[ExI] Retail with no clerks

[BillK]

On Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 5:51 AM, Kelly Anderson wrote:
> I'm shocked that half the people apparently did not pay. Don't they
> know that there are cameras watching their every move? Criminals, even
> those of opportunity always seem to be the less intelligent among us.
>
>


Apparently most did try to pay.  The security video showed no looting
going on. Only about 24 people did early morning shopping on the Bank
Holiday before the police arrived to lock up. They did their normal
shopping then went to the checkouts. When they saw no tills were
manned they went to the self-service checkouts. This worked fine until
somebody tried to buy alcohol (at breakfast time on a Bank Holiday! ;)
). This locked up the tills as staff were required for age
verification. Customers coming up behind were unable to pay, so just
took their shopping and left. Ethically, probably fair enough, as the
shop had no means for customers to pay.

It looks as though the security videos are not clear enough for good
facial identification. They seem to be more for watching for
suspicious behaviour (and no staff were watching) and catching
shoplifters in the act. In any case the shop-owner doesn't seem to
think it would be good business policy to pursue those who got free
shopping. He has said that if people do come back and offer to pay, he
will donate the money to the Christchurch Earthquake fund.


BillK