SELF-HELP SHOPPING SCANNERS OFFER SWIFTER OPTION TO CHECKOUT LINE.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

With a flick of the wrist and a few swipes at a touch pad, Damon Osteen laughed at the ease with which he got through a supermarket checkout line: ``Hey, I'm a checker now!'' he exclaimed.

In increasing numbers, at grocery chains and other retailers, the self- checkout lane is empowering shoppers as never before. Though still in its developing stages, the computerized system has caught on strongly throughout large chains such as Ralphs supermarkets and Kmart stores, and industry voices project that it will one day be a staple of shoppers' rituals.

At the Studio City Ralphs where Osteen was shopping recently, the system has accounted for 15 percent of the store's sales since its debut in mid-January.

Though the first few go-throughs take some time, shoppers seem to be warming to the system after acquainting themselves with its intricacies - much the same way there was tepid response to early automated cash machines that now are part of daily life.

``It messes up sometimes, but it's a good idea,'' Osteen said, bagging the last of his groceries. ``When you see a line, you feel like you can do it yourself and get out faster.''

That's exactly what stores are betting on, according to Todd Hultquist, a spokesman for the trade association Food Marketing Institute. With a society that craves tech-driven time savers like cellular phones, laptop computers and palm-size stereos, he said, self-checkout is merely another shortcut.

At the Studio City store, shoppers who had acclimated themselves to the process zoomed right through. Others struggled far longer than standing in a traditional checkout line. Hultquist predicts even the technology-challenged will come around.

``Consumers need convenience so they can get in and out of the store quickly,'' he said. ``They're busier than ever before, and they're always looking for ways to save time. Self-checkout gives them a chance to take control of the process.''

Not that that's always a good thing, as actress Saki Miata learned while shopping for wine at the Studio City Ralphs. When she took control, she found the system's complexities and finicky sensors that read the bar codes on items to be overly complicated.

``I'm so confused,'' she said, waving a bottle in front of the scanner. ``This is taking longer than it does to go through the regular line. When I saw how long they were, I came here, but it's bad to be curious.''

Ralphs' system, which uses U-Scan technology manufactured by Optimal Robotics, does need some explaining, spokesman Terry O'Neill acknowledged.

``The first time through, customers need help,'' he said. ``When we first introduced them, for the first week, we have extra help available to assist them. After that, they pick it up very quickly, which takes the pressure off the express lane.''

Kmart has enjoyed similar success, with self-scanners accounting for up to 40 percent of sales in 1,300 of its stores nationwide. Nearly a dozen local locations boast the technology, supplied by NCR's FastLane machines, which free up cashiers to work the aisles.

``Most customers would rather have someone help them on the sales floor,'' said Kmart spokeswoman Julie Fracker. ``It's a more effective use of the sales staff.''

Though the systems' large size keeps them from being installed in all stores, experts agree they will likely one day be as ingrained in transactions as the electronic cash register or point-of-sale debit card.

``As the years progress, these won't be unique,'' Ralphs' O'Neill said. ``You'll see them in the majority of supermarkets. They'll become commonplace as an alternative to full service, but we'll always have that service.''

Convenience and speed aside, customers like the machines for another reason altogether.

``It's much faster when you're in a hurry,'' said Hilda Grigorian, a Glendale resident buying a bouquet of sunflowers for her grandmother. ``And it's kind of fun, too.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Shopper Saki Miata found the self-scanner puzzling while shopping for wine recently at the Studio City Ralphs.

(2 -- 3 -- color) Damon Osteen, above, scans in his items at the self- checkout stand at the Studio City Ralphs. At left, Osteen scans a bag of carrots.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer