Ever notice how often “improvements” don’t feel as if they’re making anything better?
Case in point: the cattle chutes many stores are using nowadays to stream people toward the cash registers. They often keep you trapped in a long, narrow walkway between high shelves full of brightly packaged candy and chips. That’s just cruel for people with dietary restrictions or people on tight budgets with young children. BTW, the chutes are so narrow, how do you fit down them with even one child in tow? How do people in wheelchairs or with service dogs manage? The shelves are so high, children and shorter people must feel claustrophobic. How do service dogs cope with such a reduced field of vision – it must be stressful for them? Not only the chutes themselves, but the cash register set up can be problematic. Often, the end cashiers are so far away from the opening that people with visual or hearing impairments can’t tell which cash register is open and where they should go.
Will merchants ever learn to think of us as people and not just as wallets?
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12 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Regarding Self Service checkout, I buy most of my groceries at Aldi's. They do not have a self service checkout but they do have the most efficient checkout system I have ever seen in the US. They humanely have check-out stations that allow the cashier to sit. They also have lots of organic food and plan to go all organic in 2019 with their fresh produce. Add in the cheapest prices in town and I am an Aldi fan
Lorajay
Level 9
Jan 2, 2019
1
Wow! That sounds great!
I've been gaining weight steadily for the last 2 years and I definitely succumb to those cattle chute goodies. If I'm going to successfully lose weight again. I must learn to say no regardless of the circumstance. In other words, my white and health is my responsibility.
Lorajay
Level 9
Jan 2, 2019
1
You can resist temptation, I know you can! If I can successfully walk past both a tray of cookies and a tray of nuts, which I did this morning, you can ignore the impulse items in the cattle chutes. Focus on how annoying, manipulative and dehumanizing those chutes are.
We shall overcome 
None of those things bother me at all. I'm totally resistant to the junk "food", trashy magazines and cheap trinkets in the cashier aisles. I don't even see them although I know they're there. I'm too busy watching the purchases of the people ahead and the basket behind and looking to see if there's even one single healthy item among them. Rarely.
mtnhome
Level 7
Oct 10, 2018
1
I'm usually buying craft supplies or cat stuff
It's harder and harder to find an actual cashier anymore at the big box. I try to go to the more locally owned grocery store where they don't have a computerized "self-service" checkout, which is just a way for the stores to cut down on staff and maximize profits.
Speaking of things "improving", someone mentioned a Microsoft update. Since the last one, I'm finding it impossible to type fluidly on this site, the page doesn't accept my input as quickly and I have to slow down my typing to a crawl. Plus, I can't move the cursor more than one space or delete more than one letter at a time. It's as if something changed my input settings for me...
Paul4747
Level 8
Sep 14, 2018
2
I know EXACTLY what you mean. It's sad to go into hateful Wal-Mart around midnight or after and the only lines you can use are the self check out. At least have a cashier on the tobacco line if nothing else, geez people
You are only a consumer. They want you to max out 5 or more credit cards as long as you consume. Cars and homes get more pricey but it is American to have the newest one. Studies show that some of these cars last for 10 years but you will be paying for it for 8 years. I see people in the grocery lines who can't get out without paying well over $100 and more. Tonight I had a break and spent $40. That doesn't happen often but I did get 4 craft urbock German beers too. I feel blessed.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Sep 13, 2018
1
We are not people to them, we are consumers. All they care about is finding ways to make us consume more.
JenBeberstein
Level 8
Sep 13, 2018
2
Too true. Some days I feel as if a McDonald's burger on the grill has more worth than I do.
@pixiedust sadly, to certain people, that is true.
You can protest; call the management and store owners, explain why you object, and are now planning to find a different store, write something in the local news about it on the opinion page, tweet about it, etc.
birdingnut
Level 8
Sep 13, 2018
1
Good ideas!
I always say more modern is not always better.
Lilac-JadeCanada
Level 9
Sep 13, 2018
2
If you look how CVS pharmacy is set up that is kind of ridiculous it is like information overload. I think Costco by far has the best check out situation.
azzow2
Level 9
Sep 13, 2018
1
Our local Costco is not a pleasant place to shop - at least, not for me.
Wow, I've never been in a store like that. Perhaps it's a regional phenomenon?
ladyprof70
Level 7
Sep 13, 2018
1
There are lots around - Walmart and Dollarama seem to favour cattle chutes for people.
@pixiedust Not here in western Wisconsin and I don't think we ave Dollarama stores
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