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Magazines Archives - 2008 May
Woolworths to extend
self-checkouts to 70 stores by next month
Story 13
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED
has announced that it will continue to introduce self-checkout
systems to 70 of its supermarkets throughout Australia before
the end of next month.
Marty Hamnett, its general manager for retail operations, said
“customers have really embraced” the technology “in all the
stores” where a test-run was carried out a few years ago, and,
now,
“approximately 20% of transactions go through the self-serve
checkouts”. “Of course, they will never fully replace standard
or express checkouts but they are certainly a handy alternative
for the
busy shopper,” he said.
According to the company, each store will be equipped with up to
five self-service checkouts, with staff nearby to handle queries
and assist with the application. To prevent shoplifting, a
sensor will monitor and compare the weight of items scanned,
causing the checkout to shut down on detecting discrepancies.
Besides being able to scan and pay for groceries by cash or
card, customers can also top up mobile-phone vouchers, receive
petrol-reward dockets and transact cash-outs, as they would at
any other manned checkout counter.
Shopper feedback has been “tremendously positive”, said Hamnett.
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