The thread on grocery stores has taken a little drift over to the self
checkout subject.

We need to stop and think for a minute about what business is doing to us.

1. ATM'S are a labor saving device - they are designed to have the
customer do the data entry for their transaction thereby eliminating
teller-labor-costs.

2. Why are Salad bars so popular - simple no labor involved to make the
salads. The customer provides the labor and doesn't need to be certified.

3. Self check out lanes - all that is necessary is 1 person to monitor
the lanes thereby eliminating retail clerk positions at $18.00 + per hour
(depends on the store and area & union not to mention the benefit load of
25% to 30 % per employee)

4. Remember the "paperless society" and EDI (Electronic Data
Interchange)? How it was supposed to simplify business - well it didn't -
not we have to have a paper back-up for all transactions. How about the
retailer that charges a data entry fee to process a paper invoice - unusual?
nope very common.

Rant over....

Want me to check my own groceries - sure give me a discount or pay me.

:-)

Dimitri