Tesco Lotus has launched their first self service checkout in Thailand. This pilot scheme has been launched at Chamchuri Square in Bangkok. Although many Tesco stores have had self service checkouts for years in the UK, I’m not sure how popular they will be in Thailand where we are still used to service with a smile. When I shop at Foodland there is someone to pack my bags and then carry them out to my car if I want. The last time I went back to the UK, it took me a moment to realise that I was supposed to put the items in the bag myself. I saw the self service checkouts but didn’t dare to try.
What’s next for Thailand? Self service petrol pumps? Who will wash our windscreen or check our tyre pressure? But seriously, do you think the “self-service” concept will work in Thailand? If it does become popular, how many people will lose their jobs?
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I have never used one of these machines here in the states and never will. Why? Two reasons. I am a people person first. Second, I despise companies which attempt to screw the last penny out of a worker for their labor or attempt to replace them like this.
I never used these in the UK. My attitude is: if the cashier misses something, it’s a mistake; if I miss something, it’s shoplifting.
Is it April 1st already?
We have had these self checkout things in Florida for a couple of years. It makes sense in the States, as the cheapest grocery store labor you are going to get is just shy of $8 an hour (Federally mandated minimum wage), so these machines will pay for themselves here fairly quickly. However in Thailand non-skilled labor of this type gets what? $8 per DAY? Why bother, I don’t suspect the customers care one way or the other as long as they can get out of the store with their goods as quickly as possible.
Tesco is all about profit, Ian, not about people. They are creating Tescopoly in the UK and sell everything imaginable whilst smaller businesses go to the wall. I refuse to shop there…..
Doesn’t make sense in a country that is so labor-intensive. Eliminating human jobs for the sake of automation is Lost In Translation here.
The time waiting in line will be longer esp. on weekends. Most customers won’t or can’t scan and bag as fast and efficient as the employees.
They’ll have to watch these checkouts like hawks. In the UK they are often abused with customers not scanning all items sometimes and getting away with it. RFID or not.
If self service came into effect, we would never have to buy garbage bags again, just pack another 10 bags each time when using the self service check out point 😉
Seriously though, how can they actually check that you paid everything?
You have to use their bags and the computers through RFID know that there are items in the bags that haven’t been scanned.