That's a pretty good idea to enforce the intent of express check out lanes. However, I've always though that is actually the customers who are only buying a few item who, in the long run, are imposing the greater cost on the system. People who make few trip and buy more at each trip should be encouraged not discouraged. I say do away with express check-outs altogether.

Simple to do, just re-write the software in the register terminal, if you can write a special version for the express lane.

Think speed limits. They're lower than they should be, because people are expected to speed. Want to speed up the express lane at the store? Decrease the item limit. It's simple, and it enforces itself without limiting use of the express registers.

I think this would slow the checkout lane even more than letting someone with LIMIT+3 items through. You've spent the time scanning LIMIT items, now you've got to spend the time telling the person that they either need to pay for their LIMIT items and forfeit the rest or move off to another line. The customer is going to rant for quite a while. Management is going to be called. Customer rants some more. Eventually management overrides the limit and has the checker scan the rest of the items.

Annoying customer leaves angry at the store. Annoying customer also leaves with a sense that she can do anything if she just complains enough. Other customers are annoyed at having been kept for 10 minutes while dealing with Annoying customer. Some will sympathise with the checker. Others will make comments along the lines of 'You would've saved time if you just let her through in the first place!'. At the end of the day, the minimum-wage earning express checkout customer hates her job and people a little more.

Shops are thinking of using RFID in a variety of ways. What if there was a sensor in the entrance of the line that counted the items in the basket and sounded your buzzer if LIMIT+LEEWAY has been exceeded? Then, people will know before the person ends up at the register. Or, if you'd like to spend a little more money, the cart itself can count the items and lock the tires or otherwise prevent the person from pushing the cart towards the express lane if they've exceeded the limit.

It would be nicer if we could just trust people to follow the rules, but unfortunately people have already learned that they can get away with nearly anything.

i dont agree with this idea. if you want to get rid of the jerks who know they have too many items and just want the faster line, it's great, but for the people who accidentally end up with one or two items extra, it means having them choose which items they want, and restocking the extras, as well as possible arguing as mentioned by pitrg. overall it just doesnt seem like it would work, but i do like the system which ive seen tested in a few stores: you have a portable hand-held scanner which you use to scan your items as you shop, and when you get to the checkout, you just download the scanner by putting it in the cradle, and pay. it is not a great system for loss-prevention, but it is great for speedy checkout.

This would work if there were no competition. The customer will come to see the business that does this as unfriendly and will just go to the store down the street. I believe the business that tolerates the most human behvior will be the one who wins the most business.