Jason wrote: >From: "Herbert Graf" >Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2006 8:15 AM > > > > >>Depends. Would I pay 1 cent per item to shove my cart through a scanner >>instead of unloading it, having a cashier scan it and put it back in my >>car? MOST DEFINITELY, without question, without hesitation. >> >> > >We're talking about what it would cost the manufacturer. If their cost goes >up 1 cent, they charge 2 cents more. Then wholesaler chages 4 cents more, >and the retailer 8 cents more. 8 cents times the number of grocery items a >family buys in a week gets into some real cash. > >Jason > > > > Of course, the effect is bigger than that. The store actually might save more than 8 cents per item on less staff, and pass on the savings, so it will cost you less for the groceries. Then some number of your neighbours will now be laid off and unemployed, and breaking into your house to make ends meet, which might eat into those supposed savings. So whether this brave new world is a plus is debatable ;-) David -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist