Winnipeggers were shocked when they were forced to use self-checkout at a Shoppers last week.
Linda Chaikowski expressed her negative opinion after her visit to the shop. The woman uses a cane to walk, so self-checkout is not a good option for her. In order to make a purchase, she had to leave the cane and to pack the goods herself. The procedure gave her tremendous discomfort and self-doubt.
A similar situation occurred in other Canadian cities. For example, it was very difficult for a woman with a bad hearing to understand what the system was saying to her when she tried to pay for her purchases at a Shoppers in London, Ont.
Kerri-Lynn Parker form Edmonton said that when she came to a Superstore there were no cashiers. So, she left her basket and went away.
Loblaw Co., the owner of Real Canadian Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart, said that the company policy implies that visitors always have the choice to contact the cashier or to use a machine. The goal of each of the stores is to make shopping more convenient and enjoyable for people, and not to make them feel their helplessness.
Retail consultant Bruce Winder said that most likely the problem is that companies are looking for new ways to cut costs, and the absence of cashiers is one of them. However, in his opinion, mandatory self-checkout is not a way out and many clients will be against it. Not all people can use machines from a physical point of view.
After numerous complaints throughout the country, Linda Chaikowski went to a Shoppers again and she was pleasantly surprised by the fact that she could pay at the cashier using her debit card without any problems.
Winnipeggers hope that similar incidents will not repeat in the future.
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