New technology aims to take the wait out of the grocery store lines
SEATTLE -- Americans spend about 37 billion hours each year waiting in line -- about 4 million years many Americans describe as a waste of time.
Now, Fred Meyer says it's using new technology to turn back the clock.
"It's the make or break experience for customers shopping in our stores," said Brad Carter, District Coordinator for Fred Meyer.
So Fred Meyer decided to cut down their queues. Six months ago, shoppers at the Ballard store spent an average of 4 1/2 minutes at checkout. Then executives embraced a new tool.
"Since we've rolled out and embraced the new technology, Que vision, we've been able to get that down to less than a minute," he said.
Carter says all check stands in the building now have heat sensors that act like people detectors, counting how many shoppers come in and check out.
A computer uses the data to calculate how many lanes will need to be open in 30 minutes.
But what about the impulse purchase? Supermarkests earn $5.5 billion a year when shoppers pick up tabloids or gum to quell the agony of waiting. But Carter says less time hasn't affected the bottom line.
"If anything it allows us to sell more because shoppers have a better shopping experience they're going to be more willing to come back and shop with us again, Carter said.
Now, Fred Meyer says it's using new technology to turn back the clock.
"It's the make or break experience for customers shopping in our stores," said Brad Carter, District Coordinator for Fred Meyer.
So Fred Meyer decided to cut down their queues. Six months ago, shoppers at the Ballard store spent an average of 4 1/2 minutes at checkout. Then executives embraced a new tool.
"Since we've rolled out and embraced the new technology, Que vision, we've been able to get that down to less than a minute," he said.
Carter says all check stands in the building now have heat sensors that act like people detectors, counting how many shoppers come in and check out.
A computer uses the data to calculate how many lanes will need to be open in 30 minutes.
But what about the impulse purchase? Supermarkests earn $5.5 billion a year when shoppers pick up tabloids or gum to quell the agony of waiting. But Carter says less time hasn't affected the bottom line.
"If anything it allows us to sell more because shoppers have a better shopping experience they're going to be more willing to come back and shop with us again, Carter said.
What a stupid waste of money. All you have to do is have ONE line and each person goes to the next available cashier. Yes, the line is long, but it moves really fast. Europeans know this.
What I don't understand is what the yellow circles with numbers in them mean, except for the "lanes open" one. I don't understand what "action now" means, nor do I "get" the "30 minutes" one. Does that mean I have 30 minutes to wait for checking out my purchases? Not gonna happen!
This is going to put a lot of pressure on the cashiers and may eventually affect customer service in a big way. The stress of having to get everyone through the line in a minute or less and especially during really busy times is going to take it's toll. The concept of faster checkouts is good, but I think it needs to be done in a reasonable way.
Will this help speed up the theft of liquor...?
 @Truth Percolates Yes, they will have a special lane called 'Booze Thieves'
I was wondering what that was. Have it here at the Benson Plaza. Altho for me, the best way to get thru is for shoppers to quit trying to pay with checks or plastic is they don't have the funds in their account, not to mention not having their checks ready. Can't tell you how many times I've been behind those people! Annoying!
Not a fan of Fred Meyer. No two stores are alike, and they love to put displays right in the middle of their already too-narrow aisles.
@nodozr The reason for that is it encourages impulse buying. People think special displays means the products are on sale, the same with end caps.
 @Jatok  @nodozr I get that, and it even works on me sometimes. But when a store becomes difficult to navigate I just want to get the heck out of there.
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By comparison, Target seems laid out to avoid traffic jams.
Just use their self-check. Usually no wait and easy if you have a good checker at your store to deal with checking ID :) LOVE Freddy's!!
I never buy anything or go into  Safeways or QFCs because the prices are too high they NEVER get a new product or new brand which would make it more interesting to grocery shop and  they scatter items of the same category throughout the stores so you have to play a stressful hide-and-seek game finding what you need  with  them hoping wandering around will make you buy something on impulse but it just makes me stressed and avoid the store. You got to go to WINCO Foods if you want good prices and a huge selection.
I guess this is why I love shopping at my local PCC, despite the long lines, it gives people a chance to catch up with one another from the neighbourhood. (I'm referring to the PCC in Seward Park, small store with long lines, but it seems like no one is really in a rush to head out the door anyways.)
It comes down to people. Â Do they have enough people to open up enough lanes to keep things moving? Â Probably not. Â Maybe if they spent less on funky tech and more on putting people in jobs we wouldn't have to wait so long. Â I guess my local Fred Meyer isn't using the tech or hiring people because the last time I was in the check out took 10 minutes or more. Â I lost track of time after I dozed off with my eyes still open.
my local QFC has had this "new" technology for quite some time now. Yes, I'm aware that QFC and Fred meyer are both owned by kroger.
Anyway, the screens do diddly squat. "Action now" shows how many lanes are open but they can be quite long. It doesn't do anything about calling another employee to the front to help out. By the time THAT person shows up, the lines are minimal again.
Personally, I think it's a waste of $$
... But I'm not done reading "Betty and Veronica Digest"Â
Amazon Fresh, no wait line and they take out your groceries for you if you are sick etc.
If this article made any sense at all, I might believe it.
All I get out of it is 'shop Fred Meyer'. I do. And my check out is 5-10 minutes depending on...
Open more lanes ya idiots! Technology has nothing to do with it!
37 billion hours a year? Isnt there only 8,760 hours in a normal (non leap) year for each person alive? Where are they pulling these numbers exactly?
 @DarkRenegade And that means there's 2.7 trillion total hours, of which 37 billion are spent in line. Each person waits. It's probably taken from aggragate data from polls or industry tracking.
It seems that KOMO article post software has NO SPELL CHECKER!
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Pity!
 @blaster I got a chuckle out of seeing "Supermarkests" - lol!