Self Check

I don't usually talk about where I work at my day job on this blog, at least not by name, because the views that I express here are MY views and do not, as far as I know, represent them.

Today I'm naming names.

For the last nineteen years I have worked in various capacities for Costco. Why do I work for Costco? Because they're the good guys. They treat us well, they are as environmentally friendly as such a big-footprint company can be, and they value their customers.

So... why am I naming names today? Here's why...

In the last couple of years (and about five years behind other retailers,) Costco introduced the self-check out lane. The reason, I think, that it took so long is that Mr. Sinegal (our CEO, for those not in the know) wanted to make sure that they could come up with a way to do this without negatively impacting either his employees or his customers.

So what's my beef? Well, when I talk to our customers about using self-check, I hear one thing above all others. “I don't want to take away anyone's job.” Thanks for looking out for me. But I've been with the company for nineteen years. IF THIS THREATENED MY JOB, DO YOU THINK THAT I'D BE PROMOTING IT? Do you people think that I have NO sense of self-preservation at all?

So let's look at the varying level of error here.

First off, anyone familiar with how Costco does business will know that Mr. Sinegal is not your typical CEO. Last year, for instance, we had to close stores that we called “Costco Home”. These were high-end furniture stores that simply weren't profitable anymore after the economic crash of 2008. To most CEO's, this would be an opportunity to close the stores, “down-size” the payroll, and put more money in his pocket. Mr. Sinegal's mandate? Find a spot for every one of those people at area stores. NO jobs were lost in the closing of those stores. Mr. Sinegal is the same as other CEO's in the same way that a kangaroo rat is the same as an African elephant. They have certain things in common... but not much.

Another thing to realize that is Costco doesn't have express lanes. We tried it, didn't work, as far as I know we'll never do it again. There simply aren't enough people that come to Costco for a handful of items. But we still get the question quite frequently.... “Why don't you have express lanes?” So this was Mr. Sinegal's answer. If you're coming in to the store for a few items and you're paying with debit or Amex, here's your express lane. Rock it.

The other thing that these people need to realize is that EVERY innovation will ultimately result in a job loss somewhere, from the invention of the hammer on. Everything. Whether that's the intention or not. It happens. It has happened. It will continue happening.

Here's probably the most important thing. If you're really concerned about Americans losing their jobs, THEN STOP BUYING CHINESE SHIT THAT YOU DON'T NEED! I joke with people that I am absolutely the worst person to be in retail during the holidays? Why? Because I don't understand rampant consumerism. It makes me angry. It makes me sick. But do yourself a favor this holiday season, if you're really concerned about American jobs. DON'T BUY ANYTHING MADE IN CHINA THAT YOU DON'T NEED. No lights. No artificial tree. No tons of Chinese-made toys that your kids are probably just going to lose interest in in a week anyway. No Ipods, please God, no Ipods. If you really want an insight into the working and living conditions of these people who make our Ipods, go to Google and search Ipod Foxconn Suicide. Foxconn, the company that manufactures Apple products in China had 11 suicides in the first four months of this year. If we had a company in America where two employees per month were killing themselves, what kind of outrage do you think that there'd be? But because it's in China, we don't even hear about it.

That's the kind of thing that makes me sick.

Peace.

Rev. Randal