No more self-checkout? Delaware ShopRite stores bring back full-service checkout

Do you prefer checking out your own items or having a cashier ring them up for you? ShopRite stores in Delaware bring back full-service checkout with cashiers after customers complained.

Over the years you may have noticed the empty cashier lanes are being replaced by self-serve kiosks. Stores such as Target, Walmart, and even Wawa have more self-checkouts than cashiers.

On social media, many shoppers have complained about self-checkout and employees complain that they are not being paid to bag groceries.

Additionally, store employees said self-serve checkouts are taking away their jobs.

ShopRite stores in Delaware have listened to the complaints and have made changes. The store said staffing levels are back up and they are leaning towards having more cashiers and hybrid self-checkout systems with employees there to help.

"We added back designated full-service checkout lanes to stores. We always had full-service options but increased self-checkout/fast lanes at our six stores during the pandemic." ShopRite spokesperson Karon O'Shea said. "We are always evolving, adapting and listening to our customers so that we can provide the best possible shopping experience."

PlayUSA, interviewed 1,000 Americans for a study on whether or not people prefer using technology over face-to-face interactions.

The study found that 84 percent of those surveyed said they like using self-service kiosks and 66 percent will choose a self-serve kiosk over a human-run checkout.

Additionally, 60 percent said they use self-service so they don't have to talk to a person, but 75 percent said technology has led to a decrease in social skills, according to the study.

A lot of opinions about self-serve seem to be based heavily on someone's age, level of tech savviness, and the amount of stuff a customer buys.

Those who like self-service don't necessarily want to use it for a huge amount of groceries and they don't want the customers in front of them buying too much either.

The days when stores had every single lane open with cashiers might never come back, but ShopRite stores are taking into consideration what their customers want and reopening some of those lanes.