Continuing our observation assignment for Phys Comp. Heather and I decided to go to Home Depot and observe the self checkout registers and see how people react to the new technology. We gathered some interesting data that can be downloaded as an Excel spread sheet here. Unfortunately about half of the data was lost, but the data on the Excel document is pretty accurate in terms of percentage of our overall observation of around 80 people. A document of out observations can be downloaded here: Group Observation. I was also able to capture some video of the transaction made by Heather. Here is the Video of the transaction made:
Additionally I added this proposed method of cunducting transactions;
A shopping cart with scanners for self-check out capabilities.
Another potential concept for a checkout system would be mobile scanning stations. Handheld scan devices could be included with every cart so that as soon as a customer decides on an item, want something they can scan it and place it into their cart. Bags could be located throughout the store, similarly to bags available in produce departments at food shopping facilities. Once people are done with their shopping, they can then pay using their credit card at monitored pay stations. A weigh station area near the exit with a guard would then verify contents of the customer’s cart and mark the customer’s receipt as checked.
Here is a rendering of the concept cart:
