Tag Archives: Comm 101

*ka-ching*

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In the U.S., some stores are considering “phasing out self-service checkouts”.

From my experience with self-checkout counters at grocery stores, I found them to be confusing.  The line-ups were long and didn’t move any faster than those with cashiers were.  Often, I would find myself in need of help from an employee when operating the machine; hence, I would rather go to a counter with a cashier. At least with a cashier, the only things I really have to pay attention to are just the prices and the balance.

Self Serve Checkouts

The concept of self-service seems like a good idea; after all, we have self-serve gas stations, which people enjoy using. So, why wouldn’t the concept work for grocery stores? Furthermore, the grocery store can hire fewer cashiers, reducing its expenses. It also adds value to some customers by offering them another checkout option.

Unfortunately, a grocery store contains more items to process compared to a gas station, which means that the self-service checkout has a higher chance of making pricing errors. Pricing errors happen, even with a human cashier; however the cashier being already familiar with the cash register can easily fix the problem.

iPod

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Most, if not all of us, have heard about the iPod.

Now that Apple’s iPhone has gained immense growth and brings in $12 billion in the two years since it was launched, while the iPod draws in only 8%, reduced from the previous  50% in 2006, of Apple’s total revenue the question, the question and also the name of the article, is “Should Apple kill the iPod?”

iPod Touch

I think that Apple should not completely kill the iPod, but rather phase out less popular models. As the article suggests, the iPod, like Xerox, has come to represent a category. For some, the iPhone is bundled with a cellphone plan that provides too much, when all they really want is just the basic phone and text. The iPhone is also viewed as an iPod Touch with 3G network or data plan and phone abilities. For others, the iPad is far too big a device to carry around just to listen to music. In both these cases, an iPod is a wonderful device that fulfills their needs. Furthermore, the continuation of the iPod provides consumers with an entry-level device to get them used to the Apple brand and products, leading to future purchases.

Abercrombie & Fitch & Ethics

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In 2009, Abercrombie & Fitch, a clothing retailer, faced a lawsuit regarding discrimination based upon religious reasons.  In our advanced society, and also the main ethical issue in this post is that, discrimination is frowned upon and is seen as a mistake of the past that we have made a mental note to avoid repeating.

The 19 year old Muslim victim claims that Abercrombie & Fitch refused to hire her because she wears a hijab (head covering), for religious reasons, because the hijab violates Abercrombie & Fitch’s Look Policy, or dress code.  When the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) inquired about this case, according to the article, Abercrombie & Fitch responded that, “‘under the Look Policy, associates…cannot wear hats or other coverings’ ”.

Perhaps it was just misfortune that the hijab falls under the coverings category, but couldn’t Abercrombie & Fitch make an exception regarding religious freedom?  Seeing a sales associate in a hijab in any store would not deter me from shopping there.  News such as this would damage a company’s image.