Why are there only a couple of check-out lanes open at a time in a store?

Question

I only seem to notice this when I’m in a hurry; a grocery store (or any other for that matter) will have, like, 8 check-out lanes but only 3 or 4 of them open at any given time. This is particularly annoying at Target or Wal-Mart when they have somewhere around 20+ check-out lanes but only have a single-digit number of them open, even if the store is packed with customers. Why is that? Do they not have enough employees to man all the cash registers? Are they trying to get the customers to stay as long as possible so they’ll find more things to buy? Are they actual evil and diabolical and intentionally try foil people’s schedules for no good reason? I just don’t get it!

Answer 1

i think your first idea is the right one. they dont have the personnel to man all lanes.
at any given day the average number of customers in the store follows a waveline. this can be recorded and after using some clever statistical methods you can predict how many cashiers you are going to need at any given hour. since manpower is expensive, they subtract from that number the patience-coefficient of the average customer and get the number of cashiers absolutely needed to prevent customers from shopping somewhere else.

then why are there often not enough lanes open?
because these predictions are far from perfect. in fact they are more often wrong than right. but you cant convince modern managers to distrust numbers and follow their guts instead.
this has two reasons. one, numbers can be calculated... instincts cannot. two, and most importantly, they know they cannot trust their gutfeeling either... because they got taught accounting and controlling and applied statistics on their workshops, instead of how to run a grocerystore.

this is also true for more or less any other kind of business.

stupid?

yes.

Answer 2

I was thinking the SAME thing yesterday when i went into Acme to pick up 5 things... i waited on line for a half hour. They only had 2 of their 6 registers open and werent letting anyone use self check out. You'd think they'd prefer people to self check out to get it done faster. It is just a scam i swear. You'll notice the displays are mysteriously closer and closer to the check outs too so you impulse buy.

I heard about grocery shopping online thru the stores website. You might want to check that out. Less impluse buys and no waiting in line.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

The # of check out lanes are there only for the Thanksgiving to Christmas holiday.

Answer 5

The companies are too cheap to hire enough workers, even at a pathetically low minimum wage. They would rather annoy their customers than to pay extra wages.

Answer 6

I think you've mentioned most of the reasons. Comes down to simple math. Less employees, less payroll cost.

Answer 7

I have noticed that too. They must need more people to work.

Answer 8

they do not have enough employes to have them all open thar u

Answer 9

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