Checkouts Go Self-ServeCheckouts Go Self-Serve

Home Depot Inc. is introducing customer self-checkout in its stores, following a major investment in technologies from NCR Corp. and Microsoft. It's the third big IT initiative this quarter for the home-improvement retailer, which is also overhauling its decision-support systems and purchasing 40,000 desktop computers (see "Home Depot Upgrades PCs," Oct. 14, p. 28).

The timing is right for IT investments, Home Depot CIO Bob DeRodes says. "The IT dollar goes a lot further in this environment."

Self-checkout will give the $54 billion-a-year retailer a competitive advantage by getting customers through the checkout process faster. The project, DeRodes says, is part of a broader initiative that will cost "tens of millions" of dollars to improve customer checkout. That includes graphics software for cashier training.