Archived New check out system test

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I came across this article

http://www.minnpost.com/stories/201...test_raises_customer_hackles_--_and_questions

After reading it, I really hope they don't implement this, ever. Thoughts????


I think the idea of having the screen directing people to an available register is nice. But the rest of it just seems bad. The conveyor size seems bad and also if it's busy than you just have one giant long line.... I think for this you would have to have almost every lane open when it gets busy no matter what.
 
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A funneled line is so much more efficient. I've always loved it when my parents shopped at the Commissary, there was never any question on whether we chose the wrong line. Just imagine, no hassle about going faster if there's a guest concern or signing up for a red card. They should definitely do something about the shorter scanning bed area though.
 
We do line funneling at the Front End and Electronics for black Friday at my store.
 
I don't have any problem with the line funnel.
Single ques make a lot more sense and do run faster.
The tiny counters at the registers does not sound like a good thing.

I found this part interesting about the test store:
Target customers at Lake Street are predominantly people of color, many of them Latino and Somali immigrants, with varying degrees of proficiency in English. I have heard it referred to as the "multicultural" or "ghetto" Target.
 
holidays and busy times but I think most of the time its fine as is. hire more cashiers (I swear target is getting to be like walmart when it comes to cashiers) and make use of the express lanes. If you never use the express lanes convert them in to normal lanes. Maybe install self check outs.
 
so... i see concerns in the article about the small platforms, even some things about racial stereotyping. but what i notice most is the big clunky computer screen (or as i like to call it, guestbot--the new, improved, no overtime guest service coordinator).
 
holidays and busy times but I think most of the time its fine as is. hire more cashiers (I swear target is getting to be like walmart when it comes to cashiers) and make use of the express lanes. If you never use the express lanes convert them in to normal lanes. Maybe install self check outs.

Self check outs are massive failures overall, expect them to start being slowly phased out in the years to come. Too much shortage, moronic guests not being able to use them properly and poor guest satisfaction.

Also, I am confused on why race is brought into this article. Either there was more info they meant to pass along or just inserted that for idiotic purposes because that point kept breaking the flow of the article.
 
The article mentions race because it's making the hypothesis that these clientele are not as eager to complain to managers and corporate about the test than the very wealthy guests at the Edina store, or other affluent MN suburbs.
 
It adds another tool to Target's control of the situation which is a good and bad thing.

Good in the fact that it decreases likelihood of traffic jams, can keep traffic flowing, blockage or lost carts will be reduced, and the system allows problems to be sorted out instantly (out of paper? delay guests 10 seconds at register 13.)

It's bad because, as the guests pointed out, it subjects them to more advertising which isn't always a good thing because they know they are having it done to them and that can be the worst kind, they are spending time in the store and not shopping which means they are taking away space from merchandise, takes away their choice of cashier if they have a friendship or not, and turns it from a guest friendly atmosphere to more of a factory like setting.

It sounds like a plausible thing to test but I don't know. People are more than willing to let people check their credit scores and judge whether or not they are a worthy person but when it comes to telling a person to move three feet...
 
isn't Target testing a smaller formatt store? maybe it will be in those stores.

It's possible but doubtful.

Our store is pretty small and we either have one cashier to handle the low traffic or when things are really high they just call another person over and the problem takes care of itself. Unless the system is to have less people...

Oh God...
 
isn't Target testing a smaller formatt store? maybe it will be in those stores.

They are, it's called City Target. It's a small format store that's about half the size of youR everyday average target store. They will carry way less merchandise and only be in large urban areas. Google it, you'll find more info.
 
It's possible but doubtful.

Our store is pretty small and we either have one cashier to handle the low traffic or when things are really high they just call another person over and the problem takes care of itself. Unless the system is to have less people...

Oh God...

What, getting rid of GSAs or GSTLs? Not sure, its' definitely about driving efficiency though. Headquarters is probably just doing away with the idea of people doing speed weaving and just having a machine do it for them instead, which is better anyways.
 
We do line funneling at the Front End and Electronics for black Friday at my store.

My store does the same thing. And this system would never work unless we always had like 20 cashiers scheduled from open to close (and if our guests weren't such idiots).

Also, we're not clerks, we're cashiers, dammit!
 
I'm going to echo just about everyone when I say the funnel is good, but the checklane sounds ridiculous. Why not do it with a full size lane? I realize they're trying to cram in things, but it's definitely going to lead to confusion and pissed off guests when they debate if something has or has not been scanned. Also, did I read correctly that the guests are supposed to take the bags off? Good luck having that flow well.
 
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