Hurrah... good sense breaks out in the #NorthWest as the 'Waitrose of the North', Booths begins to get rid of self-service check-outs.
Given the price premium at Booths, we (the customers) want the social interaction with staff at the checkouts, not be told to 'scan & bag'!
More importantly, not only do checkouts provide regular local employment, they are also for many semi-isolated shoppers a key bit of rare social interaction... so a welcome reverse!
@ChrisMayLA6 As an autistic person, I always prefer self-service. It relieves me of the effort to mask during a social interaction, and since their introduction, I have found a shopping visit far less challenging. I can certainly respect the benefit of staffed checkouts for many, but regarding them as a universal good ignores people like myself. Having options that cater for all is better #actuallyautistic@actuallyautistic
yes, this point has been three times at least this morning, and I completely understand - as @RolloTreadway - a choice is best... the Q. is I guess how many people use the self-service if there are fully staffed check-outs available
@ChrisMayLA6@actuallyautistic@RolloTreadway My local coop is a great illustration actually. It has 3 self-service checkouts and always has available staffed checkouts too. My impression is that overall, it's about 40/60, with about 60% preferring a staffed checkout
@cvwillegen@dweebish@ChrisMayLA6@Greenseer@actuallyautistic I would definitely use that if my local shop had the scan as you go devices. Maybe they will do one day. Anything to reduce my time in the shop is welcome, because it's all very stressful.
@RolloTreadway@cvwillegen@dweebish@ChrisMayLA6@Greenseer@actuallyautistic
I have found a really great solution: I'm in a Co-op. That's a little community store that orders bulk for you and has basic items and produce right there. I pay a little monthly fee and get to shop in this friendly DIY environment. I can chat, I can hang out, or I can just collect my stuff and leave. I feel totally relaxed there. No annoying ads, lights, sounds or music. Just the things everyone needs in a tiny store, and my boxes on a shelf with my name on it, if I ordered bulk. And the atmo is so incredibly nice, that I often start a convo just for the fun of it.
@Greenseer@ChrisMayLA6@actuallyautistic@RolloTreadway I would have as well, wasn't it for "Q. is I guess how many people use the self-service", which means "there probably aren't enough to justify having a choice", so this makes it not part of a learning curve, but shows contradicting views.
"It's best to have a choice, but most peoples health would benefit from taking the stairs and question is, if there are even enough wheelchair users" would be the same logic.
Apologies, it was a bad turn of phrase.... I was meaning that the number of self-service checkpoints might reflect the number wanting to use them, but I accept it didn't read like that... I agreed earlier with the post a choice was best, and I should have made that much clearer in that post - apologies
I think what is important to get from this thread is that "majority rule" doesn't work for handling diversity of human needs or human rights.
There are different types of diversity where self-service is needed and others where self-service fails.
I hear the "labour" market comment, but that seems to be a critique of Capitalism/Marxism/etc and other Eurocentric, Anthropocentric, Androcentric economic theories.
I always do self checkout. Yesterday in a shoe store I wanted the helpful sales person to leave me alone.
I'm in a condo with a concierge. During COVID I'd go out the car entrance rather than the lobby, "to spare the concierge extra possible exposures."
After I self diagnosed I realized I was avoiding the lobby because even a brief hello each time through was too much expected social interaction for me.
My backyard has a 5 foot tall fence. Not high enough that I can't see the neighbors when they're out in their backyard, which is stress-inducing.
Am I expected to wave? Say something? Start a conversation?
I've not gone outside, because I saw them out and I just couldn't deal with it.