What happens when politeness and honesty go hand in hand with technology? In Japan, Self-Checkout is becoming popular, where you go through your purchases yourself and pay without the need for a cashier or a person to do so. In this article, we are going to talk a little about the self-checkout in Japan known as serufureji (セルフレジ).
There are different types of ATMs in Japan. Some can spend a maximum of 10 items, others usually pack their purchases automatically straight from the basket. Some you put your purchase at the ATM, others you add the products when picking them up and putting them in your basket.
Basically, you just place each item in front of the barcode reader to add up and pay the bill as in any ATM, vending machines or train stations. There probably are security systems based on the weight of the bag or the quantity of items, but honesty is the main reason for these machines to exist.
The computer keeps you visually and verbally informed of the price of each item you are passing. In some places you'll find a girl or boy ready to bow down and thank you for your purchases, but they're on hand to support you if you have any tech issues.
Self - ATM in Japan
Automatic payment machines in markets and stores are not new to Japan. In 2013 alone, there were more than 200,000 self-checkout units spread across the world. Not just markets, but libraries, CD stores and many others use this system which is growing more and more.
It may seem something impressive or new to Brazilians, but it is something so common and old that you would find it in 2006 in Europe. Of course, technological advances are made every year. To have a better experience, let's leave a video of our friend Caipira in Japan that will show you an ATM in Japan up close.
I hope you enjoyed this little article about ATMs in Japan. We appreciate the comments and shares. There are many other examples of honesty and technology in Japan. We recommend viewing the articles below:
