The advance of technology helps facilitate our lives a great deal, but do we pay a high price when it comes to relying on the machines way more than we should?
In order to speed up the process of running errands and shopping for groceries, Walmart introduced self-checkouts. What they didn’t expect, however, is to face backlash because of this decision that many of the customers consider controversial.
The self-service machines aren’t something new. In fact, they were first introduced in the 1980s to lower labor expenses.
But this service faced plenty of obstacles and customers complain to the added responsibilities.
For example, certain items may have multiple barcodes, whereas the produce, including the meat, fruit, and vegetable, typically needs to be weighed and manually entered into the system using a code, which might be time consuming for the ordinary shoppers. Other times shoppers won’t hear the “beep” confirming an item has been scanned properly.
Another issue is the increase of theft. Walmart announced that thefts at its stores has reached an all-time high.
The machines not only fall short at their purpose of making shopping easier at times, but they also make it harder for the employees they were meant to help.
Christopher Andrews, a sociologist and author of The Overworked Consumer: Self-Checkouts, Supermarkets, and the Do-It-Yourself Economy, says the system “doesn’t work well for anyone.”
He continued: “Everyone feels like they have to have it. Companies are thinking: ‘If we can just get more people on this, maybe we can start reducing some overheads.’”
What’s most, most of the customers have reported that they miss the human interaction while shopping.
Randy Parraz from Making Change at Walmart perfectly summed up customer sentiments by saying, “You can’t convince customers to do the job of a cashier just because you don’t want to pay for the work.”
Walmart decided to listen to what their customers had to say and instead of further expanding automation, the retail giant will hire additional cashiers to provide their customers with a pleasant shopping experience and service.
What Walmart and the rest of the retailers, among which Costco and Wegmans, learned is that efficiency is important but maintaining a balance with positive experiences remains crucial.
Baby once labeled ‘hideous’ grows into a stunning little girl
Every individual is beautiful in their own way, including newborns with their unique features.
In 2018, Angelica entered the world, bringing immense joy to her family. Her delicate facial features and a heart-shaped port-wine stain made her even more special. While her family embraced her beauty, not everyone appreciated the uniqueness of her birthmark.
Angelica’s mother, Marianna Bowering, shared that while their family adored her daughter just as she was, some strangers online felt entitled to make cruel comments about Angelica’s appearance.
“The worst comment I’ve received online was from someone asking if her face had been pressed onto a skillet, essentially saying her face looked grilled,” Marianna told The Mirror.
Marianna also recalled times when Angelica was labeled “hideous” or described as a “defect.” These remarks were deeply hurtful and added to the challenges the family faced. Despite the negativity, they remained determined to shield Angelica from the impact of such cruelty and to help her embrace her unique beauty.
To instill confidence and self-love in her daughter, Marianna took an extraordinary step. Inspired by Vascular Birthmark Awareness Day, which encourages participants to paint a heart on their cheek, she decided to replicate Angelica’s birthmark on her own face using makeup.
“I initially painted a heart as part of my makeup look, but then I thought, why not go all out and recreate Angelica’s port-wine stain?” Marianna shared with The Epoch Times.
However, not all reactions were positive. Remarks suggesting the mark would fade over time or that Angelica could conceal it with makeup as she grew older left Marianna heartbroken. These comments reminded her of society’s rigid standards of beauty and the pressure to conform.
Determined to counter this, Marianna and her family encouraged Angelica to embrace her individuality. On occasion, Marianna would even decorate Angelica’s birthmark with glitter to celebrate its beauty.
“Thankfully, tests have shown Angelica is completely healthy,” Marianna said, acknowledging that children with similar birthmarks can sometimes face health concerns like glaucoma. “We just need regular check-ups to monitor her health, particularly her eyes.”
Angelica is now thriving, surrounded by love and support that teaches her to appreciate her uniqueness. Her story is a reminder that beauty comes in many forms and that self-love is a powerful gift.
Isn’t Angelica a stunning young girl with a story that inspires?
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