Self-service checkout

A system for self-service checkout of merchandise by a customer at a retail store, the system comprising:

• a payment card reader for reading account information stored on a payment card, the payment card reader being capable of transmitting the account information;
• a housing substantially closed to the environment, the housing defining a slot opening to an internal bay dimensioned for receiving the product tag, the housing being configured for shielding a desensitizing effect from any security tags outside the housing;
• a price scanner positioned within the housing for reading price information encoded on a product tag of an item while the product tag is positioned within the bay, the price scanner being capable of transmitting the price information;
• a payment unit for receiving the price information from the price scanner, for communicating with an electronic payment network to seek approval of a charge to the payment card, and for transmitting an activation signal upon receipt of approval of the charge;
• a selectively activatable desensitizer for desensitizing a security tag of a product tag while the product tag is positioned within the bay of the housing, the desensitizer being activated upon receipt of the activation signal transmitted from the payment unit;
• a sensor for sensing removal of the product tag from the bay of the housing and preventing completion of a checkout transaction if the product tag is removed after being scanned for price by the price scanner and before desensitization by the desensitizer;
• an anti-theft device;
• and
• a detector for detecting sensitized security tags present in a detection zone monitored by the detector, the detector being capable of activating the anti-theft device in the event that a sensitized security tag is detected in the detection zone;
• whereby product tags inserted into the bay of the housing are scannable for price and the desensitizer's desensitizing effect is limited to a corresponding security tag of the product tag scanned for price.

A method for performing a self service checkout transaction comprising the steps of:

• receiving a product tag comprising a price tag and a security tag through a slot and into a bay of a housing substantially closed to the environment and capable of shielding a desensitizing effect from any security tags outside the housing;
• reading account number data stored on a payment card;
• reading price information stored on the price tag;
• sensing whether the product tag has been removed from the bay after the price information was read;
• and
• activating a desensitizer to desensitize the security tag while positioned in the bay of the housing if it is sensed that the product tag has not been removed from the bay after being scanned for price.