic pain or someone who simply doesn't understand the technology? When stores replace cashiers with machines, they often frame it as giving customers more choice. But it's not really a choice when most of the staffed lanes are closed. I've watched elderly people struggle with self-checkout machines. I've watched parents trying to scan groceries while keeping a toddler from climbing out of the cart. I've watched people wait for assistance because the machine decided something in the bagging area wasn't quite right. We've all heard that robotic voice, please place item in bagging area. Then it freezes and you have to wait until an employee comes over to fix the issue. Sometimes it feels like we've created a complicated solution to a problem that didn't exist. And the problem is stores and big companies often market it as convenience. But let's be honest, a lot of this wasn't really about convenience. It was about labor costs. Companies discovered they could shift some of the work that employees used to do onto customers. We have to scan, bag, and troubleshoot on our own or wait until an already busy staff member comes over to help us. We end up doing the majority of the job ourselves. Researchers have actually described some forms of self-service technology as pseudo-automation because the work isn't disappearing, it's simply being transferred from employees to customers. Think about that. The work still exists, someone still has to scan the groceries, someone still has to bag them, someone still has to process the transaction. The difference is that now the customer is doing much of it. They've shifted the work onto us so they don't have to hire and pay another staff member, decreasing our satisfaction and the quality of our shopping experience. Also, what about jobs? This is the part that matters a lot to me because every cashier position represents a real person, a teenager getting their first job, a parent helping support their family, a retiree looking for supplemental income, a student working their way through school, a newcomer to a community, a person who may not have access to highly specialized employment opportunities. When we automate every possible interaction, we don't just eliminate tasks, we eliminate opportunities. And I think that's a conversation we need to have more openly. Because as technology continues to advance, we have to ask ourselves, are we creating a future that benefits people? Or are we creating a future that simply reduces payroll expenses? Those aren't always the same thing. And here's the interesting part. Even from a business perspective, the self-checkout model isn't always working the way companies hoped. Many retailers have struggled with theft and inventory loss connected to self-checkout systems. Recent consumer surveys found that approximately 70% of self-checkout users believe these systems make stealing easier. One survey found 20% admitted to intentionally taking an item without scanning it, while 36 reported accidentally leaving with an unscanned item at some point. Other industry experts suggest losses can be significantly higher at self-checkout compared to traditional cashier lanes. In fact, some major retailers have started scaling back self-checkout programs and increasing staff checkout options because of theft concerns and customer service issues. So this isn't necessarily a case of technology wins and humans lose. Even some businesses are starting to realize there's a hidden cost, or at least some of them care about the experiences their customers are having. But honestly, even if theft wasn't an issue, I still think we'd be missing something important. Human connection. A cashier might be the only meaningful interaction someone has that day. Think about seniors who live alone. Think about new parents who haven't spoken to another adult all day. Think about people going through difficult seasons of life. A smile, a conversation, a familiar face, these things matter. And I know some people will say, it's just a checkout lane, but I don't think it's ever just a checkout lane. Communities are built through thousands of small interactions. When we remove enough of those interactions, something changes. Maybe not overnight, but eventually. So we have to ask ourselves, what if businesses flip the script? Here's what I think would be really interesting. What if a grocery store chain or big box store decided to do the opposite of everyone else? What if they made human service their competitive advantage? Imagine seeing signs that say we believe in creating jobs, we believe in serving our community, we believe in helping seniors, families, and people with disabilities. We staff our stores with real people because people matter. Honestly, I think a lot of customers would support that. Especially if the company was transparent about it, and especially if they made it part of their brand. In a world where everything is becoming automated, being more human could actually become a competitive advantage. We might even be able to influence this. One thing I've learned over the years is that there are some companies that listen when enough customers speak. Not always immediately, but eventually. If consumers care about something, businesses pay attention. Imagine if people organized around this issue. They signed petitions, they joined community groups, had conversations on social media, wrote letters to grocery store chains, filled out feedback forms, and had hosted town halls or local campaigns. Not from a place of anger, but from a place of vision. Because I think that's the better question. Not what our stores are doing, but what kind of future do we want? What would we like them to do? I think a lot of people just assume the future happens to us. Some, not all people. Technology advances, businesses adapt, and we're supposed to accept whatever comes next. But that's not really how change works. People shape the future, consumers shape the future, and communities shape the future. If enough people decide they value human connection, accessibility, jobs, and community, businesses will notice. If enough people choose stores that prioritize people, companies will respond. If enough people ask for change, change becomes possible. And maybe this conversation is bigger than self-checkout. Maybe it's really about remembering that efficiency isn't the only thing that matters. Sometimes the best choice isn't the fastest choice. Sometimes the best choice is the one that's best for the community, the one that really cares about people. That's the future I'd like to see. And honestly, I think a lot of other people would too. So as you go about your week, I'd encourage you to pay attention to the small choices happening all around you. The stores you shop at, the businesses you support, the feedback you give, the conversations you have. We often think real change comes from governments or large corporations, but many of the biggest shifts start with ordinary people deciding what matters to them and acting accordingly. If enough people decide that human connection, accessibility, community, and meaningful employment matter, some businesses may very well listen. Alright, I'd love to hear what you think about this conversation. Do you prefer self-checkout or having more cashiers available? Also, have you noticed store changing their approach? Let me know by sending me a DM on Instagram at The InsiderMom. And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and share it with a friend. These conversations are always more meaningful when more voices are part of them. Thanks for spending part of your day with me. And before you go, I hope you remember this. You are worthy, valuable, and enough exactly as you are. Until next time, take care.