Why several big-box stores have ditched their self-checkouts | CBC News

After Dwayne Ouelette took over the Canadian Tire in North Bay, Ont., last year, he decided to buck the trend and ditch the store’s four self-checkout machines — which had been there for a decade.  “I’m not comfortable using them and I don’t think some of my customers are comfortable [either],” said Ouelette, who removed the machines in July and replaced them with cashiers.  “I’d rather my customers see my cashiers and if there’s any questions or concerns, at least there’s somebody they can talk to.” Read full story here: Why…

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Some Shoppers Drug Mart Staff Say They’re ‘Fed Up’ Over Pressure To Push Self-Checkout | CBC News

Several employees at Loblaws-owned stores said they’ve been pressured recently to push customers to use self-checkout, driven by a company quest to get more people using the machines. “They’re trying to get us to force [customers] to go to self-checkout,”said a cashier at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Ontario. “They’ve made cashiers feel like if they don’t do this, something bad is going to happen.” CBC News is keeping employees’ names confidential because they fear repercussions from their employer. Read full story here: Some Shoppers Drug Mart Staff Say They’re ‘Fed Up’ Over Pressure…

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Machines vs. Cashiers: Why Shoppers Are So Divided Over Self-Checkout | CBC News

More than a million people clicked on a CBC News story last week about some retail stores removing their self-checkout machines. Thousands of readers also left comments, many staunchly taking a stand either for or against self-checkout. The machines are now ubiquitous in many large retail stores, yet self-checkout remains a divisive issue among Canadians. “A lot of people do see self-checkout as a threat to workers,” said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Halifax-based Dalhousie University specializing in food distribution and policy. Read full story here: Machines vs. Cashiers: Why Shoppers Are So Divided…

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Why Many Canadians Don’t Love Self-Checkout | CBC News

Brendan Best says self-checkout isn’t worth his time because something often goes wrong, forcing him to seek out assistance. “I would not like to have that type of hassle, so I try to go through cashier lines,” said Best, who lives in Halifax. “There’s nothing in it for me.” A new grocery shopping study out of Dalhousie University suggests many Canadians have dabbled in self-checkout, but few have found reason to embrace the technology — which, along with reducing labour costs, is supposed to make shopping more convenient. Read full story here: Why Many…

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