Today, our shopping giant "Tesco" has started to talk about introducing cash-free stores. They are big, they occupy the "Wal-Mart" slot here and are big in eastern Europe and SE Asia. Apparently cash handling is simply too expensive and time consuming.

They have successfully introduced self-service checkouts into supermarkets, I hate the bloody things but they work and some people like them, they pioneered 24hr shopping and other things all of which were thought to be crackpot ideas at the start. If they are talking about it, they will do it.

Now I'm a cash sort of person, I can see some advantages to not carrying and using cash, it closes a door to some types of criminality for sure. I just like it, call me old fashioned maybe. My business has a lot of cash customers, I suspect they do not want to leave an electronic or paper trail for reasons of their own. I reckon I often cut myself a better deal with cash, especially with small traders who appreciate it.

Have any of the big US players done this ? if so, what is the experience? does it work? If it is the end for cash will not individual currencys be next seeing as we are all going to be spending "virtual" money? International work units or what? Fancy a bank account in IWUs ?
Whaaaaaat??

Yea many in SE US, super markets all have check out lines that are self serve as do some walmarts. There is a new chain called Bloom whihc was supposed to be all self check out ... but may be 90% ... wiht 1 cashier ...
Now in my burg atleast they will take cash in the self check out lines ... If you're a germaphobe ... case attracts and literally has microbes building whole cities ... Plastic is much more non germo philic ...
Cool.
Srinath.

problem with teh stores.. we got idiots who do not know how to use a touch screen and figure out to get out fast using it.

People tend use it cause its a novelty and end up screwing up. I am usually get in and out in a few minutes. Only problem there are still bugs .. like the refresh rate for the damn scanned items. If i scan fast, it wont scan, i have to wait till it finishes updating its screen. And yeah i konw this because i scanned an item a few times instead of one. I had thought it was going tobe under 20 it endeed up being 21. something.. damn extra scanning. I couldnt figure out why it didnt complete the transaction, until the person behind me noticed that it was over 21.. and not under 20.. oh well put in 2 bucks and i was done.. still i was done in under a minute.

It pains me when a family gets on one of these and they argue on how to use it until the damn person who is supposed to help using that has to show them. Bah!

People with no experience in computers or an IQ lower than 90 shouldnt use it. its faster than standing in a normal line.  The problem is speedy check out is for speedy check out.. when you got small number of items.. dont try to check out with your grocery's for the month. Its faster going on a regular line and letting a person work there get to it.

okay end of rant.[/img]

Hmmmm don't think it's for me, I'll do my monthly grocery on-line.

I'm all for it...  I only use cash when I have to...  Which is rare.

The cafeteria at work is cash only...  I end up going to the cash machine every day.

There's a "ghetto-mart" by my practice space that's cash only...

I pay my practice space rent in cash...

And there's a hot dog & beer place in Belltown that's cash only...


That's the extent of my cash needs.  Other than that I use my debt or credit cards for everything.

I use my debit card almost exclusively. I only take out cash when I need it because I have a bad habit of losing it. I'll stuff a wad of cash into my pocket and forget about it sometimes, or I'll plop a wad of cash here or there. One laundry day I recovered almost $80 from various pants pockets that I had forgotten about       . So cash and I do not play well together.

The only time I've been to a cash-less department store was Kmart a couple years ago during a Holiday season. They set a couple of lanes up exclusively for last-minute shoppers. It was alright, kinda weird, but it didn't really save much time then because people were still getting used to it. Seems that as soon as people got the hang of it, they took it away! Heh.  

stores have less shrinkage with customer checkout too, majority of theft is eomployee related, especially at supermarkets where people ring up there friends groceries, and miss a few items, with a camera on them most people think if they do it they will get caught, so less people jack stuff

I like the self checkouts.  They are always empty because no one knows how to use them.  Buying beer sucks though cause then you have to wait for the dude that checks receipts to walk over, he's not paying attention to you normally, once he's there punches in a code and your b-day and you are good to go.  

everyday items =  
clerk for id check =  :nana:

Many stores are trying to move away from credit cards.  But most stores in my area that have the "cash or debit" card swiper, still don't support using it for debit cards... only credit.  So cash is still pretty big here.

Personally, I use cash most of the time because I spend less that way.

Yup, me too. I normally use cash, then debit, rarely credit. I dont mind the automated checkouts, the card-onlys or what-have-you but the prospect of huge stores going 100% cash-free fills me with alarm. Give it a couple of years and the banks will start charging for minimal transactions or the stores will introduce a minimum spend.

Hey Cal! We have "some Wal-Mart stores and a few grocery stores doing the self checkout. Most do NOT like it. It speaks volumes of customer service going to hell in a handbasket these days. All responsibility is thrown back on the consumer. They herd you in and out like cattle. You are so correct. If "they" are talking about doing it, they WILL do it. As I see it, it is all part of a much bigger plan unfolding. One that we are powerless to stop. Not necessarily powerless to survive it but I think you know what I mean. What really super pisses me off to the gills is when I see the elderly struggling to figure out the screens and most are not computer savy and then bag it themselves. It makes me furious at the management (actually lack of). I asked my wife the other day if Mom and Dad were alive and here, how in the name of God could they buy groceries and take them out to the car. They use to have checkout and baggers to help the older citizens and enjoyed a well deserved tip by many. Actually I have witnessed one store "take back" the self service and bagging (after the hurricane hit). Maybe they "got the message" but I doubt it.  People that have that much greed and love for the dollar need to stand before a citizen tribunal. First the charges are read before they are pronounced guilty almost instantly.........then off come the clothes....then comes the gasoline...........but before continuing....their "replacements" need to be brought out to let them witness what is going to happen and why. It is only then that things will change.

Quote from: Old Mr. WilsonThey use to have checkout and baggers to help the older citizens and enjoyed a well deserved tip by many.

I bagged groceries during my high school years (1980's). My home town had one store that was locally owned and had about 15 locations total. The other store was a recent big chain and later another chain store opened. My store had the best customer service. Patrons were not allowed to take carts out of the store so you either carried your bag with you or the bag boys took them out in our little carts.  (BTW, Maybe one person out of hundred gave a tip; usually a little old lady giving you a dime or a quarter. :lol:) Our managers would order any item for any person no matter how obscure. We gave double coupons when the competitors did not etc.

Guess which store went out of business? Mine did.  Americans have demonstrated over and over that they will sacrifice lots of service for a few nickels or even the perception of savings (like Wal-Mart) Advertising is a lot cheaper and more effective than custormer service. Put out a jingle and the sheep will follow.

I'm not saying you or Cal are like this, just that the unwashed masses and the desire to minimize costs drive this pattern.

I love good blue steel. Also love the beauty of real mahagony, cherry, and walnut woods.............the feel of nice leather......real leather...not this smelly cheap shaZam! coming out of Asia.....crawfish coming from Louisiana.....not China

I am prepared to pay for it........or do without it but I know what you're saying............

Exactly, I'm a simple man with simple needs and, I guess, lucky enough to be able to pay a little more for what I want. I can't say I would never use such a store but I won't if there is an alternative, including doing without.

There are lots of small 'hood bars/hostelries/pubs closing around here but if all the people who are moaning about it went in for a coke or a pint and a chat now and again it would not be happening. I think they too are going the way of the small store and the corner shop. Considering that our economies are built on small businesses and entrepeneurism it's amazing how quickly we shun them to "save" a copper coin or two, if it's realy a saving at all. Does the Orwellian nightmare loom?

Jeeeeez, I'm getting old!