Great stuff. I was wondering recently why the iconic southern grocery chain is called "Piggly-Wiggly." The simple answer seemed to be that the founder thought--correctly--that it would be memorable. But that led me into some fascinating revelations. That Piggly-Wiggly was the first to use grocery carts because they were the first grocers who enabled/required customers to pick their own items off the shelves, rather than asking a clerk to retrieve them (in the fashion of an old-school librarian). They correctly figured that this arrangement would spur highly profitable impulse buying. This also necessitated the creation of a new class of employee--the checkout clerk--and the posting of prices on individual items. (The whole self-service arrangement was patented.) This, in turn sent packaging and name-brands to the forefront of marketing. After some missteps, the founder left Piggly-Wiggly and started another concept store--Keedoozle--a sort of grocery automat that aimed to fully automate the checkout system via electronic circuitry. It quickly failed, as 1937 technology was not up to the task. But the concept was fascinating. (I'll probably post some version of this note at Bastiat's Window, but I suspect you could find a rich vein of material in this history.)
When I first started flying, United Airlines still used a pneumatic tube system when you bought a ticket at LAX. They would put your money in a cylinder along with the cc of the ticket, insert it into the tube system, and your change would come back in a couple of minutes. I think they had this as late as the 1990's; I bet they took the tubes out when they remodeled Terminal 7 at the end of that decade and went to all credit card payment.
In 1996, my first time living in China, I was confused by the experience shopping in the old style government department stores which then coexisted with new, more familiar department stores. I was expecting the poor selection and unappealing displays as well as the disengaged and uninterested staff, all remnants of the planned economy system then being rapidly replaced by consumer freedom.
What I didn't expect was the actual process of a transaction which, thanks to this article, I now better understand.
When you finally managed to convince a bored clerk to pay attention to you and that you really wanted to buy whatever it was you were pointing at behind the glass in the case, the clerk would fill out a form that made three copies, each a different colour, give you the three copies and point you off in a vague direction.
You then had to take the form to a poorly labeled section in the middle of the floor and catch the attention of the disengaged and unoccupied clerk there. To that clerk you gave the money and received your change. The clerk would then stamp each of the three copies with a red seal, tear off one copy and give you the remaining two. You took your two copies back to the original clerk who, after carefully verifying that you had in fact returned with two legitimately stamped copies of the original form, would sigh with exasperation and slowly wander off with the two copies, leaving you wondering what was going on.
A few minutes later, the bored clerk would reappear with the thing you had originally pointed at behind the display case and give it to you, along with one copy of the original form, now with an additional red stamp on it.
You were now free to go. No bag was provided, the Chinese perhaps being earlier than us in concern about their environmental impact. Sometimes though, if the box was large enough, the clerk would tie string or ribbon around the box, which you could use as a handle.
As you left the store, your remaining copy of the original slip was carefully checked and validated against the box you were carrying.
I like self check-out. As Virginia said, new connections are formed between staff and customer. I've come to know a few check-out nannies by face and vibe. They're all quite nice. I enjoy packing my own bags. Self check-out also requires new skills. It's not brain surgery but there are new talents, including dexterity. And learning a new skill is good! I don't think any job loss has occurred, but we'll find out. Every place I shop offers both options and I head straight for "self." One store puts a limit on self-check: ten items! So I buy my ten items, toodle around, and come back to do more. Living on the edge! LOL
OK I'll admit, I am 25 years over 60 and I'm also ready to shout GET OFF MY LAWN -or computer screen or magazine or whatever every time I see or hear BCE & CE instead of BC & AD. ;-)
Great stuff. I was wondering recently why the iconic southern grocery chain is called "Piggly-Wiggly." The simple answer seemed to be that the founder thought--correctly--that it would be memorable. But that led me into some fascinating revelations. That Piggly-Wiggly was the first to use grocery carts because they were the first grocers who enabled/required customers to pick their own items off the shelves, rather than asking a clerk to retrieve them (in the fashion of an old-school librarian). They correctly figured that this arrangement would spur highly profitable impulse buying. This also necessitated the creation of a new class of employee--the checkout clerk--and the posting of prices on individual items. (The whole self-service arrangement was patented.) This, in turn sent packaging and name-brands to the forefront of marketing. After some missteps, the founder left Piggly-Wiggly and started another concept store--Keedoozle--a sort of grocery automat that aimed to fully automate the checkout system via electronic circuitry. It quickly failed, as 1937 technology was not up to the task. But the concept was fascinating. (I'll probably post some version of this note at Bastiat's Window, but I suspect you could find a rich vein of material in this history.)
The origins of the name are unknown. The founder never told other than saying it was distinctive.
Yup. There were conflicting accounts, but what you write is the most we can say.
When I first started flying, United Airlines still used a pneumatic tube system when you bought a ticket at LAX. They would put your money in a cylinder along with the cc of the ticket, insert it into the tube system, and your change would come back in a couple of minutes. I think they had this as late as the 1990's; I bet they took the tubes out when they remodeled Terminal 7 at the end of that decade and went to all credit card payment.
I never saw that! What a great system. I remember when it was cool to buy a plane ticket with cash, and cash was not yet being treated with suspicion.
In Chicago you can still see remnants of the old pneumatic systems in the old department stores, in the Cincinnati downtown as well.
But I really just came here to express dismay at referring to the early 2000s as turn-of-the-century. I can't be that old!
In 1996, my first time living in China, I was confused by the experience shopping in the old style government department stores which then coexisted with new, more familiar department stores. I was expecting the poor selection and unappealing displays as well as the disengaged and uninterested staff, all remnants of the planned economy system then being rapidly replaced by consumer freedom.
What I didn't expect was the actual process of a transaction which, thanks to this article, I now better understand.
When you finally managed to convince a bored clerk to pay attention to you and that you really wanted to buy whatever it was you were pointing at behind the glass in the case, the clerk would fill out a form that made three copies, each a different colour, give you the three copies and point you off in a vague direction.
You then had to take the form to a poorly labeled section in the middle of the floor and catch the attention of the disengaged and unoccupied clerk there. To that clerk you gave the money and received your change. The clerk would then stamp each of the three copies with a red seal, tear off one copy and give you the remaining two. You took your two copies back to the original clerk who, after carefully verifying that you had in fact returned with two legitimately stamped copies of the original form, would sigh with exasperation and slowly wander off with the two copies, leaving you wondering what was going on.
A few minutes later, the bored clerk would reappear with the thing you had originally pointed at behind the display case and give it to you, along with one copy of the original form, now with an additional red stamp on it.
You were now free to go. No bag was provided, the Chinese perhaps being earlier than us in concern about their environmental impact. Sometimes though, if the box was large enough, the clerk would tie string or ribbon around the box, which you could use as a handle.
As you left the store, your remaining copy of the original slip was carefully checked and validated against the box you were carrying.
I like self check-out. As Virginia said, new connections are formed between staff and customer. I've come to know a few check-out nannies by face and vibe. They're all quite nice. I enjoy packing my own bags. Self check-out also requires new skills. It's not brain surgery but there are new talents, including dexterity. And learning a new skill is good! I don't think any job loss has occurred, but we'll find out. Every place I shop offers both options and I head straight for "self." One store puts a limit on self-check: ten items! So I buy my ten items, toodle around, and come back to do more. Living on the edge! LOL
I prefer cashiers to self checkout!
OK I'll admit, I am 25 years over 60 and I'm also ready to shout GET OFF MY LAWN -or computer screen or magazine or whatever every time I see or hear BCE & CE instead of BC & AD. ;-)
& Oh ya, Virginia, excellent essay!