50. Self-Checkout

Grocery stores have turned shoppers into cashiers. Zachary Crockett runs two bags of chips and a Gatorade over the scanner. SOURCES:Sara Alloy, experience retail lead for North America at Publicis Sapient.Christopher Andrews, professor of sociology at Drew University.Phil Lempert, founder and C.E.O. of SupermarketGuru. RESOURCES:"Feeling Rewarded and Entitled to Be Served: Understanding the Influence of Self- Versus Regular Checkout on Customer Loyalty," by Farhana Nusrat and Yanliu Huang (Journal of Business Research, 2024)."It’s Not Just You: Self-Checkout Is Awful. These Retailers Finally Agree," by Sarah Bregel (Fast Company, 2023)."'I'm Banned From Walmart Over a Bag of Reese's,' Houston-Area Woman Says After Self-Checkout 'issue,'" by Matthew Seedorff (Fox26, 2023)."Self-Checkout Is a Failed Experiment," by Amanda Mull (The Atlantic, 2023).The Overworked Consumer: Self-Checkouts, Supermarkets, and the Do-It-Yourself Economy, by Christopher Andrews (2018)."The Banana Trick and Other Acts of Self-Checkout Thievery," by Rene Chun (The Atlantic, 2018)."Self-Service Checkouts Can Turn Customers Into Shoplifters, Study Says," by Christopher Mele (The New York Times, 2016)."Check This Out: A Revolution in the Supermarket," by Daniel P. Puzo (Los Angeles Times, 1987). EXTRAS:"How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War," by Freakonomics Radio (2019).