Comments on: Supermarket Checkout Challenge

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:12:17 +0000

Good man, I’m exactly the same. They’ll have us packing the shelves soon too. It’s funny how people enjoy doing simple tasks. You know like when you give an octopus a jar to open? People love queueing for the self-service even when the standard ‘express’ tills are empty!

By: Frank the SciencePunk

Frank the SciencePunk — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:31:22 +0000

Whoa, self-checkouts are a whole new variable. I’d say they must be the slowest, simply because every single person has to learn how to use one as the go. They’re only “fast” in the sense that barely anyone wants to use them, so there’s no queue.

Incidentally, I refuse to use self-checkouts on the basis that I’ve already paid to have someone check my goods; and unless the supermarket it going start paying me a wage for working in their store, I’ll be damned if I’m going to start scanning items.

By: nick J

nick J — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 08:01:06 +0000

There are also the nice people who at my local supermarket decide that the ability to count is a convenience not a bit of logical knowledge retained from childhood. So they hit up the express with their cart full of crap loading the half a meter of counter space up every moment the cashier pulls something across the scanner.
Self checkouts are the way of the future!

By: badchemist

badchemist — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:49:25 +0000

Although I agree with this Frank you need to factor in the occasions when someone in front of you manages to choose the only item in the shop without a barcode/price and then insists on waiting for the assistant to go and find out even though it’s an item that really could wait until another day.

Sorry, just got back from T***o and have supermarket queue rage.

By: manigen

manigen — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:17:36 +0000

One of the sweet, sweet diagrams should show the trade off between different lengths of queue. After all, what do I do if there are two trolleys on one till and fifteen baskets at the express checkout? We need your help Frank!

By: Frank the SciencePunk

Frank the SciencePunk — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:18:48 +0000

@ Ian: Actually, I was thinking about that on the bus today, that something wasn’t sitting right with this article. Well done for spotting it.

And yes, Hayden is right.. sweet diagrams are needed…

By: Ian

Ian — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:11:04 +0000

“So remember kids, look at the number of items in the queue, not the number of people”

Didn’t you say the key factor was the number of customers? I.e. with both queues having 100 items, the express is slower as it has more people.

Anyway, you need to factor in those stupid cashiers who start blasting down the next persons items before you’ve finished packing. Didn’t anyone told them they’re paid per hour, not per customer? My answer is to defer payment until I’m packed and ready to go. Usually by this time the over-eager next customer is blocking the chip/pin machine. I hate it.

By: Hayden S

Hayden S — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:17:41 +0000

Definitely need some sweet diagrams for this.

By: Joe D

Joe D — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:15:50 +0000

BobP: somebody has done something about busy motorways — they applied game theory to changing lanes in heavy traffic — though I’ve forgotten the conclusions, and I don’t remember whether it was something serious or a silly thought experiment.

By: BobP

BobP — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 15:04:29 +0000

Are you able to extend this theorem to tell me which lane to choose on the M4 on Monday morning in orer to minimise my journey time?