The Stop & Shop we normally use outsources their cash register function to us; we carry a scanner around, plink each item on its way into the basket, then do a credit-card swipe on the way out. On the last trip, this popped up after I scanned the “We’re done!” barcode at the Scan It! kiosk:
That means we were selected for a “random” audit, apparently triggered by the fact that we bought some non-typical items: ice cream! We proceeded to a nearby register, waited in line, I re-re-scanned my card, and … the whole fifteen minute process would have been a lot more amusing if said frozen items hadn’t been warming up while the harried clerk performed numerous ritual acts on the contents of our cart.
The main reason I use the scanner: there’s no other way to determine the price of any given item, what with all the unit pricing nonsense, mis-marked labels, pop-up sales, must-buy-N bundling, and so forth and so on. Secondarily, during a normal trip there’s no waiting in a lengthy queue (“Price check on Register 12!”) on the way out.
Mary hates the scanners, for well and good reason.
The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning 