Stores Rethink Self Checkout

[Noodles]

So, you're a people person?

More of a Peep Hole person.

I like to watch people quietly from behind a wall/door.

Wait...

I am not sure that came out right...

 

[Free]

More of a Peep Hole person.

Glory be...

 

[Lexxi]

What sort of competition is there between supermarkets in the US? Where I live, I have a choice of six large chains from which I can order online, and they all have large stores within a few miles of me if I wanted to shop in person.

2020s: Today, living in a suburb of Washington DC, I have: zero Groceries within walking distance; driving distance: Target Grocery is closest; next closest are several International Foods type places like Fresh World, Americana Grocery, Todos Supermarket; there are also: Wegmans, an Aldi, a Lidl, 2 or more Safeways within 10 miles of me, 2 Food Lions nearish me, and 10+ miles away is Giant Food. Oh, and the only place that has Pibb Xtra - Walmart grocery. This isn't counting the places you have to pay to be a member: Sam's Club, BJs, Costco... I think that's all of them close to me.

2010s: When I lived in Brooklyn NY, there were three larger sized supermarkets (larger meaning larger than a hole in the wall) within 5 to 6 city blocks from where I lived (and, seemingly, every 5th store was a hole-in the wall place you could get many grocery needs). I walked everywhere and didn't have access to a car, so that's my measurement - within ~10 blocks.

2000s: When I lived in Richmond VA . . . . I do not have the foggiest idea what I did for grocery store stuff. Looking at where I lived on the map today, I see 2 Food Lions, a Lidl, an Aldi, a Target Grocery, and a Kroger within 3 miles.

1990s: When I lived in Harrisonburg VA, I had zero grocery stores and 1 'general' store I had access to before I dragged my decaying dying car to campus. When I got the car, I still got my groceries from that tiny on campus general store. So I do not know what was available otherwise, though I do know there was a Wallmart back then. Looking at the map now, I see 6 grocery stores within a short drive: Wallmart is the furthest away but within 10 miles (9.5 to be exact); a Kroger, 2 Food Lions, a Target, and an Aldi round out the rest.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

What sort of competition is there between supermarkets in the US? Where I live, I have a choice of six large chains from which I can order online, and they all have large stores within a few miles of me if I wanted to shop in person.

I live in a medium-ish city (population 133k). Depending on how far i want to drive, we have several large stores (WinCo, two Walmarts and a Walmart Neighborhood Store, a Costco, FoodMax, Food 4 Less, among others) and several smaller stores. I always shop in person, though, so I don't know what pickup and delivery options are available. I know Walmart does both, but not sure of the others.

 

[Soen Eber]

I live in a major city (Minneapolis) near the airport, but otherwise surrounded by parks and recreation areas in a livable (but not rich because of said airport) area. I have a grocery store within walking distance, a mini grocery store a block away, and a number of larger (in U.S. scale) stores with good selections within 3 to 5 miles. We also have Aldi's, Trader Joes, and a coop or two.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Also, with self checkout, I don't have to lift up the heavy stuff like cat food or water so the person can reachnover the counter to scan things. I can just pile it in the cart eith barcodes visible and beep beep beep beep right through it all.

That works if the store has scan guns at the self checkout machines. Around here, the only store that has them is Walmart, and maybe Target and Costco.