BOB'S BIG M FIRST TO ADD SELF-CHECKOUT IN CENTRAL N.Y.

PETER PERROTTA

WOLCOTT, N.Y. -- Bob's Big M Market here, an independent single-store operator, has become the first supermarket in central New York to install a state-of-the-art self-checkout system.

Robin Delf, co-owner of the 16,000-square-foot supermarket, said she had the $28,000 NCR Self-Checkout E-Series lane installed in December.

"In a highly competitive marketplace. We wanted to be the first retailer in the area to offer this service to our customers," Delf said. "We are confident that our customers will greatly appreciate the ability to manage their own transaction as an option to going through a conventional checkout lane."

The Delf family has run the supermarket, located about 40 miles north of Syracuse on Lake Ontario, for 36 years.

Delf said the self-checkout lane is one of eight on the front-end of the store.

Delf said, so far, she has been pleased with the utilization of the self-checkout lane.

"It's been great, really fabulous," she said. "I'd say that right now we get anywhere from 7% to 10% usage out of it."

However, Delf said she anticipates that, as time goes on, more customers will use it as they become more familiar with the new technology.

Moreover, Delf said she anticipates that eventually she will add an additional self-checkout lane to her store.