The present invention relates generally to a checkout system, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for operating convertible checkout system which has a customer side and a personnel side.
In the retail industry, the largest expenditures are typically the cost of the goods sold followed closely by the cost of labor expended. With particular regard to the retail grocery or supermarket industry, the impetus to reduce labor costs has focused on reducing or eliminating the amount of time required to handle and/or process the items or goods to be purchased by a customer. To this end, there have been a number of self-service checkout systems developed which attempt to substantially eliminate the need for a checkout clerk.
A self-service checkout system is operated by a customer without the aid of a checkout clerk. Hence, during operation of a self-service checkout system, the customer scans individual items for purchase across a scanner and then places the scanned items into a grocery bag, if desired. The customer then pays for his or her purchases either at the self-service checkout system if so equipped, or at a central payment area which is staffed by a store employee. Thus, a self-service checkout system permits a customer to select, itemize, and in some cases pay for his or her purchases without the assistance of the retailer""s personnel.
It should be appreciated that a given retailer may have a number of reservations in regard to implementation of self-service checkout systems into the retailer""s operation. For example, certain self-service checkout systems which have heretofore been designed are more expensive relative to assisted checkout systems (i.e. retail checkout systems which are operated by an employee of the retailer such as a checkout clerk). The higher cost associated with a self-service checkout system is typically due to the fact that the system itself must perform functions that would normally be performed by the checkout clerk operating the checkout system thereby increasing the number of components associated with the self-service checkout system. For instance, in the case of a self-service checkout system, the system must provide security from improprieties such as theft. Moreover, in certain self-service checkout systems, the checkout system itself must collect payment from the customer for his or her items for purchase. It is the cost of the hardware and software necessary to provide such functions to the self-service checkout system which in certain cases cause the cost of the system to typically exceed the cost of an assisted checkout system.
Moreover, a number of retailers fear that the retailer""s customers may not embrace the idea of using self-service checkout systems to checkout their items for purchase thereby potentially causing the systems to go unused in the retailer""s store. In such a situation, the retailer would have expended a relatively substantial sum of money for a checkout system which is not being utilized thereby increasing costs associated with the retailer""s operation.
Yet further, it is generally recognized that a well-trained checkout clerk is capable of completing a checkout transaction in a more timely manner relative to an untrained customer. Accordingly, during periods of peak demand within the retailer""s store, it is desirable for the retailer to operate a relatively large number of assisted checkout systems in order to expedite the checkout process thereby preventing customers from undesirably being forced to wait in long checkout queues. However, during periods of lesser demand within the retailer""s store, it is desirable for the retailer to operate a relatively large number of self-service checkout systems in order to reduce the number of employees (i.e. checkout clerks) that the retailer must have present in the store. Hence, a compromise must be made between the number of assisted checkout systems and the number of self-service checkout systems which are installed in the retailer""s store.
What is needed therefore is a checkout system which overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks. What is particularly needed is a low-cost, easy-to-operate checkout system that may be operated as either an assisted checkout system or a self-service checkout system. What is further needed is a checkout system that may be operated as either an assisted checkout system or a self-service checkout system that can be quickly and easily converted between the two types of systems.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a checkout terminal having (i) a customer side, and (ii) a personnel side which is opposite the customer side. The method includes the step of operating the checkout terminal so as to perform an assisted checkout transaction in which retail personnel enters a first item for purchase of a first customer into the checkout terminal during a first time period. During the step of operating the checkout terminal so as to perform the assisted checkout transaction (i) the retail personnel is positioned on the personnel side of the checkout terminal, and (ii) the first customer is positioned on the customer side of the checkout terminal. The method also includes the step of operating the checkout terminal so as to perform a self-service checkout transaction in which a second customer enters a second item for purchase of the second customer into the checkout terminal during a second time period. During the step of operating the checkout terminal so as to perform the self-service checkout transaction the second customer is positioned on the customer side of the checkout terminal.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a checkout terminal. The checkout terminal includes a terminal base having (i) a customer side, and (ii) a personnel side which is opposite the customer side. The checkout terminal also includes a code entry device secured to the terminal base. The code entry device is operable in (a) an assisted mode of operation in which a first item for purchase is entered with the code entry device by retail personnel, and (b) a self-service mode of operation in which a second item for purchase is entered with the code entry device by a customer. During operation of the code entry device in the personnel mode of operation (a) the retail personnel is positioned on the personnel side of the terminal base, and (b) the customer is positioned on the customer side of the terminal base. During operation of the code entry device in the self-service mode of operation the customer is positioned on the customer side of the terminal base.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful checkout system.
It is moreover an object of the present invention to provide an improved checkout system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and useful method of operating a checkout system.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of operating a checkout system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a low-cost, easy-to-operate checkout system that may be operated as either an assisted checkout system or a self-service checkout system.
It is moreover an object of the present invention to provide a checkout system that may be operated as either an assisted checkout system or a self-service checkout system that can be quickly and easily converted between the two types of systems.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the attached drawings.